NHTSA Complaint #11624533 — 2020 TESLA MODEL 3

This report is filed to support NHTSA Investigation #PE24031. The four vehicles listed on the SGOs were manufactured when Tesla referred to the ADAS hardware suite as Hardware 3.0 (HW3). This March 2022 video recorded an incident facing into the sun in a 2020 Tesla Model 3 with HW3 installed. Tesla's ADAS is engaged and operating on FSD Beta V10.10.2 firmware. A video sensor reacts to bright sun and shade by raising and lowering its sensitivity, which may compromise exposure if it occurs once. In a series of pulsed, high-contrast lighting changes, the exposure may be less than optimal during much of the transient. The depth and duration of the exposure error will vary by the sensor's make and model. Next, See: [XXX] ) Only the video is relevant. The rear-facing camera view on the Tesla's display shows the shadow cast directly behind the vehicle, confirming direct alignment. At 0:51, the car enters a bridge section where cross-members cast shadows onto the windshield-mounted cameras, causing a pulsed lighting effect. If a video automatic gain adjustment (AGC) step is in the signal path downstream of the sensor, it may react adversely to the pulsed input. The signal path latency, processing time, and the attack and release settings of the AGC delay the output, making it out of sync with the sensor's direct output. Note: At 0:57, the driver requests a speed adjustment as the ADAS emerges from the strobed lighting. At 1:50, the visualization displays the VRUs as facing into the vehicle's path and the ultrasonics returning pings off the metal barrier to the right. Other: Social media reports indicate that interior condensation in front of the front-facing cameras can be resolved using the standard front-screen defrosting feature. There have been accounts of the interior glass becoming hazy or cloudy, and DIY YouTube videos show how to remove the camera pod and sensors to clean that specific glass area. Example: [XXX] ). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)