Tesla’s Engineering mule vehicles, which are used for future autonomy tests, are reappearing after a long absence – this time with a special upgrade: a front bumper camera. These latest sightings suggest that Tesla is actively working on optimizing its FSD systems.
New sightings in the Northeast
The mule vehicles were recently spotted in Boston, Massachusetts, and Concord, New Hampshire – their first known appearances in the eastern USA. According to Reddit user Ready_Medium_6693, one of these vehicles was seen in Concord, indicating that Tesla is collecting data to evaluate FSD performance in new regions.
Front bumper camera: An important step
A special detail noticed on one of the vehicles in Boston is the integration of a front bumper camera.
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Improved visibility:
This camera is intended to improve direct visibility in the bumper area, which is particularly advantageous at low speeds in densely populated areas like parking lots and garages. -
Optimization for unsupervised FSD:
In connection with the introduction of Actually Smart Summon and future unsupervised FSD features, Tesla plans to standardize this camera across the entire model range – from the Cybertruck to the revised Model 3 version.
Future outlook: Robotaxi networks and more
The developments suggest that Tesla may soon deploy the front bumper camera extensively.
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Expansion of the vehicle range:
With the new FSD computer that provides a slot for the front camera in all AI4/HW4 vehicles, even a retrofit for existing models could be realized. -
Robotaxi expansion:
These optimizations are part of Tesla's ambitious plans to introduce robotaxi networks in many North American cities by 2026 – a milestone that could pave the way for homologated deployments in Mexico and Canada.
Conclusion
The newly sighted Tesla mule Model 3 with front bumper camera is a clear indication that Tesla is continuously developing its FSD systems. These developments are an exciting preview of the future of autonomous vehicles and robotaxi networks, which could become a reality in the near future.
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