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Model X mule(s) show signs of nVidia Tegra X1 Drive PX platform - no rear mirror!

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AnxietyRanger

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2014
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As has been previously discussed on TMC, nVidia - a partner of Tesla on Model S as well - is launching a new Tegra X1 chip and an accompanying DRIVE PX platform. It was speculated on this forum that Model X would be getting this chip.

One feature of the DRIVE PX is a new advanced all-around view and self-driving monitoring features that employ up to 12 high-resolution (by car standards) cameras. The Tesla Model X mule(s) have shown signs of at least a few of these oddly places cameras: the nose bumper cameras and the B pillar cameras.

DRIVE PX supports mirrorless rear view and indeed, the Model X mules seem to have no rear-view mirror! As evidenced in the interior thread images.

model_x_mule_cameras_2.jpg


Of the other camera locations, the middle front and the top rear camera locations have been camouflaged on the mules, so we can't see them, if there is something there.

This is what the DRIVE PX is about:

nvidia_drive_px.jpg


Side thought: Curiously, at the same time we have heard news that upcoming version 7 might work on certain cars only - could this be in reference to just the "D" cars or perhaps only to future cars with the new nVidia chip?

(Photos of the mule: Picture 1 - Spied: 2016 Tesla Model X)
 
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It seems highly plausible. Elon has suggested that there will be further enhancements to the autopilot suite coming with Model X, and the current ultrasonic sensor suite seems as though it will quickly run into limitations when it comes to side and rear visibility.

Are there any regulatory problems with eliminating the rear-view mirror as there are with the side mirrors? It's not uncommon for commercial vehicles to lack them, but passenger vehicles may be a different story.
 
Yikes. No rear view mirror.
I think it's time to get my money back for my reservation. I'm interested in a larger serious EV for my family. Not in a test bed for half baked futuristic technology.
The TACC breaks for no good reason. My collision alert goes off at least two times every day - and I am not an aggressive driver. The center screen used to hang all the time. Right now the navigation system can't figure out the difference between SW Portland and NE Portland. This is a high tech lovers dream. But it's not ready for prime time. Having my "mirrors" suddenly not work in a critical situation could be fatal for me or others.
Right now the Model S has mirrors that I can look into and that show me what's behind me. I don't want a car that has no side mirrors (thankfully that doesn't appear to be legal so far) or no rear view mirror (is that legal in the US? I'm guessing it mind as there are cars with no visibility through the center / back).
Very disheartening.
 
Yikes. No rear view mirror.
I think it's time to get my money back for my reservation. I'm interested in a larger serious EV for my family. Not in a test bed for half baked futuristic technology.

Wouldn't it be prudent to know exactly what is an option and what is standard before canceling your reservation?

None of what is posted here is official, and it's all guesswork at this point.
 
Wouldn't it be prudent to know exactly what is an option and what is standard before canceling your reservation?

None of what is posted here is official, and it's all guesswork at this point.

Yes of course. Sorry. I am of course following the bonnie rule and am not making decisions based on the speculation here...
So what I posted above was an overstatement and should have read "if this gets confirmed, I guess it's time to get my money back and cancel my reservation..."
Thanks for catching that
 
Yes of course. Sorry. I am of course following the bonnie rule and am not making decisions based on the speculation here...
So what I posted above was an overstatement and should have read "if this gets confirmed, I guess it's time to get my money back and cancel my reservation..."
Thanks for catching that

Some folks saw something they think is a camera behind the drivers side window at the top of the door; somehow this became a thread about how that means there'll be a certain chip in the car and no rear view mirror.....I wouldn't worry too much just yet Dirkh, it's just a mule.

BTW, even if there is a side camera in that position how will it be affected by window tinting?
 
So somebody at Tesla never got around to supergluing the rearview mirror onto the windshield of this particular mule, and suddenly that means no rear view mirror on the production car?

Tesla may be able to get external rear view cameras past the DOT. There's a good reason for it (range). But no inside rear view mirror? It's going to be a lot harder to get the DOT to buy into that. And the advantage of no inside rear view mirror is what, exactly? It's neat-o?

I'm beginning to see why people are saying the speculation is getting a bit out of hand here...
 
So somebody at Tesla never got around to supergluing the rearview mirror onto the windshield of this particular mule, and suddenly that means no rear view mirror on the production car?

Tesla may be able to get external rear view cameras past the DOT. There's a good reason for it (range). But no inside rear view mirror? It's going to be a lot harder to get the DOT to buy into that. And the advantage of no inside rear view mirror is what, exactly? It's neat-o?

I'm beginning to see why people are saying the speculation is getting a bit out of hand here...

The point isn't, really, the lack of a rear-view mirror - at least not for me. The point is signs of DRIVE PX, which is significant if so.

Whatever Tesla is testing on this mule might well appear only after the first release of the production vehicle, if ever. Some of it might also only appear on certain markets and not on others, like various missing mirrors. That said, what is seen on this mule aligns with the known chip partnership news of Tesla's. DRIVE PX is official, it is out and not speculation, as is Tesla's partnership with nVidia. Even if the car ships with regular side and rear mirrors, it could include the extra DRIVE PX platform cameras for additional visibility, parking and traffic recognition. In fact, if I had to guess, I would expect Model X Signatures to ship with regular mirrors in all the right places, but that wouldn't preclude them from shipping with DRIVE PX.

