Even after the camera improvements in Beta 11.4.7, HW4 cameras are still a leap ahead in clarity
DirtyTesla
Seeing is believing and more and more videos and images are popping up showing the difference between Tesla's Hardware 3 (HW3) and the latest Hardware 4 (HW4) cameras. The visuals highlight a radical transformation in video quality that paints an exciting future picture.
Improvements to HW3 Cameras
Tesla vehicles with the latest FSD Beta, version 11.4.7 include a notable visual improvement to the vehicle's camera feeds. With this update, Tesla introduced white-balance and color-balance corrections to the vehicle's camera feeds, making them look more realistic and accurate of the real world. But the biggest difference is actually the improvement in camera clarity. The visuals are noticeably sharper.
Our previous article and the included video demostrates the visual differences on HW3 cameras before and after applying FSD Beta 11.4.7. While these improvements are in a branch that is only available to FSD Beta testers (2023.7.30), it's likely that these video improvements will be applied to all vehicles in a future update.
Difference Between the Updated HW3 Camera Feeds to HW4 Camera Feeds
One of the best videos to date that compares HW4 to the new and improved HW3 cameras with Beta 11.4.7 was filmed by DirtyTesla, who did a nice job comparing the various cameras at the same location and in the same lighting. His findings and video are below:
Here is what stands out:
A Leap in Resolution: The images demonstrated the stark difference between the 1.2-megapixel HW3 cameras and the newly introduced 5-megapixel HW4 cameras. This substantial upgrade in resolution has translated to a noticeable increase in clarity, allowing for the easy reading of license plates and road signs that were previously indecipherable with HW3.
Even after the camera improvements in Beta 11.4.7, HW4 cameras are still a leap ahead in clarity
DirtyTesla
The Fish-eye Effect: Another captivating revelation from the images was the pronounced fish-eye effect in the rear camera of HW4. The images depicted a substantially wider field of view compared to the previous version, enhancing peripheral vision for a safer driving experience.
Night-time Brilliance and Vibrant Colors: The comparison was confined to resolution and field of view and highlighted the improved night-time footage quality, exposure control, and more accurate color representation. This promises a more realistic and vibrant visual experience for Tesla owners.
What Does It Mean for Full Self-Driving?
While the images are impressive, the next set is how the camera technology will translate into improved Full Self-Driving capabilities. Elon Musk has hinted that HW4-equipped cars could be 3 to 5 times more adept at autonomous driving. We know that HW4 has more ports for additional cameras as well.
Retrofitting Possibility: A Disappointment
Now to remind you about the disappointing news for existing Tesla owners. These amazing images, courtesy of the new cameras might lead to inquiries about retrofitting possibilities. Unfortunately, the idea of retrofitting has been shut down for some time, in fact, Tesla has been trying to entice current Tesla owners into new Teslas by offering a limited-time transfer of FSD.
The comparison images between HW3 and HW4 cameras are more than just a technical showcase. It's visual evidence of how fast technology is changing and how Tesla continuously updates the hardware in their vehicles.
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Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, recently took to X and opened the floor for user input. There, he asked the community for features and improvements they’d like to see to make Teslas better heading into 2026.
This post generated thousands of suggestions - and we recapped the best of them. There were also a few that Lars responded to, giving owners hope for some much-requested future changes, so let’s take a look at what may be coming
Lumbar Profile Support
Today, lumbar support is one of the few items that is not saved in the Tesla profile. That means if you have multiple drivers who use the same vehicle, you’re often left adjusting this setting manually, as it retains the setting that was last used. One community member suggested saving your lumbar setting to your profile just like Tesla does for other seat settings.
Lars said making this change seems doable, but it’ll take some engineering magic. The lumbar support isn’t tied to an absolute sensor like the other seat settings. This suggests that Tesla does not have an exact value to save, as it does with other seat functions, but Lars believes Tesla can find a way to save lumbar preferences. Tesla could potentially time how long the motor runs to get to the user’s lumbar setting and save this value.
With that said, it seems the vehicle engineering team may take a look at this one, and we may see it included in a future update.
Model 3 Signal Stalk Retrofit
The move away from traditional stalks in favor of the steering wheel buttons on the Refreshed Model 3 has been a point of debate. While the author is squarely in the camp of steering wheel buttons (at least with the Cybertruck), many dissent and say that the buttons on the Refreshed 3 aren’t as satisfying or easy to use.
Many other drivers also prefer the tactile feel and muscle memory of a physical stalk for signaling. Tesla appears to favor stalks, as they retained the turn signal stalk with the new Model Y. There are also rumors that Tesla is going to reintroduce the turn signal stalk to the Model 3.
If Tesla adds stalks back to the new Model 3, current 2024+ Model 3 owners are still left without stalks. However, a user suggested adding stalks as a retrofit option. Lars said that he would try to consider a retrofitted signal stalk for the Refreshed Model 3, similar to the simplified version in the Refreshed Model Y.
While less definitive than the lumbar support response, it appears that Tesla may at least consider offering a stalk retrofit for the new Model 3. If you’re a lover of signal stalks and can’t wait for Tesla to get an official one - we recommend the Enhauto S3XY Stalks, which are customizable and feel very close to Tesla’s original fit and finish.
With that said, it’s nice to see Tesla incorporating more community feedback into its vehicle design these days. Perhaps one day, they’ll address the infamous auto wipers. They have gotten better, but they’re still not as reliable as what’s available in most other vehicles. With that said, we look forward to the changes that will emerge from these recent conversations.
Sometimes, even with Tesla’s intensive bug-testing regime, bugs manage to make it out into the wild. In this particular case, a European user (@darkwaffle48484 on X) noticed that their 2024 Model 3 was using up more battery than normal while parked. Normally, they noted that the vehicle would lose about 1-2% per week; however, recently, they noticed much larger drops of 3-4% per night.
They monitored their Tesla widget and noticed the car wasn’t entering deep sleep. The widget consistently showed a recent connection time—usually within the past 45 minutes.
Fix Inbound
After discussing the issue with other Tesla owners and realizing it was somewhat widespread, they contacted Tesla Service. The service team confirmed that it was a firmware bug affecting the Telematics Control Unit (TCU), which prevented the vehicle from entering deep sleep mode.
The TCU is essentially the communications hub of your Tesla - and is mounted on the ceiling of newer vehicles such as the Model 3 and the new Model Y. It enables cellular and location services (via GPS) and also handles Wi-Fi and Bluetooth services. Tesla Service stated that this bug is planned to be fixed in update 2025.14.6, although the exact version number could change. However, they confirmed that they are aware of the issue and it is being addressed.
@darkwaffle48484
When the user reached out to Tesla Service, Tesla Service responded with the following (translated from Dutch):
“It has been confirmed that this is a firmware bug. The fix is in one of the next updates. Currently, it is planned for 2025.14.6 (subject to change). Do you have any more questions?”
Potentially Region-Specific
This bug could potentially be region-specific. TCUs often require specific hardware components, such as modems, as well as specific firmware versions that support different regions and cellular providers. These enable Tesla to comply with local cellular standards and regulations and ensure that your vehicle can connect to the networks available in that particular region.
At this point, it’s not clear when the fix will roll out, but given that update 2025.14.1 has practically stopped rolling out, Tesla may be waiting to resume the rollout with update 2025.14.3 or this 2025.14.6 version.
If you’ve noticed this issue and are in a non-European nation, let us know.
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