In order to cope with the chip shortage, Tesla secretly made reductions in the steering system?

Yes, a recent report revealed that the Model Y and Model 3 produced by Tesla in China have eliminated the redundancy of steering components.

And the reduction will also affect Tesla’s autonomous driving function.

Tesla’s statement is that it affects L3 autonomous driving capabilities, and we are only at L2 now.

Huh? This is different from what Musk promoted.

In the past 2021, Tesla delivered nearly 1 million vehicles per year, a year-on-year increase of 87.4%.

It is really impressive that we can maintain strong growth even as the core shortage becomes more and more severe.

However, Tesla has recently been exposed. In order to cope with the shortage of cores and ensure production and delivery, Tesla secretly reduced its allocation without telling users.

Moreover, the steering system that is closely related to vehicle control is reduced.

According to the latest report from CNBC, in order to cope with the chip shortage, Tesla has reduced the distribution of some models.

The reduction involves Tesla’s steering system, removing one of the two components of the steering rack control unit.

According to an internal memo from Tesla employees, the subtracted steering components are mainly used to make up for the failure of the main chip and are redundant designs.

Tesla engineers believe that the redundant chip is redundant for Tesla’s current intelligent driving.

Because the components of the bogie control unit are redundant, they will only play a role when the vehicle turns on the autonomous driving function of L3 level and above.

However, Tesla stated that according to the standards of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Tesla’s autonomous driving system, including FSD and Autopilot, still belongs to the L2 level.

Therefore, removing a redundant chip will not cause security problems.

It is reported that the reduced models include Tesla’s current main models: Model 3 and Model Y, both of which are produced by Tesla’s Chinese factory.

Currently, vehicles involved in reduced distribution have been shipped to overseas markets, including Australia, the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.

It is still unknown whether the reduced-equipped models will also be sold in the domestic market.

At the same time, Tesla has not disclosed the reduction in distribution to the outside world. It is still unknown whether it will be re-installed in the future. After all, according to Musk, FSD belongs to L5 level autonomous driving. Once FSD can be pushed, will the models that are currently being reduced be able to apply it?

Moreover, you must know that Tesla’s AutoPilot and FSD are not standard equipment at the factory, but can be purchased later. Reducing related components now will bring new problems.

And this kind of secretly reducing allocation is not the first time for Tesla.

In November last year, some new car owners broke the news that Tesla had reduced the USB interface of some models, only prepared the interface position for future reinstallation, and also omitted the wireless charging configuration for mobile phones.

Before the reduction, Tesla also did not explain in advance. However, after it was exposed, it responded that it had reduced the allocation of some models due to the impact of core shortages, and it had no idea when it would be replenished. Installation, Tesla said it was not sure.

Earlier, foreign media revealed that some car owners reported that Tesla secretly canceled the passenger lumbar support adjustment function and replaced the lumbar support adjustment button with filler.

Musk’s response to this was quite meaningful: Because the new car log showed that none of you were using it, it was canceled...

As soon as the response came out, some car owners immediately jumped out to respond: It's not my business to use it or not, but if I spend money, you have to match it with me.

In addition to reducing allocations, Tesla has also made other efforts to deal with the chip shortage.

Public information shows that Tesla considered acquiring a chip factory last year in order to prepare for self-production and sales.

In addition to increasing revenue, we must also reduce expenditure.

Tesla revealed during its second quarter 2021 shareholder meeting that its electrical engineering team is developing new controller variants to reduce chip usage.

At the same time, Tesla also carries out peak-shift reserves to hold a large number of chips to avoid production suspensions or production reductions when supply chain shortages occur.

In fact, the chip shortage has continued from 2020 to the present, and Tesla is not the only car company affected.

Under this situation, in addition to the helpless measures of reducing production and suspending production, major car companies have quietly reduced allocations or delivered futures, which has become a tacit practice in the industry.

Tesla secretly made subtractions, and the new domestic forces chose to deliver the cars first and then reinstall them.

Take Xpeng Motors for example. Last year, due to a lack of cores, Xpeng P5 was unable to assemble millimeter wave radars in sufficient quantities, resulting in a delay in delivery. In response, Xpeng came up with a 2-for-1 plan:

Either wait for delivery, Xpeng Motors will not compensate.

Either pick up the car first, and the millimeter wave radar will be reinstalled later. However, before the reinstallation, a large number of driving assistance functions will not be available.

At the same time, in order to show sincerity, Xiaopeng also promised to push the XPILOT 3.0/3.5 intelligent driving system for free - according to the official price, purchasing this service requires an additional price of 36,000 yuan.

Ideal ONE, also a new force, was originally scheduled to be delivered in October and November last year. Due to the shortage of millimeter wave radar chips, it had to be delivered in future.

Vehicles delivered on time will only be equipped with three front and rear radars, and the remaining radars will be reinstalled for free before the Spring Festival.

Compensation benefits are also introduced: lifetime vehicle warranty and 10,000 points worth about 1,000 yuan.

Different from new forces, although traditional car companies will also reduce distribution and delivery, most of the reductions do not involve intelligent driving and vehicle control, and they will make price cuts to compensate.

For example, General Motors canceled the fuel management module of its pickup truck models in April and November last year, and reduced the seat heating function of many other models.

Mercedes-Benz also disclosed in October last year that it no longer guarantees that new cars will provide a full range of configurations.

In addition, BMW, Peugeot and other car companies have also reduced allocations to varying degrees.

The difference is that the above-mentioned car companies, whether it is reduced delivery or futures delivery, explain it in advance and come up with compensation measures.

It is indeed rare for a company as arrogant as Tesla to reduce equipment without lowering prices and without informing car owners in advance.

Internet celebrity Tesla has never lacked topicality.

Once the component reduction was exposed, it caused heated discussion on the Internet.

Some netizens said that Tesla’s reduction in allocation is understandable, after all, it does not affect safety.

For example, this one:

And this one:

Some netizens sneered at Tesla’s approach. After all, it did not notify car owners that if safety issues occurred, Tesla is not to blame.

But I just want to make a joke here, Musk, what about fully autonomous driving? Why are there only L2 levels when the allocation is reduced?

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Smart car reference · AI4Auto