Tesla Model S UI coming to 2022 Model Y, possibly all Teslas

When the refreshed Model S was revealed this summer, we were introduced to a brand new user interface. An interface that was different from all other Teslas.

Tesla Model S UI

The feature set of the new software is essentially the same as other Tesla models, minus any features that are exclusive to the refreshed Model S, such as Active Road Noise Reduction.

However, the new UI does bring some capabilities that make it easier to use and more versatile.

Some of the biggest changes in the UI include customizable buttons along the bottom of the screen.

It also introduces the ability to drag and dock windows to different parts of the screen.

There are many smaller changes as well, such as a mini music player that sits on top of the map. The mini player gives you quick access to music controls used most often, such as skip and pause.

The new Model S and Model X contain Tesla's latest infotainment hardware, known as MCU 3. It features a more powerful processor, the AMD Ryzen, instead of the Intel Atom processor that is used in MCU 2.

MCU 3 gives Tesla the ability to have a richer UI. The animations in the new UI are smooth and fluid when dragging windows and tapping buttons.

Up until recently Tesla's MCU 3 was exclusive to the new Model S and Model X, however recent Model Y vehicles coming out of China now also include the new MCU.

Although new Model Ys in China now feature Tesla's latest MCU, they are still running the same UI that is found in all Model 3 and Model Y cars.

The speculation began whether these Model Ys would be upgraded to run the new UI that is found in refreshed Model S vehicles. Since they use the same hardware, they should both be capable of running the same software.

New User Interface Coming

A new document that was presented to the European Union outlines changes coming to the Model Y. The document confirms that new 2022 Model Y vehicles, known as V20 will indeed support the new user interface that is used on the new Model S.

The new interface will need to be adapted to a slightly smaller screen since Model Ys have a 15” screen instead of the Model S' 17” screen. However, the bigger adjustment and likely the reason why new Model Ys are not running this new UI yet, is because the software still needs to be adapted to support a single screen.

Since Model 3 and ModelYs only contain a single screen, all the information that is included in the Model S' intrument cluster needs to also appear on the Model Y's main screen. This includes information such as the car's visualizations, speedometer and more.

It's not clear whether visualizations in the Model Y will be permanently docked to the side of the screen like they are in current Model Ys, or whether Tesla will treat them as an app and let you move them around or even hide them.

Current Model 3 / Model Y

The big question on everyone's mind is whether current Model 3 and Model Ys will support the new UI.

There has been no official word from Tesla or Elon Musk, but we expect that this question will be asked more often and Tesla will provide an official answer in the future.

There are various possibilities and reasons why Tesla may or may not support the new UI on current vehicles.

The first possibility is that Tesla will support the new UI on current vehicles, but it will require an upgrade to MCU 3.

This won't be a cheap upgrade, likely in the $2,000-$3,000 or more range, but there would be additional benefits by upgrading the MCU as well, such as faster rebooting, faster loading of apps and even new features that may be exclusive to MCU 3.

The other two possibilities are more obvious, either Tesla will support the new UI on MCU 2 or they won't.

There is currently speculation and good arguments for both sides.

Up until 2017 Tesla was releasing vehicles with MCU 1. All Tesla UI updates in the past have applied to MCU 1 and MCU 2 vehicles. Of course, there are some features that are exlusive to MCU 2, like Tesla Theater, but the look and feel of the interface is the same across the vehicles.

It's possible that Tesla will follow a similar approach and make the new UI available to all.

There are other smaller reasons, such as Elon saying that Auto Shift is coming to all Teslas. That feature is exclusive to the new UI thus far.

There are various other reasons that lead us to think that Tesla may bring the new UI to all vehicles. This may mean that some features such as window dragging or window docking get dropped, but it's very much possible we'll see the new UI in all Teslas.

As many reasons as there are for Tesla supporting the new Model S UI on older Teslas, there are just as many reasons why Tesla won't be able to.

It's obvious that the new interface requires more horsepower, more than MCU 1 or maybe even MCU 2 can deliver. The UI lets you drag apps around. It lets you have multiple apps on screen at the same time, but these more intensive features could be removed for vehicles that may not be able to handle them.

Perhaps the most convincing reason for the new UI not becoming available for all vehicles is that Tesla engineers have said MCU 2 isn't capable of running the new interface. These comments were made by a couple Tesla engineers, so it's definitely not official by any means. They were also said when the new Model S was released this summer, so it's possible a lot has changed since then.

One thing is for sure. Tesla has a history of supporting older vehicles, regardless of the model year. In fact, Tesla still delivers updates to the original Model S that was released in 2012. If Tesla can find a way to bring the new UI to all Teslas, then they most likely will.

Elon tweeted just yesterday that Tesla will be releasing a Holiday Update this year with many ‘cool' features. Who knows what's in store for us. However, just like Christmas, lets temper our expectations and be thankful for anything we receive.

