Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen talks about Tesla's upcoming Cybertruck
Tesla
Tesla's Cybertruck is ready to go into production, said the company's Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen during an interview on the Ride the Lightning podcast. However, the designer admits it's always a work in progress on all of Tesla's vehicles as the team continuously looks for ways to refine and improve the process.
The 55-minute interview covered several topics, but much of the conversation focused on the highly anticipated, Cybertruck. Listeners were teased with what could be in the final product and reminded of how we go to this point.
More Unknown Extras
Despite all the eyes on Tesla at all times, von Holzhausen says some brand-new features are coming with Cybertruck. "I'm not going to talk about them, but I think they'll be pleasant surprises, and I think they are the right things for the product, and they're the right kind of competitive things for the product as well.
When asked about including vehicle-to-grid charging, the function that allows energy to go back to the grid from the battery, or vehicle to home, von Holzhausen said, "I won't comment." Cybertruck being able to act as a boat was not discussed.
Different Logo on Cybertruck
There are no logos on the Cybertruck except inside the charge port. Tesla owners are familiar with the "T" logo that lights up when charging. The prototype Cybertruck has an 8-bit logo in that spot, "in those development days when we were designing the truck, it was such a like a low-resolution, low-bit idea in its kind of simplicity as a form we thought this 8-bit concept. So we did an 8-bit version of the T."
While von Holzhausen says we will have to wait to see if it appears on the production vehicle, he did agree that the 8-bit logo design should be added to shirts in the Tesla store.
More Details on the Unique Exterior
There are so many rare aspects of the Cybertruck, from the design to the stainless steel exterior shell, "We spent a lot of time developing a finish… the stainless is incredibly hard." But how will it hold up against scratches? "In the event that there is a scratch, we do have a process that you could basically buff it or remove the scratch and return to the basic finish."
It appears there won't be any color options available for Cybertruck. It will be stainless steel, "we experimented with some finishes. There is always the opportunity to wrap. The thing we wanted to do is preserve the hardness, and anytime you put something softer like a clear coat or a painted finish on the material, it just then... basically takes away from the idea of putting the hardest thing on the outer surface," said von Holzhausen.
Steering Wheel and Door Handles
Tesla recently made some changes when ordering a Model S or Model X. Buyers can now choose a conventional steering wheel or the yoke. But von Holzhausen is confident about what the Cybertruck will use, "the yoke makes a lot of sense. You know once you experience it, it's a great driving experience combined with Autopilot. It makes the whole kind of user experience in the interior cockpit simpler and cleaner." Last year there were rumors that Tesla may implement steer-by-wire in some of their vehicles, so it'll be interesting to see if the Cybertruck comes with this new feature.
The door handles will also be the same as what is on the Model X with the "chauffer" auto-present doors. However, when asked if that would be the same for both front and back doors, von Holzhausen said, "possibly on the back, there are also buttons."
Cybertruck was Almost Normal
It's been in the works for over half a decade, but von Holzhausen acknowledges that Tesla was considering something more mainstream, even working off silhouettes of what's on the road. "we have an opportunity to do something different, an opportunity that nobody else would have the balls to do, and Elon's like yeah, we've got to do it," said Von Holzhausen.
The designer confessed he wasn't sure about Cybertruck, "I didn't 100 percent know what to expect… It's so different it needs a moment to grow on you. It's like the first time you hear a song. Sometimes it can be grading, or like you're not sure if you like it, you listen to it three or four or five times, and suddenly it's your favorite song. You just need to... because it's so new and fresh you need to get comfortable with it, and I think this like it just is so radically different than expectations."
Finally, von Holzhausen says it's great that other manufacturers have produced electric trucks. He believes Tesla has "moved the needle" and will continue to do so.
Franz on Ride the Lightning
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Tesla vehicles are equipped with two main computer systems: the MCU (Media Control Unit), which is responsible for entertainment and display functions, and the Autopilot/FSD Unit, often referred to as the FSD Computer.
