Looking to find out if you have Matrix Headlights, or what features they have? Or do you want to know if you can get them retrofitted? This article has you covered!
Matrix Headlight Features
Tesla’s new matrix headlights have quite a few cool features, some of which are available only in Europe, but some of which are also now available in North America!
The Adaptive headlights feature brighten and dim selective LEDs based upon both oncoming vehicles and vehicles ahead of you, helping to reduce headlight glare for other vehicles, while also providing the driver (or FSD!) with as much light as possible.
Matrix headlights will also follow curves in the road, delivering light to the direction that you steer in. This is a pretty impressive and useful feature, which helps to ensure that drivers can see where they’re going in the dark, even on winding roads.
For now, Europe has some additional features – with the ability to illuminate even further on highways than in North America. We’re not sure when or if this will come to North America – as it may be a legislative or policy issue with the NHTSA or its Canadian equivalent.
The final cool feature – Matrix headlights can display complex imagery or text in Lightshows! This one is neat for those who enjoy Tesla Lightshows – run any default Lightshow and T E S L A should show up if you’re parked up against a wall.
When Matrix Headlights were delivered
Tesla began to deliver Matrix headlights initially on the Model 3 and Model Y, starting in early 2022. However, due to the pandemic and parts issues, many late 2022 and early 2023 models still have projector headlights on most variants in the range. The Model S, since its refresh, has always shipped with Matrix headlights. On the other hand, the first Model X vehicles with Matrix headlights only shipped in June of 2023.
The updated 2024 Model 3 Highland also has support for Adaptive high beams.
At this point, nobody is quite sure whether the Cybertruck has shipped with Adaptive headlight support just yet. Of note is the fact that the 2024.20 adaptive headlight update does not include the Cybertruck in the list of effected vehicles in particular.
How to tell if you have Matrix Headlights
Determining if you have Matrix Headlights is pretty simple! Look at your headlights from in front, preferably when the vehicle is turned off. If you see a large, round projector lens like the image below, your vehicle has matrix headlights.
Matrix headlights have a circular dome projector on the outer edge.
Not a Tesla App
Matrix Headlight Retrofits
If you don’t have Matrix headlights, and do really want to have these features, there are a few ways to get them onto your vehicle. Based on an estimate received on June 03, 2024, the older reflector-to-matrix headlight retrofit is possible, but quite expensive unless you’re up for some DIY.
Tesla provided an estimate of approximately $1,500 per headlight on a Model Y (one left, one right), and a labour fee of approximately $550 USD. This quote was received in Canada, so there may be some differences based on your local service center. This price is also drastically higher for the Model S and Model X, according to the conversation had with Tesla Service.
On the flipside, they also mentioned that if you find the headlights yourselves, and do the installation on your own, they’ll enable the flag to turn on Adaptive Headlights. You may be able to find new or used Matrix headlights at part vendors or on auction sites, at your own risk.
But one note of caution – until this flag is enabled, your new headlights won’t work at all! They said they’d charge the equivalent of a service visit fee for this – approximately $50.
DIY Headlight Swap Overview
You can find Matrix headlights for the Model Y and Model 3 on auction sites for approximately $300-$400 USD each. The installation procedure is not the easiest, but it is something that a confident owner could swap out. We’d estimate this procedure would take an average user about 2 to 4 hours to do. You don’t need a second set of hands for this in particular, but they would speed up the process of realigning the front fascia and frunk compartment.
After that is a harder step – the front fascia. If you’ve got PPF on, this may be a even more complicated, as your front fascia PPF may also include the headlights. The fascia is held on with bolts and clips – you’ll want to carefully follow the Service Manual here.
After that, you remove one headlight at a time – disconnecting the electrical connector, and then removing the Torx bolts holding it in place.
When putting your new ones in, you’ll need to align the red alignment stud into the correct spot – a similar red alignment hole in the body of your vehicle. After that, reinstall the Torx bolts and electrical connections, and then put it all back together!
You’ll need to conduct a full vehicle Software Reinstall, another procedure available in the Service Menu. This will initialize the headlights, but they will not light up. You’ll need Tesla Service or a ToolBox3 subscription to enable the “Global” flag for headlights in your vehicle, disabling the “SAE” flag. Once that’s done, make sure to align your headlights!
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According to a new report from Business Insider, Tesla is planning a week-long production pause for the Cybertruck and Model Y lines at Giga Texas. On the surface, the reason seems pretty straightforward: maintenance and line upgrades.
But Tesla has been infamous for never shutting down lines unless it's an absolute production necessity. Given that this is the third production pause in the last 12 months, this suggests that Tesla is planning something other than routine maintenance.
Official Story
The facts, as reported by BI, are fairly straightforward. Tesla will be shutting down the Model Y and Cybertruck lines from June 30th to July 4th. In a staff meeting at Giga Texas, Tesla stated that the pause would enable maintenance and upgrades to help ramp up production.
While this could seem odd for the recently updated Model Y and Cybertruck lines, it also makes sense as Tesla continuously makes production improvements, rather than waiting for model year updates.
