Image: Kevin Smith on YouTube
In a recently published YouTube video, Kevin Smith shares part two of his experience driving his camera-dependent, radar-less 2021 Model Y in the rain to see how Autopilot holds up with changing weather conditions.
Tesla removed radar from the 2021 Model Y and Model 3 with units delivered in May, replacing it with the camera-based Pure Vision system, often referred to as Tesla Vision.
Smith conducted the test drive on highway 65 during light-medium rainfall in his May 2021 Model Y running software version 2021.4.18.1. The outing went pretty smooth for the most part, with AutoPilot exhibiting excellent lane changes and braking even with slightly reduced visibility.
Smith did note a number of instances where the car slowed down on account of reduced vision. Unlike part one of his journey, Smith did not experience any kick-outs from AutoPilot this time around.
Tesla Vision has already performed well in safety tests, and Tesla Vision-based AutoPilot has proven itself in rainy conditions. The results bode quite well for how Tesla Vision-based AutoPilot can be expected to perform in the snow, where radar-dependent AutoPilot would fail every 10-15 minutes in heavy snow due to ice and slush buildup.
The Tesla Vision-equipped 2021 Tesla Model 3 recently regained the IIHS’s ‘Top Safety Pick+’ and Consumer Reports’s ‘Top Pick’ ratings, both of which were pulled following Tesla’s decision to ditch radar technology.