Both of these systems have evolved over the years, and they’re commonly referred to by their generation. For example, MCU 2 refers to the second generation of the Media Control Unit. Similarly, the FSD computer is identified by its generation, often called Hardware 3 or Hardware 4, when referring to the third and fourth-generation hardware. More recently, Tesla has started referring to the FSD Computer as AI3 and AI4, but you’ll still hear the older terms used interchangeably.
These two systems are separate and they’re not upgraded at the same time, meaning it’s possible to have a vehicle with MCU 2 and FSD Hardware 3 or MCU 3 with Hardware 3. Some vehicles even feature MCU 1 alongside Hardware 3.
The MCU is not involved with Autopilot or FSD functions—it’s purely for infotainment and in-vehicle features such as vehicle visualization, gaming, maps, and entertainment. It doesn’t impact the capabilities or limitations of Tesla’s autonomous driving systems.
MCU 1 - NVIDIA Tegra 3
MCU 1 was the first media control unit to be introduced in Tesla vehicles, starting back in 2012. This system was used in the Model S and Model X until about April 2018, when Tesla began transitioning to MCU 2.
By the time the Model 3 launched in late 2017, it already included MCU 2. To keep legacy vehicles up to date, Tesla offers an infotainment retrofit that upgrades MCU 1 to MCU 2, which helps make the infotainment unit much more responsive and adds a variety of newer features. Tesla continues to support vehicles with MCU 1, although upgrades are much further apart. In 2024, Tesla added Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) improvements to vehicles with MCU 1 and even support for FSD V12.3.6 (FSD HW3 required).
Period Offered: 2012 through April 2018
Upgrade: Available as a paid upgrade for Model S and Model X vehicles to go from MCU 1 to MCU 2.
MCU 2 - Intel Atom
The launch of the Model 3 introduced MCU 2, which ran on Intel’s Atom mobile processor. While the Intel Atom was capable at the time, it’s now considered outdated compared to modern standards. As Tesla continues to roll out new features, the limitations of the Atom processor have become more apparent.
There is a notable list of features that are unavailable to vehicles with MCU 2. Although Tesla has optimized software to improve compatibility, not all features have been made accessible to these vehicles.
Period Offered: MCU 2 was offered in 2017 (Model 3) through 2022 (availability differs based on region and model).
Upgrade: As of now, Tesla has not offered an upgrade path or retrofit to transition from MCU 2 to MCU 3, and they’re unlikely to do so.
MCU 3 - AMD Ryzen
In December 2021, Tesla began shipping vehicles with MCU 3, powered by AMD’s Ryzen processor. The first vehicles to feature MCU 3 were the refreshed Model S and Model X, which debuted in 2021. Shortly after, Model 3s and Model Ys were also equipped with MCU 3, and today, all Tesla vehicles, including the Cybertruck, come standard with MCU 3.
This MCU is now the most widely used on the road and is Tesla’s most advanced infotainment processor. It supports impressive 3D visualizations, allows improved gaming on the center touchscreen (and rear screens in equipped vehicles), and offers a host of other capabilities. MCU 3 is also the most feature-complete version, with new features being designed for it first and then backported to MCU 2 or MCU 1 when possible.
Period Offered: The first MCU 3 vehicles were released in December 2021 and is current through today.
Upgrade: MCU 3 is the most current infotainment unit that Tesla offers.
Features Missing on MCU 2 (Intel Atom)
High-fidelity park assist is limited to vehicles with MCU 3
Not a Tesla App
While Tesla does its best to continue to support MCU 2, there is a growing difference between the features available on a vehicle with an Intel Atom infotainment unit and one with the AMD Ryzen processor.
Feature
MCU 2
MCU 3
Games / Arcade
⚠️ Limited Games*
✅ Additional Games**
Parked View
⚠️ Split screen visualization with vehicle on left and map on right
✅ Full-screen Parked Viz - Shadows, Sun Reflections, Shadows
Vehicle Visualizations
⚠️ Some limitations, such as non-transparent glass
Improved UI for Display Modules - Media, Next Turn, Trip Planner
⚠️ Solid Color/Semi-Transparent
✅ Transparency + Background Blur for Display Modules
*Many recent game additions are available to MCU 3 only, including the ever-popular Vampire Survivors and Castle Doombad. Only certain Model S and Model X vehicles include a GPU and the ability to play games on Steam.
