Tesla Is Ready To Enable Adaptive Headlights in the New Model 3 According to New Document

December 20, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla appears ready to enable the matrix headlights in the new Model 3

Not a Tesla App

According to a new document, it appears that Tesla is finally preparing to introduce support for adaptive headlights. However, it looks like support may be limited to the upgraded Model 3, at least initially.

Support for Matrix Headlights?

The documents from European certifications, dated November 8, 2023, indicate the upcoming addition of "Adaptive Main Beam" headlights for the new Model 3, which is expected through an over-the-air software update. This revelation, initially shared by @eivissacopter (via DriveTeslaCanada), suggests that older models like the original Model 3 and current Model Y may not receive this update despite some of them having matrix headlights.

Update: It’s not completely clear whether the new Model 3 contains full matrix headlights like some other models or if they simply have an adaptive beam.

There's also no mention of Tesla's Model S and Model X getting support even though they now have matrix headlights as well.

European document reveals Tesla is adding matrix headlight support

eivissacopter

The decision to initially limit this feature to the upgraded Model 3 is interesting. There’s no reason to believe this feature won’t eventually be added to other Tesla models that include matrix headlights, but the documents specifically mention the new Model 3 and its adaptive headlights. It should be noted that Tesla likes to test new software with a small segment of owners initially, however, the new Model 3 does feature new headlights. So it’s not clear if this is a software strategy or if there are changes in the new Model 3’s headlights that allow Tesla to finally enable them in Europe.

What Are Matrix Headlights?

Matrix headlights, also known as adaptive headlights, are an advanced automotive lighting technology designed to improve nighttime driving safety and visibility. They consist of multiple LED elements or individual light sources that can be controlled independently. This fine control allows the system to adapt the light distribution pattern based on factors such as traffic conditions, road curvature, and the presence of other vehicles.

Matrix headlights let your car turn on and off individual LEDs

Lighting Manufacturer

The primary benefit of matrix headlights is their ability to selectively dim or deactivate specific LED elements to create "shadows" or dark areas in the beam pattern. This helps avoid dazzling oncoming drivers or those in front of the vehicle while maintaining optimal illumination of the road ahead. For example, when an oncoming vehicle is detected, the system will adjust the light pattern to prevent the high beams from shining directly into the other driver's eyes. The rest of the road, however, remains well-lit, ensuring clear visibility for the driver.

Varying Standards Globally

Globally, the rollout of these adaptive headlights will be subject to varying automotive regulations. Different countries have different standards for automotive lighting, and Tesla will need to navigate these as they introduce and expand the feature's availability. The European certification is crucial, as Europe often has more stringent automotive standards, potentially making it easier to introduce the feature in other markets afterward.

Customer Response

Adaptive headlights, a feature in luxury vehicles for some time, are now becoming more mainstream. This technology's primary benefit is safety. By dynamically adjusting the light beam according to steering input and its surroundings, these headlights significantly enhance night-time visibility and reduce the risk of accidents on curvy roads.

Customer response to this development will be critical. While some Tesla owners might be disappointed that their existing vehicles won't initially receive this feature, new buyers will likely find it a compelling addition. This dynamic could influence customer loyalty and brand perception, factors Tesla must manage carefully.

Tesla Vehicles Spotted With LiDAR: What Do They Use It For?

July 13, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla recently hit the news for purchasing approximately $2M in LiDAR sensors from Luminar, one of Tesla’s long-term suppliers. You’ve probably seen photos of Tesla’s Semi and various Tesla models, including the Model 3 and Model Y sporting LIDAR equipment on the roof. These cars drive around with manufacturer plates scanning streets and highways.

However, many people confuse Tesla’s purpose in purchasing LiDAR equipment with using it for FSD versus testing. So, let’s look at what LiDAR is, and why Tesla uses it on its Fleet Validation Vehicles.

What is LiDAR?

LiDAR stands for Light Detecting and Ranging – essentially using lasers to measure distances. A laser pulse is sent out, and the time it takes to return is measured – providing extremely accurate distance measurements.

