PSA: Don't fully trust the 3D surround vision

whitex

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Ever since I got my Taycan, one of the few disappointments had been the backup camera system. The backup camera itself is horrible compared even to some cars which cost 1/10th the price! The 3D surround vision seems very unreliable, as I've seen things move on the 3D representation which have been stationary in the real world (e.g. concrete barriers), plus whenever I park in my garage only about 6" from a line of shelves, the 3D view is pretty much useless (as are USS sensor which think my Taycan is already on the shelf). Today I learned yet another deficiency of the 3D surround view, see if you can spot my worry below (imagine viewing the picture on top on a small PCM screen from the driver's seat):
Porsche Taycan PSA: Don't fully trust the 3D surround vision 1679639528426

At least the USS sensors were showing something was there.

PS> My problems is not the lack of glass roof or roof rails, or even the fact that the stop lights show amber turn lights lighted up (though the fact that Porsche went with red turn signals does annoy me).
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W1NGE

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Ever since I got my Taycan, one of the few disappointments had been the backup camera system. The backup camera itself is horrible compared even to some cars which cost 1/10th the price! The 3D surround vision seems very unreliable, as I've seen things move on the 3D representation which have been stationary in the real world (e.g. concrete barriers), plus whenever I park in my garage only about 6" from a line of shelves, the 3D view is pretty much useless (as are USS sensor which think my Taycan is already on the shelf). Today I learned yet another deficiency of the 3D surround view, see if you can spot my worry below (imagine viewing the picture on top on a small PCM screen from the driver's seat):
1679639528426.png

At least the USS sensors were showing something was there.

PS> My problems is not the lack of glass roof or roof rails, or even the fact that the stop lights show amber turn lights lighted up (though the fact that Porsche went with red turn signals does annoy me).
Cars 1/10 of your Taycan's price don't drive like a Taycan.

3D is a gadget too far IMHO. 360 Panoramic is better and you get kerbside view. $$$ cheaper too.
 
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whitex

whitex

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Cars 1/10 of your Taycan's price don't drive like a Taycan.
No argument there. Taycan is the best handling EV I've ever driven. But why did they have to sacrifice the backup camera functionality for some flashy demo software?

3D is a gadget too far IMHO. 360 Panoramic is better and you get kerbside view. $$$ cheaper too.
No kerbside view on my car (look at the buttons on the left in my picture) - 3D is supposed to substitute for it. The birds-eye view is also obscuring an important obstacle, though at least USS was showing something is there (it also showed something in front of the car, even though there was nothing there). Bottom line is I don't trust the Porsche backup system. Backing up the rear camera shows objects as if you're going to hit them, even though you can easily clear them. I used to backup into parking spaces as my default/go-to method for pretty much all my previous cars. Taycan is my first car I am feeling apprehensive about backing in between 2 cars if it's tight.
 
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W1NGE

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No kerbside view on my car (look at the buttons on the left in my picture) - 3D is supposed to substitute for it. The birds-eye view is also obscuring an important obstacle, though at least USS was showing something is there (it also showed something in front of the car, even though there was nothing there). Bottom line is I don't trust the Porsche backup system. Backing up the rear camera shows objects as if you're going to hit them, even though you can easily clear them. I used to backup into parking spaces as my default/go-to method for pretty much all my previous cars. Taycan is my first car I am feeling apprehensive about backing in between 2 cars if it's tight.
I know there is no kerbside view but as a feature is better than the 3d virtualization you are getting.

Personally, I find parking and manoeuvring is a doddle. Cameras work great. We have narrower parking spaces in UK as a rule.

I guess you could use your auto parking feature.
 
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whitex

whitex

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I know there is no kerbside view but as a feature is better than the 3d virtualization you are getting.

Personally, I find parking and manoeuvring is a doddle. Cameras work great. We have narrower parking spaces in UK as a rule.
A simple undistorted backup camera would have sufficed. Even my oldest Tesla, which had a lower resolution than the newer one we have, and no side cameras, was easier to maneuver backwards. I wonder if the eTron GT has a better camera, it just might "just plug-in" to the PCM (same connector). Maybe I need to go test drive one.

I guess you could use your auto parking feature.
Not unless Porsche gives me a guarantee they cover any and all damage caused by auto parking, including a Turbo CT to drive while mine is being fixed, and a replacement rental should that Turbo CT be damaged using autopark. ;)
 


W1NGE

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A simple undistorted backup camera would have sufficed. Even my oldest Tesla, which had a lower resolution than the newer one we have, and no side cameras, was easier to maneuver backwards. I wonder if the eTron GT has a better camera, it just might "just plug-in" to the PCM (same connector). Maybe I need to go test drive one.


Not unless Porsche gives me a guarantee they cover any and all damage caused by auto parking, including a Turbo CT to drive while mine is being fixed, and a replacement rental should that Turbo CT be damaged using autopark. ;)
Beginning to wonder why you paid extra for the privilege of Remote Park Assist (incl 3D).

