Tesla's Project Highland will see the Model 3 get revamped
Not a Tesla App
We're nearing the end of the second quarter, and Tesla is pulling out all the stops to clear out the existing inventory of Model 3s. The buzz is intensifying about the anticipated Project Highland, Tesla's substantial redesign of the Model 3, which is speculated to commence production as early as the third quarter.
What was once a hush-hush project has now become a badly-kept secret, with rumors and piecemeal evidence sparking widespread excitement and curiosity. Here's a compilation of everything we know about the impending changes.
Exterior Overhaul: Function Meets Design
Tesla's upcoming Project Highland stands to redefine the exterior aesthetics of the Model 3, pushing the boundaries of design innovation. The most striking changes, as suggested by leaked images, include reimagining the headlights into a sleeker, more streamlined form, enhancing the car's modern appeal.
Interestingly, there are no apparent fog lights in the new design, sparking curiosity about whether they've been integrated into the headlights or entirely phased out. Further, the front bumper sees a notable transformation, with the absence of ultrasonic sensors hinting at Tesla's continued emphasis on vision-based assistance.
Alterations extend to the side mirrors, appearing slightly slimmer, and the conspicuous lack of the "T" logo on the hood aligns with Tesla's move towards reduced branding. Changes continue to the rear with a redesigned bumper and repositioned reverse lights, both indicative of a refreshed look and potential cost efficiencies.
Introducing a new front bumper camera aimed at improving blind spot visibility, along with potentially additional side cameras, demonstrate Tesla's commitment to enhancing driver safety and convenience.
Interior Innovation: Redefining Luxury and Practicality
Revamping the Model 3's interior, Tesla's Project Highland removes the iconic wood dashboard inlay, swapping it for a more modern aesthetic with the possibility of materials such as alcantara fabric, carbon fiber or brushed metal. A noteworthy addition is the supposed installation of ventilated seats — these enhance the comfort quotient, providing temperature adaptability for varying climates.
An upgraded sound system is also on the horizon, aiming to enhance the auditory experience with a more immersive sound. Improved ambient lighting within the cabin is rumored as well, adding a soothing aura to night-time drives.
Driving Revolution: The Advent of Smart Shift
Shifting gears, both literally and figuratively, in a potentially revolutionary move, Tesla may be ditching the traditional gear stalks in favor of on-screen controls for transitioning between park, reverse, and drive modes. If rumors prove accurate, this 'Smart Shift' technology could signify a paradigm shift in vehicular control interfaces, offering a futuristic and user-friendly experience that could redefine the very act of driving.
As all signs point to a fast-approaching launch, Project Highland is shaping up to be a testament to Tesla's unyielding dedication to pioneering advancements. The proposed significant transformations — an aesthetic reinvention, superior technology integrations, a luxurious and pragmatic interior, and a ground-breaking driving interface — underline Tesla's resolve in pushing the envelope of what's possible in electric mobility. As anticipation continues to mount, it's clear that Project Highland isn't just a worst-kept secret; it's a bold glimpse into the exciting future of Tesla's sustainable transport vision.
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Last week, Mark Ruber, an engineering YouTuber best known for his glitter bombs, released a video where he tested Tesla's Autopilot against various conditions - including the iconic ACME painted wall.
During this test, many people noted that Mark was using Autopilot rather than FSD, even though his video was titled “Can you Fool a Self-Driving Car?”. The Tesla on Autopilot went up against a vehicle equipped with Luminar’s LIDAR rig, running some sort of basic autonomy or safety software.
New Video Tests FSD
Many people were disappointed with Mark’s video and his testing methods, so several creators got to work to actually test out Tesla’s FSD.
Creator Kyle Paul over on X made a much better follow-up video, using both a HW3 Model Y as well as an AI4 Cybertruck. In a relatively unsurprising turn of events, the Cybertruck was successfully able to detect the wall, slowed down, and came to a stop. The Cybertruck was running FSD 13.2.8.
Kyle’s team did a fantastic job building the wall and testing this in a private area using FSD rather than Autopilot. On top of that - they re-tested the results several times and recorded the entire thing in and out. While Mark’s video was more for entertainment, Kyle really set out to prove what would really happen in this unlikely scenario.
Sadly, the HW3 Model Y was unable to detect the wall, and manual intervention was required in each test. While the Model Y was running FSD 12.5.4.2 rather than an FSD V12.6 build, we don’t expect this to have had a significant impact on the test - this is more of an issue with how computer vision analyzes the environment.
There are several major differences between HW3 and HW4. The first is obviously that the version that runs on AI4 is more advanced, as the hardware is capable of processing a lot more data. However, AI4 also features much higher-resolution cameras than HW3, and Tesla recently added the ability for the video feeds to be processed at full resolution on FSD V13. This could have made the difference, although it’s not entirely clear. Perhaps if HW3 gets a version of FSD V13 in the future, HW3 can be retested to see if it passes the “ACME wall” test.
Watch
Kyle’s entire video is below. It’s only 10 minutes long, so definitely give it a watch. Props to Kyle on the quick and thorough execution.
What Does This Mean for FSD?
We broke down Mark’s test - and examined all the little issues that we discovered after doing some in-depth research - you can read our analysis here.
Putting aside the issues with Mark’s testing and instead using the new results - it seems that if you were to have to fight against Wile-E-Coyote and his ACME tools with your Tesla, cartoon logic may win if you’re on an HW3 vehicle. If you’re on an AI4 vehicle, you’ll likely come to a safe stop.
Vehicle depth perception is definitely something that Tesla has been hard at work to improve - and some fairly drastic improvements came with FSD V13 that haven’t been entirely translated to FSD V12 just yet. Future versions of HW3 FSD may be able to determine that the wall is there successfully. So Kyle - if you’re reading this - don’t get rid of that wall. We’d love to see more testing in the future.
However, this entire test scenario is so out of left field… there is a good likelihood this same test would fool some human drivers as well. The most important part is that the future of autonomy will not fall for these tricks, so it's very unlikely for someone to weaponize this idea as it’d only possibly work on a small segment of vehicles.
If Wile-E-Coyote is after you, someone else may drive into the wall before your Tesla does.
Not a Tesla App
We’re not kidding, this really happened already. This isn’t a realistic scenario outside of someone trying to play an insane prank - but it’s good to know that FSD V13 is capable of dodging this.
Tesla regularly holds quarterly all-hands meetings for employees, but last night marks the first time Tesla has live-streamed the event for the public.
The meeting primarily focused on Tesla’s employees, recent achievements, and the future of Tesla. While it didn’t reveal much new information, it was interesting to see Elon Musk candidly engaging with his teams, who seem to genuinely enjoy working with him. Still, there were a few noteworthy takeaways.
As with Tesla’s Earnings Calls and other live events, we’ve put together a concise, easy-to-digest recap of everything discussed.
General Points
Work-related Injuries declined over time
Planning to expand to new markets
Cell Manufacturing
Continuing to invest in battery supply
Cheapest, lowest cost per kWh cell
The supercharger network continues to grow
Vehicle range and charging speed should match the needs of humans and their required time for breaks
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