There definitely feels like there’s more to this story than a simple pause, but the timing and context suggest this pause is far more significant.
The Affordable Model
The key to this shutdown is Tesla’s strategy for its more affordable model. Tesla has pivoted away from building Giga Mexico, and is instead planning to build both the Cybercab with its unboxed assembly process, as well as the next-gen affordable vehicle at Giga Texas.
For now, Tesla plans to build the affordable model based on existing production lines within Giga Texas, rather than build a standalone line. This is mostly because Tesla intends for the affordable model to have a high part familiarity with the Model 3 and Model Y.
The Model Y line, in particular, is the prime candidate for this retooling. It is Tesla's most refined high-volume production line, and the tooling and equipment on the line are perfectly suited to enable Tesla’s quick transition to producing the new model.
A week-long shutdown is not enough time for a complete overhaul, but it is the perfect window to begin preparatory work. This could include installing new mounting points for future robotics, rerouting utilities, or even running initial trials for new assembly processes in a portion of the line.
Timing is Everything
This theory makes even more sense in the context of recent events. The cheaper model was initially planned for the first half of 2025, but following reported delays, the timing seems right for Tesla to start incorporating changes to support the new vehicle. While Tesla initially planned for a cheaper model to be based on the Cybercab with its unboxed assembly, they decided to produce one based on the current assembly line to get to market sooner. This isn’t the cheaper, “$25k” vehicle we were all hoping for, but instead a more affordable version of the Model 3 or Model Y.
While the Cybertruck line is likely undergoing standard ramp-up tweaks, the shutdown of the Model Y line likely presents something more. While it could also include maintenance and incorporate updated tools, it may include changes required for the newer model.
More Than Maintenance
While the official reason reported by Business Insider seems fairly plausible, there’s always more under the surface when it comes to major decisions like this with Tesla. Using the planned maintenance window to quietly begin the process of retooling is the kind of move we expect from Tesla.
Just days before Tesla’s planned launch of the Robotaxi network in Austin, a group of local lawmakers has sent a letter to Tesla, urging them to delay the launch. Citing a new state law set to take effect on September 1st, the letter asks Tesla to pause its launch until it can formally comply with the new framework.
On the surface, this could sound like a significant roadblock. However, upon closer examination of the lawmaker’s concerns, the requirements of the new law, and the upcoming unified federal autonomy regulations, the request may be more political theater than a genuine obstacle.
In fact, Tesla’s Robotaxi service appears to already meet the spirit—and likely the letter—of the upcoming regulatory framework.
The Letter and the Law
The letter, penned by State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, formally requests that Tesla postpone its planned Robotaxi launch this month until the new and more comprehensive autonomous vehicle law is in effect on September 1st. It's important to note that this isn’t a legal injunction; it doesn’t have any power, and Tesla is under no obligation to comply or even reply. The letter is a formal request, a piece of political pressure intended to encourage proactive compliance.
So, what does this new law demand? It has five key requirements for autonomous vehicle operation in Texas.
Barely A Speed Bump
A detailed look reveals that Tesla's existing technology and practices likely already meet every single requirement of the upcoming regulations, so let’s dive in.
1) Capable of operating in compliance with state traffic laws.
This is the fundamental purpose of FSD - complying with traffic laws to get a passenger from Point A to Point B. The system is designed to adhere to traffic laws, and in fact, sometimes sticks to them too closely (like the NHTSA stop).
2) Equipped with a recording device.
This is probably the easiest requirement when you look at a Tesla. Every vehicle is a rolling 360-degree security suite, equipped with multiple cameras and internal sensors that document every action taken by the vehicle.
3) Compliant with federal law, including federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Tesla is currently deploying Model Ys for its Robotaxi network pilot, which means that they are fully compliant with FMVSS standards. This will likely change once Cybercab begins to deploy, but the NHTSA is working on accelerating federal regulation for vehicles without driver controls in the near future.
4) Capable of achieving a “minimal risk condition” if the automated system is rendered inoperable.
When the system detects a critical fault or issue it cannot handle, it must slow down, activate hazard lights, and pull over to a safe location at the side of the road. That is very doable, and likely within Tesla’s calculations for how they will handle system aborts and other incidents. In fact, the Model Y robotaxis with a safety driver in the passenger seat have been spotted with buttons on the screen that say “Emergency Stop” and “Pullover.”
5) Registered, Titled, and Insured under Texas law.
This is a bog-standard requirement. Every vehicle operator must meet those three requirements, and as Tesla’s Model Ys currently driving the roads in Austin are sporting manufacturer plates, this is likely already done.
While these Texas lawmakers are asking for a pause, the NHTSA is actively working to make it easier for companies like Tesla to deploy autonomous vehicles. This state-level scrutiny, while perhaps well-intentioned, is a clear example of the challenge of deploying a national network under fragmented regulations.
Ultimately, this letter is unlikely to be anything more than a political statement. It will be logged and acknowledged, but it presents no new technical or legal hurdles for Tesla to clear before its planned launch. For an autonomous future, this isn't even a bump in the road.
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