Follow

Follow

Follow

Musk Confirms Robotaxi on Track for June, More Cities Coming, Customer-owned Cars in 2026

Not a Tesla App

Tesla signaled its intention to launch its first Robotaxi network in Austin, Texas, with company-owned and operated vehicles, back in January. This network will be Tesla’s first foray into truly autonomous vehicles - ones that aren’t being directly supervised by a driver. Later in February, Tesla’s executive team confirmed that the plans were on track for the launch of the Austin network both on X and during several interviews that they participated in.

At the end of February, we also found out that Tesla has applied for a Supervised Robotaxi license in California, where the network will also launch, but with safety drivers in place.

This is an ambitious plan, but FSD has really come a long way in the past year. FSD V12 was a massive step forward from V11, and V13 has made the experience smoother and safer than ever before. FSD V14 is expected to be another big step up with auto-regressive transformers and audio input.

Still on Track

Now, Elon has tripled down on the fact that Tesla will be launching their first autonomous robotaxi network in Austin - just two months away at this point. It seems that Tesla is fully set to launch their first fully unsupervised self-driving vehicles that will carry paying passengers in June.

Additional Cities

The best part is that Elon also confirmed that they’re targeting robotaxi networks launching in many cities within the United States by the end of this year. However, remember that this will be a Tesla-run network at first - Tesla owners won’t be able to add their vehicles to the Robotaxi fleet right away.

Adding Customer Vehicles

It will take some time before Tesla meets their strict internal safety requirements before it lets customers add their own vehicles to the network. Tesla’s executive team mentioned that they intend to let owners add their own vehicles to the fleet sometime in 2026. This happens to be the same time frame that Tesla plans to launch the Robotaxi across the United States, Mexico, and Canada — something that could only be done with customer-owned cars.

That final step will be bold—and it may come with complications, especially given that autonomous vehicle approval spans municipal, state or provincial, and even federal levels. There are plenty of regulatory hurdles ahead, but this is undoubtedly shaping up to be one of the most exciting times for Tesla.

Launch Event

With the Robotaxi network launching and Unsupervised FSD just around the corner, there’s a lot to get excited about. Tesla is expected to host a launch event at Gigafactory Texas in Austin to mark the debut of its first Robotaxi network. The company previously hinted that referral code users could receive invites—offering a rare chance to score an early ride in a Robotaxi outside the Hollywood studio lot.

Follow

Follow

Follow

Tesla Mule Model 3 Spotted With Front Bumper Camera

Ready_Medium_6693 on Reddit

Tesla’s engineering mule vehicles—used to test autonomy for future platforms—have resurfaced after an extended absence. The last time we saw them was back in July, when Tesla was gearing up for its initial We, Robot event. Since then, sightings have been scarce.

These vehicles typically signal that Tesla is testing new camera placements or validating FSD ground-truth data. This time, however, they appear to be outfitted exclusively with the updated camera hardware seen on the Cybercab.

New Sightings

The mules have now been spotted in Boston, Massachusetts, and Concord, New Hampshire—their first known appearances this far east. This suggests Tesla is actively collecting data to evaluate and optimize FSD performance in new regions. Thanks to Reddit user Ready_Medium_6693 for catching the one in Concord.

Elon Musk recently mentioned that Tesla plans to expand Robotaxi networks beyond the initial Texas and California launches. So while these sightings aren’t entirely unexpected, the speed of their arrival is. It suggests Tesla is confident in its ability to train FSD for local traffic rules and driving behaviors to the point it no longer needs a driver.

Bumper Cameras

The vehicle that’s been spotted in Boston is the usual Tesla engineering Model 3… except with one unique twist. It includes a front bumper camera. Shout out to @Dylan02939106 for catching the bumper camera in these photos.

The Refreshed Model 3 Mule with a Bumper Camera!

@Dylan02939106 on X

We previously released an opinion piece regarding whether the front bumper camera would be required for Unsupervised FSD. In our eyes, Tesla will require a bumper camera for Unsupervised FSD - if only to improve direct visibility in the bumper area of the vehicle. This is key for low-speed maneuvering in crowded areas like parking lots and garages, as well as for key features like Actually Smart Summon. 

It isn’t surprising that Tesla is continuing to evaluate vehicles with a bumper camera - the Cybertruck, Cybercab, and Refreshed Model Y all have them now - and the rest of the lineup, including the flagship Model S and X, as well as the refreshed Model 3 - were supposed to eventually receive them as well.

With the Model S and Model X set for refreshes this year—and the front bumper camera on this Model 3 looking well-integrated rather than a temporary setup—it seems likely that front bumper cameras will soon become standard across Tesla’s entire lineup.

The Robotaxi Mule in Boston

@Dylan02939106 on X

In fact, Tesla’s newest iteration of the FSD computer has a slot for the Bumper Camera on all AI4/HW4 vehicles, so a future retrofit could even be possible.

These are some pretty exciting times - we may see Robotaxi networks actually deploy in time for Tesla’s lofty goal of “sometime in 2026” for cities throughout North America. Once many American cities begin to accept their deployment, it will be easier to seek homologation in Mexico and Canada, enabling deployment throughout the continent.

Follow

Follow

Follow