I just want to share my experience with swapping all the AP cameras in my February built 2017 Model S.
If interested, I documented all the install process
here.
- I bought all the Autopilot cameras (except for the rearview camera) from a salvaged Raven Performance Model S on April 6th 2020.
- I did the install on September 2020 and the specs of my car at the time were: 2017 Feb built Model S with MCU1 and full AP2.0 hardware (computer and cameras).
- The actual parts that came off the Raven and that were installed at the time were: (some of these parts have currently changed, more on this below).
1125106-00-E - MS/ MX LAMP ASY, SIDE REPEATER (LH)
1125107-00-E - MS/ MX LAMP ASY, SIDE REPEATER (RH)
1120520-00-B - INLINE TRIPLE CAM, S/X/3
1069104-00-D - MS,B PLR,CAM ASSY
1069104-00-D - MS,B PLR,CAM ASSY
- When I finished the full camera swap (except for the rearview camera), I scheduled an appointment at my local Service Center, in order to have the MCU2 upgrade alongside the FSD computer install ( the car had all the cameras updated with no errors thrown by the car). I also did the radio tuner upgrade myself with parts from eBay in order to save the $500 bucks Tesla wanted, but that's another story!
- I personally wanted to experiment and document if the AP camera type line of code in my Model S' gateway.config file really needed to be changed alongside the hardware. Was the hardware swap enough or did the car require the software modification as well? I wanted to find out if the AP2.0 computer actually behaved any different after the camera swap, and then find out if it behaved differently after the MCU and FSD computer upgrade, without changing any software line of code.
- So I drove a little over 200 miles on AP with the new cameras and the old MCU1 and AP2.0 computer to set the baseline and then drove the exact same route a few days later, with the new MCU2 and FSD computer. Both tests were carried out with the Autopilot Camera Type line of code in the gateway.config file set to value 1, aka: (RCCC_CAMERAS):
{
"description":"Type of autopilot camera installed",
"content":{
"enums":[
{
"codeKey":"UNKNOWN",
"description":"",
"value":"0"
},
{
"codeKey":"RCCC_CAMERAS",
"description":"RCCC Cameras for vehicles built with DAS HW2.0 only",
"value":"1"
},
{
"codeKey":"RCCB_CAMERAS",
"description":"RCCB Cameras",
"value":"2"
}
]
},
"accessId":"autopilotCameraType",
"codeKey":"autopilotCameraType",
"products":[
"ModelS/X"
]
As you can see in the image below:
View attachment 727622
- My tests determined that the change in the gateway.config file was not actually needed in order for any of the two AP computers to do their job. I wasn't able to notice any tangible difference on both drives.
- After a few months of AP driving on this configuration, on January 2021, I noticed Tesla listed 2 new side repeaters on its Parts Catalog (which as of this writing, they are still the latest and greatest side repeater cameras for the Oct 2016 to Jan 2021 Model S and X vehicles):
1642010-00-A - MS/ MX LAMP ASY, SIDE REPEATER (LH)
1642011-00-A - MS/ MX LAMP ASY, SIDE REPEATER (RH)
- So I decided I was going to once again swap my side repeaters for the new ones. I placed an order for both at my local Service Center and gave them a shot. Considering I was changing my side repeater cameras again, I decided that this time I was going to change the Autopilot Camera Type line of code in the gateway.config file now to value 2, aka: (RCCB_CAMERAS), and so I did.
- Once again, I drove the same route, but wasn't able to notice any difference on the image quality or any change on the AP behavior.
- My conclusions, at that time, were that there was no tangible differences in the AP driving characteristics when changing the software camera type line of code on the vehicle's Gateway... that was until Elon's tweet regarding the cameras and FSD Beta
.
- I don't work at Tesla and have no way of knowing for a fact anything related to my suspicions, but I believe (as many others have stated here in this thread), that probably Tesla is training it's NN with RCCB images, considering they are the vast majority of camera feeds they receive from the fleet, since all Model 3's and Model Y's, as well as all Model S' and Model X's built from August 2017 onwards are equipped with RCCB cameras.
- I also personally believe that [eventually] Tesla is going to install this exact part numbers on our AP2.0 factory built vehicles, as these part numbers have not changed at all in a while and all the Palladium S and X's and all 3's and Y's have different size and trim color cameras, (they are chrome deleted).
- MS/ MX LAMP ASY, SIDE REPEATER (LH)
1642011-00-A - MS/ MX LAMP ASY, SIDE REPEATER (RH)
1120520-00-B - INLINE TRIPLE CAM, S/X/3
1069104-00-D - MS,B PLR,CAM ASSY
1069104-00-D - MS,B PLR,CAM ASSY
- Regarding the FSD software on my Model S, (considering I have a Feb 2017 Model S with the full camera swap and the RCCB software tag enabled in it's Gateway), unfortunately I didn't hit the "Request Full Self-Driving Beta" button when my car got the 2021.32.22 firmware update, as I thought the Beta Score® thing was a plain ridiculous joke on us early adopters that were promised, and payed for, FSD since October 2016, so my Model S is currently on the 2021.36.5.5 software branch with all of us that didn't request the FSD Beta and/or declined to play Elon's games on software and features we payed for literally years ago.
- Sorry for my long post, but just wanted to share my 2 cents on the matter.
