Tesla: Model Y Radar Heater

Electrical Heater Assembly, Testing, and Algorithm Design

  • Strengths demonstrated: Electro-Mechanical Design, Design of Experiment, Creative Algorithm Design, Creative Problem Solving, Project Requirements Definition
  • Tools used: CATIA
  • Company Team: Tesla Autopilot and Electronics Product Design Team
  • Project date: 2020

What?
As the Mechanical Design Engineer for autopilot systems, I was tasked with solving the issue of the radar being blocked by snow, this consisted of working with suppliers and various teams within Tesla to ensure the heater would not interfere with the radar signal and testing the heater functionality & control algorithm.

How?
Using complex surfacing techniques in CATIA V5, I designed the heater to clear the field-of-view of the radar and designed the wire harness to allow for easy assembly. I used a thermal chamber and data logger to test the thermal ability of the heater. For more complex vehicle surfaces, I shared some innovative ideas for heaters.

Results
The radar heater allows Tesla's suite of vehicles to acheive full autopilot operation in any climate, reducing radar blind instances by over 40%. The control algorithm was later patented, crediting my contribution to the project.