Some companies working on self-driving vehicles, including Waymo and BYD, use LiDAR as part of their self-driving suites, but Tesla is one of the few stand-outs that does not. Even Rimac’s “Verne” Robotaxi – which uses self-driving technology from Mobileye, also uses LiDAR.

While LiDAR can produce extremely accurate and high-quality 3D environments, it comes with its downsides as well. Not only is LiDAR costly and requires large gear strapped to a vehicle, but it also can not be used in bad weather and can have interference issues if there are other strong light sources present.

Why Does Tesla Use LiDAR?

A LiDAR rig mounted on a Tesla Semi for testing FSD.

Not a Tesla App

At Autonomy Day in 2019, Elon Musk mentioned that LiDAR isn’t the solution for self-driving cars – it's just a crutch. Thus, Tesla hasn’t used LiDAR for any production self-driving software.

Instead, Tesla uses it exactly how it's described – they use it to gather ground-truth data. This data is then used to feed Tesla’s Full Self Driving system – which helps validate its vision-only system's accuracy. LiDAR provides very accurate measurements to help ensure that FSD’s perception of space is accurate – and is only used by Tesla to ensure that its AI technology which is the brains of FSD is capable of accurately interpreting depth from just visual data.

Tesla’s vision-only system has been seen to be extremely accurate, with Vision-only Autopark being able to park in even narrower and tighter spaces faster than the previous version that relied on ultrasonic sensors.

We’ll likely continue to see Tesla purchase LiDAR systems, as well as use them for validation well into the future.

Tesla's Upcoming Robotaxi Event in August Delayed, According to Bloomberg

July 12, 2024

By Karan Singh

Sugar Design

In a report from Bloomberg, it is claimed that Tesla will be delaying its much-anticipated 8/8 Robotaxi event by two months to October 2024.

While sources other than Bloomberg haven't confirmed this report, Bloomberg has a positive track record of reporting on financial decisions. We’ll be sure to update the article if there is confirmation on X from Elon Musk or another Tesla senior official.

Tesla’s stock has dropped nearly 8.5% over the day, ending back-to-back gains over the last two weeks. It closed yesterday at $ 241 after hitting a peak of $270 earlier in the day before the news broke.

Why the Delay?

The delay – of approximately two months – has been communicated internally, but not publicly announced just yet. Bloomberg goes on to mention that the design team was told to rework certain elements of the Cybercab, necessitating the delay.

If Bloomberg’s report is correct, it sounds like Tesla’s unveil event will be largely focused on showing off the vehicle, instead of demoing how it will work. Of course, it could still be both, but given past events, Tesla has always shown off the vehicle years before it hits production.

Rimac recently showed off their version of robotaxi vehicle named Verne, and surprisingly, it could almost pass for Tesla’s own robotaxi. A lot of design cues in Rimac’s version are elements we have already seen or expect to see in Tesla’s autonomous taxi.

A recent Tesla patent revealed that Tesla is incorporating a sanitation system into their robotaxi that will be responsible for analyzing and cleaning the vehicle’s interior, although the delay itself is likely tied more to a physical feature rather than software.

Another element we know almost nothing about is how Tesla plans to charge these robotic taxis. Will they rely on the existing charge port and adapt a solution like the robotic charging arm (video below) we saw almost eight years ago, or will wireless charging or a dock finally become realized?

While the delay for Tesla’s event appears to be related to the vehicle’s design itself and not further development of FSD, Tesla is wasting no time in getting FSD working for the upcoming vehicle. Model 3 vehicles have already been spotted with camera locations that resemble a robotaxi.

Is the Delay Accurate?

We expect that this delay might actually be true – Elon Musk usually takes to X within hours of such news breaking if it's false to refute it and hasn’t done so yet.

Tesla has delayed several of their events in the past, and a delay of a couple of months seems plausible. We should hear from Musk himself soon on whether this report is accurate.