Tesla Giga Shanghai has initiated the upgrade of Model Y units to Hardware 4.0, a development confirmed by Tesla China through its official Weibo account. According to the announcement, Hardware 4.0, the next-generation autonomous driving technology, brings improved capabilities such as enhanced visibility, clearer perception, and faster processing.
Despite the hardware upgrade, Tesla China has not disclosed any changes in the pricing of the Model Y vehicles equipped with Hardware 4.0. The current pricing structure, with the Model Y RWD starting at RMB 258,900, the Dual-Motor AWD Long Range variant at RMB 299,990, and the Model Y Performance at RMB 363,900, remains unchanged.
In addition to the hardware update, Tesla China introduced a new color option for the upgraded Model Y – Quicksilver. Notably, this color was previously exclusive to vehicles produced at Giga Berlin, highlighting its association with advanced paint shop technology.
It's worth noting that Tesla had quietly introduced Hardware 4.0 to Model S and Model X vehicles in the United States last year. Customer feedback has indicated that Hardware 4.0 enhances processing power and significantly improves Tesla Vision technology.
The upgraded Model Y with Hardware 4.0 does not pertain to the highly-anticipated Model Y Juniper, which is set to undergo a comprehensive revamp, encompassing both exterior and interior enhancements.
Elon Musk provided insights into Tesla's hardware developments during the Q4 and Full Year 2023 earnings call, hinting at the ongoing work on Hardware 5. Musk clarified the progression, stating, "We’re now utilizing what's termed as Hardware 4, but in reality, it's the second iteration of Tesla's internally designed AI inference chip. We are currently finalizing the design of Hardware 5, which, in terms of terminology, represents the third version of Tesla's in-house chip. The initial version was developed in collaboration with Mobileye, followed by version 2 with Nvidia, and now version 3 with Tesla."
In essence, the Hardware 4.0 upgrade for the Model Y is distinct from the forthcoming Model Y Juniper and represents a stepping stone in Tesla's continuous evolution of autonomous driving hardware. Elon Musk's mention of Hardware 5 underscores Tesla's commitment to advancing their proprietary chip technology for future vehicles.
----------The article excerpted from TESLARATI.