360 is the minimum - single reversing camera will not suffice for me. I keep my car garaged overnight and have 5" clearance either side of the garage entrance. Kerb view with front camera selected makes the impossible possible, simply marvellous!
 
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Beginning to wonder why you paid extra for the privilege of Remote Park Assist (incl 3D).

360 is the minimum - single reversing camera will not suffice for me. I keep my car garaged overnight and have 5" clearance either side of the garage entrance. Kerb view with front camera selected makes the impossible possible, simply marvellous!
The answer to your question was I believed Porsche marketing. I was honestly looking forward to have great surround view and being able to precisely park, even easier to get around cars than with my Model S (sometimes I have a car on the driveway in front of me and a car to my left - it's a very tight squeeze, but possible with the Model S which is same size as Taycan but no RAS, so should be even easier with a car with RAS and surround view, right?). Only after using it did I realize two things:
  1. this feature seems made more to impress in the media or bystanders, than for usability for the driver, and definitely not made for precision parking closer than a foot to anything around it.
  2. If you option the highest tier product, even though it's all just software, Porsche will cut off the mode basic features (like kerb view).
 

f1eng

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A simple undistorted backup camera would have sufficed.
My guess is the problem is its location.

It is so close to the ground an ultra wide angle lens is needed for the coverage and a distortion free one would be very bulky.

The low position also means it gets obscured with dirt in no time flat in winter here, I am trying to get into the habit of wiping the lens as I approach the car but still usually forget.

Relocating it would create major styling issues as far as I can see.

I suspect what we are suffering here is an unfortunate conjunction between the laws of physics and the “laws” of styling.

OTOH getting a “full 3D view” which isn’t is a bit crap.
 


f1eng

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this feature seems made more to impress in the media or bystanders, than for usability for the driver, and definitely not made for precision parking closer than a foot to anything around it.
A bit long but…

 

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I have a XC90 right now which has a top down surround view (not this remote version) and I also find it hiding things in the camera.

My garage is pretty tight, so the USS sensors are always a solid beep and showing red on the screen when I park, so I rely solely on the camera.

I ended up lightly scraping the car once when I had to back up after my FIL parked it. Unfortunately I didn’t realize it was much closer than I normally park to the garage door track, right at the rear passenger side corner of my car, and the rail was software stitched into oblivion in the cam. And since my USS sensors area always on full blast anyways, I had no idea how close I actually was. Since that time, I always use the option of zooming into one of the cameras when tight, as the “dumb” view doesn’t edit/interpolate anything so I can trust it fully.

With my long rant, I guess I wanted to know what that bottom left icon shows you? Does it bring you to a surround view only without the ability to “zoom” into one of the cameras? If so, I’m in for a rude awakening when I take delivery!
 

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I did not order Remote Park Assist mostly because I don't trust it to avoid damage every time, and the Audi I had with its equivalent did it with such speed that it made me nervous. At first I expected a more advanced surround view in the Taycan since I specified the SurrondView option, but now that I know how clumsy it is I am glad I have the less advanced version. (But I agree that Porsche omitting the kerbside view from the most advanced version is a bad choice.)

The Audi e-tron GT rearview camera does get dirty quickly too - I had one.
 

W1NGE

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The answer to your question was I believed Porsche marketing. I was honestly looking forward to have great surround view and being able to precisely park, even easier to get around cars than with my Model S (sometimes I have a car on the driveway in front of me and a car to my left - it's a very tight squeeze, but possible with the Model S which is same size as Taycan but no RAS, so should be even easier with a car with RAS and surround view, right?). Only after using it did I realize two things:
  1. this feature seems made more to impress in the media or bystanders, than for usability for the driver, and definitely not made for precision parking closer than a foot to anything around it.
  2. If you option the highest tier product, even though it's all just software, Porsche will cut off the mode basic features (like kerb view).
Yeah I think the spun a yarn there but a demo / alternative Taycan with the option would have made this clearer for you.

We all had 'free' 3D prior to uPdate due to a software bug for around 2 years - it was useless then and helped my decision to stick with 360.

Hey, ho next time I guess.
 

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I know there is no kerbside view but as a feature is better than the 3d virtualization you are getting.

Personally, I find parking and manoeuvring is a doddle. Cameras work great. We have narrower parking spaces in UK as a rule.

I guess you could use your auto parking feature.
Is a doodle good or bad?
 

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The cameras implementation on this car is just a big disappointment. I don’t think their engineers used it in real life because it’s pretty unusable. The only credit I give to this car is the front camera, which does work and helps to avoid hitting the front curb.
 
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The low position also means it gets obscured with dirt in no time flat in winter here, I am trying to get into the habit of wiping the lens as I approach the car but still usually forget.
That's true of almost all rear view cameras. I already have the habit of wiping then when I walk by any of our cars in the garage. That said, at least the Taycan has a washer sprayer on the rear view camera so you can try cleaning from the inside when backing up- not 100% effective, but better than nothing. I was thinking about putting some RainX on the camera lens too.
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