Identifying Your Tesla's Hardware: Is It AI4 or Hardware 3?

Tesla introduced its latest Full Self-Driving (FSD) hardware, AI4 (originally Hardware 4.0), in early 2023. This iteration marks a significant upgrade over its predecessor, Hardware 3, offering numerous enhancements. However, the initial rollout faced challenges, as new Tesla vehicles delivered at the time didn’t have access to FSD or Autopilot.

Despite these early issues, AI4 is now paving the way for Tesla’s journey toward full autonomy. While Tesla continues to support Hardware 3 and hasn’t labeled it as obsolete, understanding which hardware version your vehicle has is crucial, particularly for those who’ve invested in or subscribed to FSD. AI4 is expected to receive major updates before Hardware 3, necessitating ongoing optimization.

Let’s delve into the advancements AI4 brings, the lack of retrofit options from Hardware 3, and how you can easily identify whether your Tesla is equipped with AI4 or Hardware 3.

AI4 vs. HW3: What’s New?

AI4 introduces a host of upgrades, including enhanced cameras, new electrical and wiring systems, and, most notably, increased processing power.

The updated cameras provide superior resolution for capturing finer details. For example, AI4’s rear camera boasts a resolution of 1448x938, compared to the 1280x960 resolution of Hardware 3. The difference is even more pronounced in the front cameras, with AI4 offering a resolution of 2896x1876, significantly higher than the 1280x960 resolution in HW3. This improvement in image quality, along with the distinctive red tint on AI4’s cameras, enhances performance in low-light conditions.

Elon Musk has mentioned that AI4 is 3-5 times faster than Hardware 3, although its full computational capacity hasn’t been fully tapped yet. The true potential of AI4 is expected to become more apparent as Tesla continues to develop its software and optimize for this newer hardware.

How to Identify Your Tesla’s Hardware

Although Tesla doesn’t explicitly state which hardware version your vehicle has in the app or on the dashboard, there are a few simple ways to determine it.

Delivery Date

Your Tesla model and its delivery date can be a good indicator of the hardware it carries. For Model S or X, vehicles delivered after March 2023 are likely equipped with AI4. For Model Y, AI4 was introduced in vehicles produced in the U.S. after late May 2023. The updated 2024 Model 3 also features AI4, while Model 3s from 2017-2023 come with Hardware 3.

Camera Lenses

If you’re unsure about your vehicle’s delivery date or want to double-check, inspect the cameras on your Tesla. AI4 cameras have a noticeable red tint, especially on the front-facing cameras, where there are two red lenses and one black (dummy) lens. The third camera from Hardware 3 has been removed, thanks to the improved resolution of AI4’s cameras.

The repeater cameras on AI4 also differ slightly, featuring the same red tint and a more compact, narrower turn indicator.

No Retrofit Path for HW3 to AI4

Tesla, along with Elon Musk, has confirmed that there will be no retrofit option to upgrade from Hardware 3 to AI4. Unlike previous upgrades from AP 2.5 or AP 2, retrofitting AI4 into older models isn’t practical due to the significant differences in wiring, cooling systems, and the overall form factor of AI4’s compute unit.

Attempting to retrofit would require a complex, custom solution tailored to HW3 vehicles, which could overwhelm Tesla’s service capabilities. Instead, Tesla’s strategy will likely involve optimizing FSD software to work efficiently on Hardware 3, ensuring continued support without requiring a hardware upgrade.

In summary, while AI4 represents the future of Tesla’s FSD efforts, Hardware 3 remains supported, with software updates designed to maximize its capabilities. Knowing which hardware version your Tesla has is essential as the company continues to refine and enhance its autonomous driving technology.