- Tesla has received complaints from new Model 3 owners who discovered old processors powering Autopilot.
- The cars shipped with hardware version 2.5, which had been phased out in April 2019.
- Tesla said it will upgrade the old processors to Autopilot Hardware version 3.0 for free.
Supply-chain issues surrounding the coronavirus epidemic have had an effect on businesses of all stripes, including the automotive world. Tesla isn’t immune, apparently. It recently had to reply to some confused new Model 3 owners who found old hardware in their new cars.
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Some owners in China discovered that their brand-new Model 3s were shipped with Autopilot hardware processor version 2.5. Current Model 3s have been shipping with processor version 3.0 since April 2019. During an event showcasing the company’s Autopilot technology, CEO Elon Musk said the 3.0 hardware has the ability to process images 21 times faster than version 2.5.
Tesla, as the BBC reported, said the old 2.5 hardware was placed in the vehicles due to supply-chain issues with the new 3.0 processor and that it would replace the hardware for free as soon as it was available.
It seems like an odd decision to place older technology in new cars and then have to go back and replace the processors instead of just informing customers that their vehicles’ would be delayed due to supply-chain issues. For one thing, it ties up service technicians to do the swap. But Tesla, as it does with many aspects of its auto business, approaches things slightly differently from other companies.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