Identifying which MCU your vehicle has is straightforward. Simply go to Vehicle Options > Software > Additional Vehicle Information.
In the interface, you’ll find details about whether your vehicle is equipped with an Intel Atom (MCU 2) or AMD Ryzen processor (MCU 3).
MCU 4?
It’s been more than three years since Tesla introduced the AMD Ryzen-powered MCU. Despite advancements, including the transition from FSD Hardware 3 to AI4—and eventually AI5—there’s been no indication of an MCU 4 on the horizon.
The Ryzen processor’s impressive capabilities make it a solid choice for infotainment, and it’s well-suited to serve until there’s another big leap in CPU performance.
While Tesla will upgrade to MCU 4 at some point, it doesn’t seem imminent. Some may argue that Tesla transitioned to MCU 3 too late, leaving vehicles just a few years old feeling outdated. It’s possible Tesla might choose to introduce MCU 4 ahead of the need for more processing power, ensuring that older vehicles can continue to benefit from new software features in the future.
Following the surprising return of the turn signal stalk on the refreshed Model Y, reliable Tesla source Chris Zheng has indicated that the Model 3 will also be receiving a turn stalk. While it initially seems surprising, Tesla mentioned that after receiving lots of customer feedback, there is a lot of demand for the return of the stalk.
For those who appreciate the newer turn signal buttons on vehicles like the Cybertruck, this might come as a surprise. However, the Model 3 and Model Y are designed for the average driver transitioning from a traditional vehicle, making the removal of the turn signal stalk an unexpected and potentially disappointing change.
Turn Stalk
In a conversation during the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, mentioned that Tesla works to remove superfluous parts. In this case, they removed one part too many - and are now bringing back the turn signal stalk.
The updated stalk on the refreshed Model Y is a simplified version of the current Model Y stalk. It doesn’t include multi-stage turn signals (short three flashes versus staying), buttons, or other features. Pure and simple - it is utilized for signaling left and right. The rest of the functions of a traditional stalk remain either on the wheel or on the screen.
Lack of Right ‘Shifter’ Stalk
Tesla has no intent to bring back the right stalk, which is traditionally used to shift the vehicle from Drive to Reverse and Park in Teslas. It’s also used to activate Autopilot. The shifting functionality will remain on-screen or available via the backup by tapping the buttons on the ceiling near the hazards button. Shifting via the dash is intuitive and convenient once you get used to it - and with AutoShift hopefully coming out of Beta sometime soon, this could get even better.
Autopilot activation will remain with a button on the steering wheel. While a vehicle with a single stalk may look a little odd at first, Lars mentioned that Tesla didn’t receive many complaints about shifting or Autopilot use.
Retrofit
Not a Tesla App
We haven’t heard anything about retrofitting the 2024+ Model 3s with the turn signal stalk at this point. However, we imagine this may be a possibility in the future.
However, we can recommend using the wireless Enhauto’s S3XY Stalks if you want to bring a single or dual stalks back to your refreshed Model 3 and don’t want to wait for an official retrofit to arrive. They’re easy to install, well-designed, and reliable.
Other Models
The big question now is: will Tesla bring back the turn signal stalk for its other models? It’s possible, but we doubt it. The Model S and Model X, especially with the Yoke, feel more natural without a stalk, and the button-based signals suit their design. While a stalk might occasionally be useful—like signaling in and out of a roundabout—any future refresh of the S or X would likely include steer-by-wire instead.
On the Cybertruck, the absence of a stalk goes unnoticed, thanks to steer-by-wire, as the squircle steering wheel is never in an awkward position. After thousands of kilometers of daily driving, including plenty of roundabouts, the author can confidently say the signal stalk isn’t missed at all. In fact, the turn signal buttons feel more intuitive, given how the Cybertruck handles.
That said, could Tesla offer signal stalks as an option for those who prefer them? It’s not out of the question. We’ll keep you updated, but in the meantime, let us know—do you prefer turn signal buttons or a traditional stalk?
