A Tesla owner has completed the first known Hardware 3 (HW3/AI3) to Hardware 4 (HW4/AI4) retrofit. The DIY upgrade was completed on a 2022 Model 3, which is now not only running the newer self-driving computer but also its first upgraded camera.
The project was carried out by Tesla enthusiast and developer Mike Gapinski, who confirmed the Model 3 is already driving with the upgraded hardware. While there is still work required to get the entire system functioning, the experiment shows that upgrading older HW3 vehicles to HW4 is technically possible.
First camera started working on a Hardwaee 4 equipped Model 3 (2022). Yes, we did the retrofit!
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) August 15, 2026
It’s not as bad as it seemed, the computer replacement needed, some light ECU hacking. No need to replace camera cables as well, you can get away with adapters.
It’s driving, but… pic.twitter.com/9WkmbPM0Yj
According to Gapiński, the conversion required replacing the computer and making some ECU modifications. Surprisingly, however, the existing camera wiring did not have to be replaced, with adapters allowing the newer hardware to work with the older cables.
“It’s not as bad as it seemed, the computer replacement needed, some light ECU hacking. No need to replace camera cables as well, you can get away with adapters,” he explained.
The successful experiment is particularly interesting given the growing divide between HW3 and HW4 vehicles as Tesla develops newer versions of Full Self-Driving (FSD). Tesla has previously acknowledged that HW3 will ultimately need an upgrade for owners to achieve unsupervised FSD as the older computer does not have enough memory to run the latest models.
However, this project doesn’t mean an official retrofit is imminent. Gapinski says a proper upgrade would require replacing all of the vehicle’s cameras, although existing wiring could potentially remain. On older Intel-based cars, he believes the conversion could even be completed alongside a Ryzen infotainment retrofit.
For now, the project remains an unofficial proof of concept, but it demonstrates that bringing HW4 to older Teslas may be more practical than previously thought.
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