Tesla’s ‘007’ Model 3 is testing for UV protection on glass roof

[Guest]

Instagram user dmitryloki posted video footage of a special black Tesla Model 3 ‘0007’ Release Candidate that has a new sensor fixed to the passenger side rear roof. The video shows the sensor with wires strung across the roof to the driver’s side of the vehicle with what looks to be an airflow sensor hanging out from the top.

The specially numbered Release Candidate was spotted on the freeway in San Jose, California, just south of the Tesla Fremont factory in the greater Bay Area. Number 007 carries special meaning for CEO Elon Musk who loves the James Bond franchise so much that he bought the underwater Lotus Submarine prop used in the 70’s James Bond classic “The Spy Who Loved Me” for a staggering $997,000. In tribute to the special Lotus, Tesla baked-in the infamous easter egg into Model S and Model X vehicles that are equipped with air suspension.

Numerous Release Candidates have been spotted out on public roads, some of which include a number affixed to the rear window of the driver’s side. With such significance attached to 007, it should come as no surprise that it has features that other vehicles don’t.

Just caught a new Tesla Model 3 on a road from Fremont. Looks nice! #teslamodel3 #tesla

A post shared by Dmitry Loki (@dmitryloki) on Jun 6, 2017 at 7:07pm PDT

The video shows the Model 3 zipping along on the freeway with a Tesla Model X as the chase car.

Following their attendance at the Official Tesla Owners Club Summit held last week at the Fremont factory where Model 3 was sighted everywhere, Tesla Owners Club Belgium also spotted the black 007 Model 3 cruising through Silicon Valley.

Meet Candidate 007 (sequel) : Geeky radio amateur on the loose and/or enhanced DAB experience ? Feat. #Model3 #Tesla pic.twitter.com/Xf0V7C3CGk

— Tesla Owners Club BE (@TeslaClubBE) June 8, 2017

With plans to showcase a fully autonomous Tesla vehicle that will be capable of driving from a parking garage in California to New York by end of year, and completely on its own, we expect to see a wide array of sensors on test vehicles in the months to come.

Here’s another video of the black 007 car posted on Twitter that shows the vehicle with antenna-like device mounted on the roof.

Tesla plans to accept orders and deliver the first Model 3 vehicles in July. First buyers will initially be given the opportunity to choose from vehicle paint color and wheel size.

@slcuervo Yo también pude mirar a este candidato #model3 en Palo Alto,
CA pic.twitter.com/aeKcousKnc

— Antonio Orta (@AntonioOrta2) June 8, 2017

 

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Via

[Guest]

Following our report that a special ‘007’ Tesla Model 3 was spotted testing with a mysterious roof-mounted device, Teslarati now has insight on what the hardware is likely being used for.

We’ve previously seen Tesla test Model S vehicles mounted with a LiDAR puck and traditional tower-mount LiDAR equipment, but the recent sighting of a small device mounted to the roof of a black Model 3 is in fact sensing equipment unrelated to Autopilot.

A Teslarati reader familiar with the device informs us that it’s likely an ultraviolet sensor to measure the UV Index on Model 3’s glass roof.

While Tesla’s glass roof offers a breathtaking experience, especially when riding in the backseat as a passenger, having protection from harmful UVB rays that are known to cause sunburns and UVA rays that lead to long-term skin damage is paramount. The sensor spotted on the black 007 Model 3 appears to be a UV Radiometer.

‘007’ Model 3 photos courtesy of Martin Gillet of Tesla Owners Club Belgium

Tesla is likely testing the level of UV protection Model 3’s all glass roof offers. If it’s anything like the full panoramic or glass roof that’s already available on Model S, the Model 3 roof will provide unparalleled views with 98% UV protection. Adding sun protection will also keep the interior of the vehicle cool which is a vital component to maximizing a battery’s state of charge. The rationale is that a cooler cabin results in less energy usage from the vehicle’s HVAC system, thus leading to longer driving range.

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