I would never recommend anyone make purchase decisions based on the analysis of mules (mule photos) and industry information (nVidia press and Tesla/nVidia partnership), unless they absolutely have to for some reason. However, if anyone cares about my opinion: To me it seems very much likely Model X will be Tesla's first car with a second generation of Auto-pilot. If that particularly interests someone, it might be worth the cash to wait for that before making the purchase decision, it is only some months now after all. Model S may get similar upgrades in the same time frame, didn't Tesla say after "D" that these would be the only major changes to Model S for a year or so, which could align with a Model X launch era "facelift".

Forward-looking statements are speculation of course.

- - - Updated - - -

Wouldn't it be prudent to know exactly what is an option and what is standard before canceling your reservation?

None of what is posted here is official, and it's all guesswork at this point.

I agree. Cancelling a reservation would make no sense, unless one desperately needs the money back.

Also, most importantly, while I am intrigued there may be something to the Tegra X1 story (Elon quotes backing up as much), it isn't at all clear-cut that Model X would ship without traditional mirrors in some markets or perhaps as an option in all markets, even if it had additional side and rear-view capability through the DRIVE PX platform and associated cameras.

- - - Updated - - -

Some folks saw something they think is a camera behind the drivers side window at the top of the door; somehow this became a thread about how that means there'll be a certain chip in the car and no rear view mirror.....I wouldn't worry too much just yet Dirkh, it's just a mule.

I think that's an oversimplification of what happened. I think this is more accurate:

- We know nVidia has a new multi-camera self-driving chip out and the information about its existence and features is official
- We know Tesla is partners with nVidia and that the launch window of X1/DRIVE PX coincides with that of what is now expected for Model X
- Elon Musk apparently saying at nVidia conference when Tegra X1 was discussed, something to the effect of I'm excited to show what we've been working on together for the X
- We can see at least three possible elements of DRIVE PX on Model X mule(s): nose bumper camera, B pillar camera and lack of rear-view mirror
- Cameras is the major element where Tesla is still behind, as the next big improvement addressing this area would make sense and to wow at Model X launch, this would be such a feature

Anyone feel free to correct above if mistaken. If accurate, I would speculate that Model X was originally slated to ship with what we saw at "D", but since Model X got delayed for whatever reasons, it may have been bumped to second-generation Auto-pilot in the process. This would suggest to me, Model S will also get similar improvements in due course.

BTW, even if there is a side camera in that position how will it be affected by window tinting?

Good point, of course. It is hard to tell if the camera is under the window or in the top trim. Due to the mule-esque pushed out windows and broken up trim in this area, the camera/window/trim setup may not be anywhere near final at all, of course, if there even is a camera.
 
If one wants to speculate further about the interior, there is also the nVidia DRIVE CX accompanying platform:

Drive CX from NVIDIA Tegra Automotive | NVIDIA

Personally I'm not familiar what exact versions of nVidia products current and past Model S cars are shipping with, so I'll further speculation in that area to others...

There is also some information about nVidia's partners on that site nVidia Automotive, Tesla included.
 
Some folks saw something they think is a camera behind the drivers side window at the top of the door; somehow this became a thread about how that means there'll be a certain chip in the car and no rear view mirror.....I wouldn't worry too much just yet Dirkh, it's just a mule.

BTW, even if there is a side camera in that position how will it be affected by window tinting?

looked like it was nestled just above the window to me
 
Yikes. No rear view mirror.
I think it's time to get my money back for my reservation. I'm interested in a larger serious EV for my family. Not in a test bed for half baked futuristic technology.
The TACC breaks for no good reason. My collision alert goes off at least two times every day - and I am not an aggressive driver. The center screen used to hang all the time. Right now the navigation system can't figure out the difference between SW Portland and NE Portland. This is a high tech lovers dream. But it's not ready for prime time. Having my "mirrors" suddenly not work in a critical situation could be fatal for me or others.
Right now the Model S has mirrors that I can look into and that show me what's behind me. I don't want a car that has no side mirrors (thankfully that doesn't appear to be legal so far) or no rear view mirror (is that legal in the US? I'm guessing it mind as there are cars with no visibility through the center / back).
Very disheartening.

It would not be that difficult to add mirrors -- then you'd have redundancy that would make you safer than any other Model X.
 
Yikes. No rear view mirror.
I think it's time to get my money back for my reservation. I'm interested in a larger serious EV for my family. Not in a test bed for half baked futuristic technology.
The TACC breaks for no good reason. My collision alert goes off at least two times every day - and I am not an aggressive driver. The center screen used to hang all the time. Right now the navigation system can't figure out the difference between SW Portland and NE Portland. This is a high tech lovers dream. But it's not ready for prime time. Having my "mirrors" suddenly not work in a critical situation could be fatal for me or others.
Right now the Model S has mirrors that I can look into and that show me what's behind me. I don't want a car that has no side mirrors (thankfully that doesn't appear to be legal so far) or no rear view mirror (is that legal in the US? I'm guessing it mind as there are cars with no visibility through the center / back).
Very disheartening.

Probably the best thing to do is cancel. The question is, you are buying the worlds most innovative car from the most innovative company, what did you expect? A Lexus?