Tesla has released the U.S. owner's manual for the 2024 Model 3, revealing some intriguing differences from its European counterpart (Thanks to Ninerbynature). Additionally, it appears that Tesla has added a couple some changes since the new Model 3 was initially revealed.
Additional Airbags and Updated Steering Wheel
One of the most notable additions to the US version of the refreshed Model 3 is the inclusion of knee airbags. These airbags protect the driver and front passenger's legs in a collision. Oddly, the European models do not currently feature these knee airbags as stated in the manual.
The owner’s manual states that the new knee airbags are for the US only and goes on to state the advantages of the additional airbags:
“Knee airbags and the front airbags work together. The knee airbags limit the forward motion of the front seat occupants by restricting leg movement, thereby positioning the occupants so that the front airbags work more effectively.”
Another addition to the US 2024 Model 3 (don’t call it the Highland) is introducing a multi-function light on the steering wheel. The manual states that similar to the cruise control light on the right, the new multi-function light on the left side is non-functional. It’s not clear what this light will be used for or when it will turn on, but it could possibly indicate when the multi-function ability of the scroll wheel is active.
Update: A user let us know this addition to the steering wheel is in fact not a button, but just a light. We updated the article to reflect this new information.
Mystery Button
Not a Tesla App
Rear Console Locked in Place
Tesla has also made another modification to the new Model 3 that appears to apply to everyone. According to the new owner’s manual, the rear console will now lock in place during certain driving situations like hard accelerations or while driving on a steep slope. It's a subtle yet thoughtful addition, similar to the redesigned glovebox.
Rear Console Change
Not a Tesla App
Initial deliveries of the 2024 Model 3 were scheduled in the coming months. However, production at Tesla's Fremont, California, factory appears limited, as reported by Teslarati. Drone footage from the YouTube channel "Met God in Wilderness" shows little activity related to the new Model 3 at the Fremont factory. The video captures a few of these vehicles on the test track and parked nearby, but only about a dozen units are visible. Tesla seems to be conducting tests, with the factory's outbound lot predominantly filled with Model Y and Model X units, but the new Model 3 is noticeably absent.
Despite the apparent scarcity of the new Model 3 at the factory, Tesla's delivery timelines are nearing. Reports suggest the Fremont factory is prepared to ramp up production of the vehicles. Tesla recently adjusted its delivery schedule, with deliveries now expected between February and March. Tesla executives, including Elon Musk, will be asked about the new Model 3 deliveries during the upcoming shareholders call on January 24.
Winter is here, and temperatures are dropping, so one of the most common Tesla questions is about to resurface.
If you’ve landed here after frantically searching about “smoke” coming from your Tesla while Supercharging, take a deep breath—it’s completely normal.
Tesla Smoking While Charging
If you’re Supercharging in freezing weather—even with preconditioning—you might notice steam rising from your Tesla. But rest assured, your car isn’t smoking.
Your Tesla’s heat pump is hard at work warming both the cabin and battery to keep you comfortable and ensure optimal charging temperatures. Over time, condensation and ice build-up in the heat exchanger coils.
Why Does It Happen?
When you reach a Supercharger with your vehicle, the heat pump is still running hot, but without the cold air from driving to keep the heat exchanger coils cool, the ice and condensation quickly start to evaporate—creating what looks like smoke.
Since this typically happens near the front of the vehicle, where a car would traditionally have an engine, new vehicle owners can be startled by the discovery. However, rest assured that it’s just water vapor and it’s completely normal in cold weather.
In fact, this behavior can be experienced in any EV with a heat pump in cold climates. So, if you saw steam coming out of your vehicle and panicked, don’t worry—you’re not alone.
Now that you know what’s happening, go ahead and Supercharge with confidence.
Tesla made a lot of improvements in the 2024 Holiday Update, including more than 15 undocumented improvements that were included in the release. One of these was a stealthy performance improvement to the YouTube app.
Several people have mentioned they’ve seen improved performance on YouTube since this year’s Holiday Update - and there’s an interesting reason why.
YouTube Improvements
The improved YouTube performance in Tesla vehicles comes from an unexpected source—Tesla actually rolled back support for YouTube’s newer AV1 video encoding. Instead, vehicles now default to the older VP9 encoding standard.
While AV1 is highly efficient in terms of bandwidth, it requires considerably more processing power to decode and display videos. VP9, on the other hand, is less computationally demanding but uses more bandwidth to achieve the same video quality. This trade-off means smoother playback and better overall performance, even if it comes at the cost of slightly higher data usage.
Intel Inside
The VP9 video codec that the YouTube app is now using is much easier to decode, making it less taxing on the vehicle’s processor. This change is particularly beneficial for Tesla vehicles with Intel processors, which previously struggled to stream video at just 720p. When using AV1, these vehicles often experienced stuttering, sometimes forcing the YouTube app to automatically downgrade playback to 480p.
With this update, Intel-based Teslas should now be able to stream at 1080p smoothly. Streaming at 1440p is also possible, although occasional stutters still occur as the system keeps up with the decoding process.
Intel-based vehicles are the big winners with this change, but this appears to affect AMD Ryzen-based infotainment units as well, providing even smoother playback.
Chromium Web App
Tesla’s Theater apps aren’t native applications; instead, they run as chromeless web apps, leveraging the open-source browser built into Teslas known as Chromium (the open-source version of Chrome). Although this works quite well, there is a severe limitation - Chromium hardware acceleration isn’t supported on Linux, the operating system Tesla uses for their OS.
As a result, Tesla vehicles rely on software decoding instead of hardware decoding, which would otherwise handle video playback far more efficiently. A potential solution could be for Tesla to transition away from Chromium-based web apps in favor of a Mozilla Firefox-based browser, as Firefox does support hardware acceleration on Linux. This switch could also open the door to better streaming performance and the possibility of expanding Tesla’s in-car entertainment options.
However, Tesla’s choice of Chromium likely stems from Digital Rights Management (DRM) requirements for streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix, which rely on DRM-enabled playback. Firefox on Linux has had inconsistent support for DRM due to codec availability and variations in operating system versions.
We’re hopeful that Tesla will either adopt Firefox or develop a fully native application to improve video streaming, rather than continuing with the current web-based Tesla Theater. This shift could also pave the way for additional in-car applications built on Tesla’s native Linux environment—perhaps even reviving the long-rumored Tesla App Store.
Regardless, this update is a welcome improvement, particularly for YouTube, which remains one of the most widely used Theater Mode apps due to its accessibility, free content, and mix of short and long-form videos. It remains to be seen whether similar improvements are made for Netflix, Disney+, or other streaming platforms.
If you’ve noticed improved performance in Theater Mode, now you know why.