"Anybody who's regularly driven in winter conditions knows the importance of keeping windshield washer fluid topped up. Keeping the salty grime stuck to your windshield and rear window to a minimum is crucial for visibility, especially in inclement weather. In the case of an autonomously operating vehicle, ensuring visibility for the vehicle's sensors could similarly be a matter of life and death. That's particularly true for Tesla's Cybercab ride-hailing vehicles, which rely entirely on camera feeds."
"Recent sightings of an early prototype in Chicago - a city known for its harsh and long winters - suggest the EV maker is taking the matter seriously, opting to install a rear-facing camera washer to keep obstructions to a minimum. Images of the salt-covered prototype show liquid - presumably windshield washing liquid or antifreeze - dripping down its rear bumper, almost as if it had a runny nose. The design change suggests the Elon Musk-led company is taking active measures to ensure its Cybercabs can operate in actual winter outside of its home states of California and Texas."
"However, others lamented the fact that the company's EV lineup, which has since been seemingly relegated to the bottom of the company's priority list, had yet to benefit from a similar washer system, despite being on sale for many years now. Rear camera washer systems are a common feature among many production vehicles from other carmakers. "This is a feature that many Tesla owners have been asking for, especially in snowy areas," tweeted automotive journalist Sawyer Merritt. "Hope it makes it to the rest of the lineup.""
Cold-weather road salt and grime impair visibility and require washer fluids to keep windshields clear. Autonomous vehicles that rely on camera feeds need unobstructed sensors to operate safely in winter. A Cybercab prototype seen in Chicago features a rear-facing camera washer and shows salt-covered surfaces with liquid dripping from the rear bumper. The addition indicates efforts to enable Cybercabs to function in snowy climates beyond California and Texas. Tesla plans to expand its Robotaxi system to multiple cities. Some observers note that the consumer EV lineup still lacks a similar rear-camera washer despite it being common on many production vehicles.
Read at Futurism
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