New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on June 21, 2022) follows:

Tesla is one of the most recognized brands in the electric vehicles and automatic driving segments.

Tesla cars Autopilot algorithms are among the most reliable and robust on the market. Also, Tesla vehicles are often offered at competitive prices compared to their direct rivals.

However, there are some things where users would like to see a change. One of these things is the operation of the windscreen wipers while Autopilot mode is active.

Apparently, the behavior of the windscreen wipers is erratic on Tesla Autopilot, and has been for a long time (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).

Tesla vehicles windscreen wipers don’t turn off or turn on with no rain

According to multiple reports, the Tesla Autopilot windscreen wipers behavior could be less annoying.

Apparently, the Tesla vehicles windscreen wipers don’t turn off or turn on even when there is no rain if Autopilot mode is active.

tesla-autopilot-windscreen-wipers-dont-turn-off-on-no-rain-1
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@tesla #tesla Without fail… every time I wash my Model Y, FSD Beta insists on cleaning my windows. This time I clay bar’d and washed them. It doesn’t get cleaner than that. That was my only disengagement. MYP Wipers make a mess of this car. No thank you beta. #fsdbeta @elonmusk
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@tesla @elonmusk please make it possible to disable the windshield wipers in autopilot or cruise control. It sucks that I have to use my windshield wipers with 90 degree perfect weather. Give us the option to manually disable it and warn us that autopilot may not work as expected
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Windscreen wipers issue occurring on Tesla Autopilot mode

On Tesla vehicles, Autopilot mode also controls the operation of the windscreen wipers. So, drivers are unable to turn them off if they want to use Autopilot mode.

Yeah, that setting is for regular driving time. When AP isn’t engaged. If AP is engaged beta OR non beta, you can’t turn off auto wipers.
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In some cases, this can be a potential road safety issue, as drivers must take their eyes off the road for a few seconds to disable Autopilot mode and turn off the windscreen wipers.

NHTSA complaint about Tesla auto-wipers

I’m tired of my Model Y’s wipers’ changing to the auto setting when turning on autopilot. The wipers often turn on when there is no rain or moisture of any kind on my windshield. Roughly 5% of drives this happens, and always on the freeway.

Me having to disable autopilot and take my eyes + a hand off the road to turn off the auto-wipers is obnoxious and dangerous. Bay Area freeways are fast and dense, so taking attention off the road for a few seconds is really problematic.
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A problem occurring for years, no fix in sight

Unfortunately, this problem has been present for a long time in Tesla vehicles. Some users even suggest that the issue occurs for many years.

I’m waiting for the past 7 years on Tesla to fix the wipers….. still waiting.
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Currently, there seems to be no intention to change the way windscreen wipers work, and this could be due to security.

After all, Tesla Autopilot mode relies on cameras and sensors scattered throughout the vehicle. For the correct functioning of the sensors, there should be no elements that interfere with road detection.

So, Tesla might prefer to keep the current windscreen wipers behavior on Autopilot mode to avoid possible accidents resulting from dirty sensors or cameras.

However, even if the current operation is maintained, it is quite clear that Tesla users demand at least a better detection of dirt or rain, to avoid the general inconvenience caused by the windscreen wipers system.

We will update this story if new developments emerge on the matter.

Update 1 (November 22, 2022)

12:20 pm (IST): Even after several FSD updates, it seems like users are still facing issues with the automatic wipers (1,2,3,4).

There’s no word from the car manufacturer for a fix yet.

Update 2 (May 31, 2023)

06:26 pm (IST): Some users are now reporting (1, 2, 3) the issue where windscreen wipers turn on even when there’s no rain. This is happening after a recent update.

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.

Jean Leon
1613 Posts

A tech enthusiast since ever. I like to always be up to date on the latest news in the industry and write about it. Twitter: @jean_ERdC

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