New Tesla AI4-powered self-driving car computers are failing

New Tesla owners are experiencing AI4 computer hardware failures

New Tesla owners are experiencing hardware failures within their first “tens to hundreds of miles.” According to a report from Electrek, these failures are due to Tesla’s new AI4 (also called HW4/AI4.1) computers, which are short-circuiting. This issue leaves Tesla users without access to vital safety features. This includes access to vehicle cameras, GPS, navigation, and more. These failures also disable Tesla’s “Autopilot” feature.

Only recently built Tesla models with AI4 hardware are affected by these failures. Tesla has yet to comment on the issue. However, social media is filled with reports of new Tesla owners experiencing issues.

When Tesla revealed its Hardware 4 (HW4) computers, the company stated they were three to eight times more powerful than their HW3 computers. Tesla’s recent issues appear to be related to a new hardware revision of HW4, often called HW4.1/AI4/AI4.1. The exact reasons behind this hardware failure are currently unknown. However, many believe that the device’s low-voltage battery is short-circuiting during the vehicle’s camera calibration process.

Tesla AI4 failures are a major safety concern

Electrek says that Tesla insiders have informed them that Tesla is “currently receiving a high number of complaints about this issue.” It has also been claimed that Tesla’s customer service team has been told to “play down any safety concerns related to this problem to avoid people believing their brand-new cars are not drivable.”

Given that this issue appears to break the rear-view camera of Tesla vehicles, this is a clear safety issue for Tesla owners. Electrek claims that this issue should be reported to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The broken rear-view mirror violates federal safety regulations. With this in mind, a full vehicle recall could be mandated. It’s currently unclear if Tesla has reported this issue to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It is believed that the only fix for this HW4 issue is full computer replacement. However, Tesla is also reportedly looking into a software patch that will “temporarily” help users with affected Tesla hardware.

You can join the discussion on Tesla’s failing self-driving computers on the OC3D Forums.