Tesla Adds Adaptive Headlight Support in the U.S. and Canada With Update 2024.20

Matrix headlights have a circular dome projector on the outer edge

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Tesla has been on a roll with updates recently, and now update 2024.20 was released to employees over the weekend. This update builds on the many features in the Spring Update and adds a few big improvements.

Adaptive Headlight Support in the US & Canada

Tesla recently tweeted that update 2024.20 is now rolling out to vehicles - and they included some surprises in this tweet. This update includes Adaptive Headlights for the United States and Canada! North America will receive adaptive headlight support by including the curve adaption feature discussed below. South Korea and Puerto Rico will also gain the feature.

Europe and possibly other regions will also include this feature in addition to being able to illuminate further on highways.

Tesla also shed some light on what’s included in the hot weather improvements. All Model 3s and Model Ys, as well as refreshed Model S and X’s will now cool down faster in hot temperatures. They will also better regulate high-voltage battery temperature for improved Supercharging performance. The Cybertruck in particular will also benefit from a quieter AC.

The full list of improvements in update 2024.20 is discussed below.

Update: This article has been updated to make it clearer that the U.S. and Canada did not receive full matrix headlight support. What they received was the ability for vehicles with matrix headlights to light up the sides of the road in response to upcoming turns. The Tesla release notes state:

“Headlights now adapt for curves in the road ahead for greater visibility in low lighting. Enable this feature in your vehicle settings at Lights > Adaptive Headlights.”

This differs from the European release notes for the same feature which state:

“Headlights now adapts for curves in the road ahead of you and illuminate farther when you’re driving on a motorway.”

“Enable these features in your vehicle settings at Lights > Adaptive Headlights.”

Adaptive Headlights

New updates to Adaptive Headlights are arriving for European cars with matrix headlights. The new update allows the headlights to adapt to curves in the road ahead of you, enabling better illumination. Having the adaptive headlights work for curves is the second major update for European headlights. Update 2024.8 added adaptive high-beam support, letting your high beams stay on longer by turning off select LEDs in the headlights.

Update 2024.2 first brought adaptive high beams to the new Model 3, before it was later introduced to older vehicles with matrix headlights. At this time, it’s not clear whether the improvements to headlights around curves will be exclusive to matrix headlights or also support the new Model 3.

How to Tell If You Have Matrix Headlights

How do you know if you have matrix headlights on your Tesla? On the outer edge of the headlight, there will be a large, round projector dome, like in the image below. If there isn’t a dome, those are standard non-matrix headlights.
Another way to tell is to run a stock light show while facing a wall. If the Tesla logo, in letters, pops up, you have matrix headlights.

For now, North America still does not have adaptive headlight support, mostly due to legislative and testing issues in the United States. The US recently approved adaptive headlights, and a Tesla employee mentioned they’re working on it. Canada has legalized adaptive headlights since 2018, so we see this deployed in North America at some point in the future.

Supercharger Races on Beach Buggy Racing 2

Tesla is still improving its Arcade functionality, with the addition of local leaderboards at Superchargers in Beach Buggy Racing 2. It appears that each individual Supercharger site will have its own leaderboard, which drivers can compete on while their cars charge. Tesla says there will also be special races to compete in this Beach Buggy Racing 2 update.

Tesla owners can plug in and play with a controller, the touchscreen, or their vehicle’s steering wheel. Thanks to steer-by-wire on the Cybertruck, the actual wheels on the truck won’t move like they do on other Tesla models when playing the game.

We continue to hope that future refreshes to the S, 3, X, and Y will eventually receive steer-by-wire as well, as the feature has quite a few unique uses, whether driving or parked.

Autopilot Strikes and Suspension

An updated Autopilot Strike system, similar to the one that is on Tesla’s upcoming FSD V12.4 update, is on 2024.20 as well. At five strikes, users will be suspended from the use of Autopilot like before, but now Tesla will remove a strike for each 7-day period the driver goes without receiving a strike.

FSD 12.4 also improves vision-based monitoring and removes the steering wheel nag, but that’s not in this latest Tesla update, but will likely be added in the future.

Tesla tends to release new Autopilot features in their FSD updates before releasing them to the wider public for regular Autopilot use.

Hot Weather Improvements

The last set of user-end improvements coming in 2024.20 will be related to hot weather, the opposite of 2024.2.6’s cold weather update. This set of changes intends to improve AUTO mode HVAC performance in hot weather, helping to cool down the cabin faster, while also maintaining comfort at lower noise levels.

There have been several updates in the last six months to Tesla’s HVAC systems, all helping to deliver a quieter, more comfortable experience, with one of the last major ones introducing cool-down or warm-up periods before blowing air into the car cabin.

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Tesla Enables 325kW Charging for Cybertruck at Select Superchargers [Full List of Superchargers]

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Previously, we reported that the Cybertruck would be receiving faster charging - up to 500kW at the new V4 Superchargers. V4 Superchargers are currently limited to about 250kW, but that’s soon going to change.

