After many rumors, and its appearance on Tesla Model S and Model X, here it is finally on the Tesla Model Y! This is the newest iteration of Tesla’s cameras and self-driving computer: the Hardware 4 (HW4).
It’s not the first time we’ve told you about it, but it’s definitely the start of a new stage for Tesla’s famous Hardware 4. It was noticed for the first time on Tesla Model Y fresh from the factory as revealed by the site Not A Tesla Appand we will see together what this will change for future owners.
A highly anticipated HW4
From the second half of 2022, discussions related to Hardware 4 were already burning on specialized Tesla forums. Some felt that you had to wait before taking delivery of your car, for fear of having one of the last equipped with Hardware 3, and which would therefore quickly lose value on the market. If all this jargon doesn’t really speak to you, we have a file dedicated to terms specific to Elon Musk’s firm at your disposal.
For simplicity, Tesla’s current self-driving computer and camera suite is called Hardware 3 : this is in practice the third iteration of the equipment dedicated to driving assistance. Although this name is not official, it is the usual way to designate the level of equipment of a Tesla electric car. Naturally, the next iteration is unofficially called Hardware 4and offers some interesting new features for future owners.
Yeah, the best way to differentiate HW3 from HW4 is the side repeaters.
HW4 has a larger exposed glass element, larger housing directly around the lens, red glare from a coating on an interior lens elements, & a shorter light above the lens.
HW4 HW3 pic.twitter.com/7mROrabno0— The Kilowatts ?⚡️ (@klwtts) May 26, 2023
First, a suite of better quality cameras, since the sensors go from 1.2 to 5 megapixels. In addition, the power of the autonomous driving computer is revised upwards, even if this advance will not be exploited immediately, as was the case when switching from HW2 to HW3. As you can see in the picture above, the side cameras are quite differentwith a wider lens on vehicles equipped with the HW4.
This change is made as usual at Tesla, without any announcements, and with discovery upon delivery for happy owners. There is still no way when ordering to know for sure what will equip the car you order. For better (HW4) or for worse (no ultrasonic sensors), delivery surprises are always on the agenda at Tesla.
What this will change in practice
From the first Tesla Model X equipped with HW4 in circulation, owners were quick to notice a (logical) improvement in the rendering of the cameras, whether via recording in sentry mode, the dashcam or even their display. weeling.
Some have also put forward a better fluidity during automatic lane changes, although this may be due to the placebo effect. In the near future, we expect Tesla’s famed FSD (its highest level of self-driving) to take advantage of hardware advancements, but that’s not happening yet.
Either way, don’t imagine owning an outdated Tesla Model 3 or Model Y today: the HW3 continues to be more than sufficient for all of the driving assistance offered today by Tesla. Moreover, it is possible that Tesla leaving the factory to date are still equipped with the HW3, in order to sell the remaining stock…
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