Turn a Tesla into a mapping vehicle with Mapillary

a year ago

Tesla vehicles can be turned into mapping vehicles using Mapillary by utilizing the built-in dashcam feature.
The main challenge is the lack of GPS tracks stored with the videos, requiring the use of a GPS tracking app on a phone to record GPX tracks.
Mapillary's command line tools can align video clips with GPX tracks by matching timestamps from the video filenames with the GPX data.
The Tesla dashcam records from four cameras (front, back, left, right), each needing specific offset angles for correct geotagging.
Time synchronization is crucial, but network-connected devices like Tesla and smartphones generally maintain accurate times.
A sample script is provided to automate the processing of videos and GPX files using mapillary_tools.
Future improvements could include onboard GPS and automatic data offloading, possibly using a Raspberry Pi with a GPS module.

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