At 500kW speeds, charging times on long road trips will be significantly reduced. While we wait for the software and infrastructure updates needed to enable 500kW charging, Tesla has rolled out 325kW charging for the Cybertruck.

While it doesn’t have as significant of an impact as 500kW, it is still a big step in the right direction. This is one of Tesla's first steps towards using the Cybertruck’s 800V architecture, so we’re excited to see what it can do. Tesla mentioned that the rollout of updated V4 Superchargers is well in progress, but for the moment, only a few sites can provide the faster charging speeds.

325kW V4 Superchargers

This list of 325kW capable Superchargers sites is pretty sparse for now, but we expect Tesla to continue to expand it throughout North America.

• Lebec, CA

• Chemult, OR

• Columbus, GA - Macon Road

• Dayton, OH - North Springboro Pike

• Dunnigan, CA - County Road

• Lamoni, IA

• Wilsonville, OR

• Truckee, CA - Deerfield Drive

• Harrison, NY

• Farr West, UT

• Tacoma, WA - S 40th Street

• Highland, CA - 4154 E Highland Ave

• Melissa, TX

• Cedar Park, TX - East Whitestone Boulevard

• Gillette, WY - South Douglas Highway

• Rockaway, NJ - Green Pond Road

• Mesa, AZ - South Signal Butte Road

• Blaine, WA - Boblett Street

• Santa Ynez, CA

We’ll keep an eye on this topic, as we’d love to see how Tesla has improved the 4680 battery cell - now dubbed the Cybercell. It previously had a reputation for charging slowly, leading to Tesla canceling the 4680 Model Y, but now we’re seeing it making a big comeback. Tesla has been hard at work on the Cybercell - it is the Gen 2 version of the 4680, and there are significant engineering improvements behind it.

We’re keeping a close watch on this topic, eager to see how Tesla has refined its 4680 battery cell—now branded the Cybercell. Previously criticized for slow charging, the original 4680 cells even led to the cancellation of the 4680-equipped Model Y. However, the Cybercell is making a strong comeback with the improvements Tesla made to the Gen 2 version of the battery cell.

We’re excited to see how fast the Cybertruck will charge and how it’ll sustain these new charging speeds. We should have more to report on this soon.

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Tesla Improves Wrap Services: Switches to Vinyl, Cuts Prices Drastically, Adds New Colors and Expands Availability

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After canceling the in-house wrap program for the Cybertruck last month, Tesla has reintroduced the program with a lot of changes. Let’s take a look at the original program, then we’ll dive into what’s changed.

Tesla began the wrap program for the Model 3 and Model Y in the fall of 2023. With the arrival of the Cybertruck, Tesla launched Matte Black and Satin White options for the Cybertruck and later added 11 more colors.

Tesla initially offered high-quality PPF (Paint Protection Film) wraps, which protect the paint in addition to changing the color of the vehicle. PPF is thicker than traditional vinyl wraps, but the material costs more and is more time-consuming to apply.

Tesla’s updated program switches away from PPF wraps and now offers traditional vinyl wraps at a cheaper price. This makes Tesla’s wrap service more comparable to third-party installers.

Correction: We initially reported that the new wrap program offered PPF rather than vinyl and that the program was only available for new deliveries.

New Wrap Prices

First things first - the price of the wraps has dropped considerably, mostly due to the change away from PPF. While these prices are still a little more expensive than what you could find at a third-party location, you have the advantage of getting it directly from Tesla.

Tesla initially offered 11 wrap colors, but that selection has now been reduced to eight per vehicle. Interestingly, the color options vary by model—Model 3 and Model Y owners have their own distinct palette. The Cybertruck also boasts its own unique set of colors, though unfortunately, the popular Satin White option is absent from its catalog.

Of course, the ever-popular Matte Black is still available, along with a fairly unique set of other vivid colors.

New Locations

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When the wrap program launched, it was limited to just three locations in California and one location in Texas. That meant that unless you were taking delivery at West Covina, Oceanside, Costa Mesa, or Santa Clara, you’d be unable to get a first-party wrap done by Tesla.

Under the new program, Tesla is offering wraps out of all the original locations and adding Seattle, Washington. What initially seemed like Tesla scaling back its wrap service has turned out to be them making it more affordable and efficient. While the switch to vinyl may disappoint some owners, in reality, a lot of owners probably didn’t know the difference between PPF and vinyl, making Tesla’s service seem disproportionally more expensive.

No Longer New Purchases Only

While the original wrap program was constrained to new vehicle purchases—you can now have Tesla wrap a vehicle that’s already been delivered. Paint damage and scuffs can impact the installation of wraps and require additional time to smooth out the vehicle surface, and most third-party installers charge additional fees to prepare the surface.

Tesla doesn’t appear to be charging any additional surface prep fees at this time and is able to install on any Model 3, Model Y, or Cybertruck that’s been delivered after 2023.

Either way, with cheaper wrap options, Tesla is now directly competing against third-party wrap shops. While it’s still a bit more expensive than you’d find elsewhere, it also comes with a level of care and precision from technicians intimately familiar with your vehicle.

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