New Tesla Model Y Performance models coming out of China this month have the biggest changes we've seen to the car so far. The cars have several major hardware changes that improve the infotainment system, noise isolated and more.
Tesla starts using 12v lithium-ion batteries
JayinShanghai/Twitter
Infotainment Processor
The first major upgrade is the processor that powers the car's infotainment display. It has been upgraded from the Intel Atom processor to a much faster AMD Ryzen chip. It's the same chip that's used in the redesigned Model S and X, although the Model S and X feature 16GB of ram while these new Model Ys appear to have only 8GB.
This processor is much faster than the Atom processors that are currently in Model 3s and Model Ys.
Graphics Processor
The new Model S and X feature a dedicated GPU that is capable of PS5-like graphics. The system is able to play one of the most intensive video games, Cyberpunk 2077.
We thought that this chip would be exclusive to Tesla's higher-priced vehicles, but surprisingly, the new Model Ys feature the same graphics processor in the new Model S and X.
.@xiaoteshushu GigaWorkshop Tear-down of Tesla MIC Model Y Performance.
It appears that Tesla plans to keep the infotainment and graphic processors the same across their entire lineup of cars. Having such an advanced processor will surely open up the possibilities to new games and enhanced capabilities in the car.
MCU 3
When the Model S was unveiled, it contained this new processor and high-end gaming capabilities. At the time, no one was sure whether this hardware would be exclusive to the Model S or whether it would trickle down to other vehicles.
Tesla MIC Model Y Performance First Look！
Does AMD Ryzen seem to make the new MIC Model Y Performance look smoother than ever?
However, at this point it's fairly certain that the AMD Ryzen chip and graphics processor Tesla is using will be a part of Tesla's MCU 3 and will be used across their entire fleet.
Software
Although the new Model Ys coming out of China contain the same CPU and GPU processors as the new Model S, they still feature the same 15" screen as other Model Ys. They also still use the same user-interface as all current Model Ys, although they're certainly capable of running the same Tesla interface in the new Model S.
It's not clear whether the new interface is still being adapted for slightly smaller screens, but we expect that these new Model Ys with MCU 3 will be running the updated Tesla interface in the future.
We don't know if vehicles with MCU 2 will be able to run the updated interface at some point. Tesla employees have previously said off the record that MCU 2 isn't capable of running the new interface found on the new Model S, but it's possible that Tesla figured out a way to run the new interface on MCU 2 vehicles. If the new interface comes to MCU 2 cars, it'll likely need to be adapted to be able to run on slower hardware or limit some of its features, such as dragging and docking windows.
12v Battery
All Teslas up until the release of the redesigned Model S and Model X used 12v lead-acid batteries. This lower voltage battery is used to power door locks, electronics and other smaller items in the car that can't be run off of the high voltage battery.
The 12v lead-acid batteries in Model 3 and Model Ys are the same kind found in just about every other car. The battery is recharged off of the car's main battery. These lead-acid batteries last about four to five years, but we've seen them last only a couple years as well.
These new Model Ys coming out of GIGA Shanghai are coming with the same lithium-ion battery that is found in new Model S and X vehicles.
The battery is estimated to last the life of the vehicle and never needs replacing. This is a nice improvement and it's a great way for Tesla to reduce Tesla service visits.
It also helps increase customer satisfaction and lower the maintenance required for Teslas even further.
Although replacing a lead-acid battery in a vehicle isn't an expensive procedure, having a lithium-ion battery that doesn't need to be replaced is a nice improvement for all future Tesla owners.
It'll be interesting to see whether Tesla will be able to upgrade lead-acid batteries to their lithium-ion models in future service calls for any customers that need one replaced.
Other Changes
Another change that has been noticed in these new models is that the rear passengers windows now have double laminated glass similar to the front windows, to help further isolate road noise.
It's possible that there are other smaller changes in these new models as well, but these have been the major changes observed so far.
These hardware changes are currently exclusive to new Model Y Performance models coming out of China. Tesla slowly makes changes to its lineup throughout the year when possible, but the changes we're seeing here are major improvements to the vehicle.
You can be sure that all Tesla factories will adopt the same hardware changes we're seeing in China across all models in the coming weeks or months.
There has now been a video posted that compares how much faster MCU 3 is compared to MCU 2 when loading various apps.
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?
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