Tesla will soon be activating adaptive headlight capabilities in the Model Y and legacy Model 3 in Europe. The new feature will be added through a free over-the-air (OTA) software update and comes after Tesla added the same capability to the upgraded Model 3 earlier this month.
Tesla first added matrix LED headlights to their vehicles all the way back in 2021, gradually integrating them into their entire fleet. While the headlights had the capability to turn off individual pixels, thereby allowing them to dim the lights aimed specifically at an oncoming car or pedestrian, the only time Tesla used this capability was with the Light Show, using the headlights to spell ‘Tesla ‘TESLA’ on a nearby wall.
After years of waiting Tesla finally added adaptive high beams earlier this month with the release of software version 2024.2, but only for the upgraded Model 3 in Europe. We were hoping Tesla would soon roll out the feature to the other vehicles with matrix headlights, and it looks like they will.
New certification documents in Europe show that on January 3, 2024 Tesla was approved to introduce adaptive high beams to the Model Y and the legacy Model 3. The documents were shared by Julien on X.
Given that Tesla started off adding the feature to the new Model 3, and now about to roll it out to the Model Y and legacy Model 3, it only makes sense that it will also come to the Model S and Model X, although that certification document has not yet been approved by European authorities.
There is also the question of whether this feature will come to cars in North America. Adaptive headlights were approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in early 2022, finally catching up with European regulations that had allowed them for decades, so hopefully they will, but we have yet to see any indication of this happening.
If you are wondering if you have matrix headlights in your Model Y or legacy Model 3, simply look for the large round bulb on the outer edge of the headlight housing. If you have this, you have matrix headlights.
