Tesla adds smart camera cleaning feature in FSD v14.1.3

Tesla has started rolling out Full Self-Driving (Supervised) version 14.1.3, adding a smart cleaning feature that targets one of the biggest issues Tesla owners face, dirty cameras.​

The new feature activates when the car’s cameras detect that the view ahead is blocked. Using what Tesla calls “automatic narrow field washing,” the car sprays washer fluid onto the small area in front of the forward-facing camera and wipes it clean in less than a second. This keeps the crucial windshield camera clear without the driver needing to do anything.​

Automatic narrow field washing: Video

Tonight was the first time I experienced the new @Tesla FSD V14 windshield wiper front camera self-cleaning feature.

Tesla: "Added automatic narrow field washing to provide rapid and efficient front camera self-cleaning, and optimize aerodynamics wash at higher speed." pic.twitter.com/Pu0vRa3tDx

— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 21, 2025

The update came through software version 2025.32.8.15. According to Tesla’s release notes, it “adds automatic narrow field washing to provide rapid and efficient front camera self-cleaning and optimize aerodynamics wash at higher vehicle speed”.​

The system fine-tunes a mix of wipers, washer fluid nozzles, and pressure timing. It cleans only the part of the windshield covering the camera rather than the entire glass.​

Built for autonomy first

Tesla first built this cleaning technology for its Robotaxi program, where cars might run for long hours with no driver to clean the cameras. FSD 14.1.3 brings that same hardware logic to customer vehicles.​

Yun-Ta Tsai, Tesla’s AI senior staff engineer, said the process needed high precision. “To remove the soiling while the vehicle is moving, we need to retain enough water in a very small area with high sweeping torque in a very short period of time,” he wrote. The team tested the system in wind tunnels and across nearly a million miles of real driving data.​

Tsai described it as “a dance of many systems” each part working together. The car uses vision data to sense when to clean, then commands the pump and wiper motors to act quickly.

Tesla is different from rivals who still rely on radar or lidar sensors. This camera-only setup gives the system a more human-like view of the road. But cameras can get foggy or dirty, which can cause FSD performance to drop or even stop working.​

Owners have often talked about condensation or dirt covering the front camera on the windshield, forcing them to manually clean it to restore features like Autopilot or FSD. The new cleaning feature makes that automated.​

At a glance, this might feel minor. Still, it’s an important addition for Tesla’s automation goals. A car that can clean its own sensors keeps functioning without help, which is vital as Tesla moves toward fully autonomous driving.​

Even the type of fluid matters. Tesla engineers recommend using water mixed with ethanol or methanol for best results. Colored washer fluid, according to Tsai, is only for leak detection, not better cleaning.​

Version 14.1.3 started with Tesla’s Early Access Program just over a week ago. Now, it’s reaching more customers across the U.S. on Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles.​

Tesla’s next update, FSD v14.2, is expected to reach all Hardware 4 cars soon. Elon Musk confirmed earlier this week that v14.2 will roll out to a wider set of vehicles before November 2025.​

You may also like to read:

• Tesla app adds new maintenance tracker for owners »
• Tesla to add remote screen sharing feature in new update »
• Tesla adds Mad Max mode to FSD »
• Tesla begins small rollout of Full Self-Driving V14.1.3 to regular users »