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Are Softening Tesla Model Y Sales In Europe Really Due to $119 Worth of Sensors Removal?

Tesla Model Y sales in Europe have declined in 2023, and according to one X.com user, this is due to Tesla removing rain and parking sensors for a total of $119.
Are Softening Tesla Model Y Sales In Europe Really Due to $119 of Sensor Removal?

Tesla Model Y Sales In Europe Decline

Tesla removed the ultrasonic sensors from its most recent lineup of vehicles, and Troy Teslike has data that shows sales are declining in Europe and says that the removal of $119 of sensors is the reason for the sales decline. Troy states:

It would be a good idea to bring back the $5 rain sensor and the $114 parking sensors. Tesla saved $119 but cheapened the brand by $2,000.

"It's Only Electric", a Tesla tester in Europe, used the vision only system to try and park in his garage. The vision only system was having difficulties getting him in his garage without many different warning sounds - even though there was plenty of space for him to park. He had several feet in front of the front bumper, but the vision system gave him warning to stop.

With a little more movement forward, he was able to make it in and the system showed he had room in front of his car after he inched forward, but that was incorrect. He had little room in front of the car to keep going.

Using the ultrasonic sensors was much more accurate and a better experience.

This video currently has 296,000 views. This gives some credence to the statement that the removal of the ultrasonic sensors for $114, according to Munro and Associates, is causing customers to delay ordering a Tesla in Europe until the vision system starts working properly.

Could narrow garages in Europe and the removal of ultrasonic sensors really be the problem in Europe? If this is true, it seems like this is a big mistake by Tesla.

Another X.com user, Aurel had this to say:

Good point. A friend wanted to buy a MY but decided to go with Volvo once he saw how unpractical the car is in his narrow garage. That’s one down this quarter. Another friend is looking to replace their M3 because driving on the highway feels more relaxing in any german car. Tesla speed signal detection still not working. Wipers still a pain.

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Solution to the Removal of Sensors

In the end, Tesla may still be doing the right thing, even with a temporary slowdown in sales. The removal of the rain and ultrasonic sensors reduces complexity far more than it reduces cost. The software not using those two sensors removes code and complexity. There is also the $119 total cost reduction.

Tesla recently announced a holiday update coming next week that will have "3D reconstruction of the surroundings for parking" that may be the solution to this problem.

There's another solution to this problem coming, and that is hardware 4 for Tesla and improved camera resolutions. Tesla may just be looking far into the future and seeing that cameras will do a better job than any sensor and create a better visual.

Tesla still needs an automated solution to clearing its cameras, however, whenever they have debris or get foggy. The one advantage of ultrasonic sensors is that you generally don't need to clean them - there just has to be nothing on the car blocking them. I've had snow cover my car, and it disabled the ultrasonic sensors from working.

In my opinion, Tesla is looking forward to the future of better software and cameras to solve this problem rather than temporarily appeasing the situation by keeping the ultrasonic sensors. Tesla will keep removing parts it deems unnecessary over time.

In Other Tesla News: Do you need to be rich to afford a Tesla? Not Exactly - Model 3 RWD With Incentives Priced At Ridiculous $22,590

What do you think about the sales decline in Europe for the Model Y? Is it really due to the removal of $119 worth of sensors? Do you have a theory besides this for the sales decline of the Model Y?

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Hi! I'm Jeremy Noel Johnson, and I am a Tesla investor and supporter and own a 2022 Model 3 RWD EV and I don't have range anxiety :). I enjoy bringing you breaking Tesla news as well as anything about Tesla or other EV companies I can find, like Aptera. Other interests of mine are AI, Tesla Energy and the Tesla Bot! You can follow me on X.COM or LinkedIn to stay in touch and follow my Tesla and EV news coverage.

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Comments

Bob Orchard (not verified)    December 9, 2023 - 9:55AM

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My Subaru Outback has Eyesight technology (cameras) for a number of safety features but when it is raining hard or you are travelling on a highway with rain and trucks and other cars are spraying your car the system stops working. It will reset and come back on when the rain/spray gets below some interfering level but this takes a few minutes.