Is Your Tesla HW3 or HW4? How to Check, by Model and Year

The short answer

• Tesla’s support site gives the check in its own words: “Select ‘Controls’ > ‘Software’ and confirm AI computer type. Then press ‘Additional Vehicle Information.’” If you are sitting in the car, that is the whole job.
• Without the car, the build date does most of the work. Hardware 3 (HW3), the Full Self-Driving (FSD) computer, went into all new Model S and Model X cars “around March 20th” 2019 and all new Model 3s “around April 12th” 2019. Hardware 4 (HW4) reached customers in a Model X built on February 25, 2023, showed up in Model Ys from Tesla’s Fremont, California factory in late May 2023, and came to the Model 3 with the restyled 2024 car.
• From outside, look at the cameras. Not a Tesla App’s tell: HW4 “has cameras with red lenses,” most visible at the top of the windshield.
• Why it matters: per Not a Tesla App’s account of the first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Tesla has said HW3 “will not be capable of Unsupervised Full Self-Driving.” HW3 cars now get a slimmed-down FSD build, covered below.

One naming note before the table. Tesla now calls these machines “AI computers,” so HW3 is also written AI3 and HW4 is also written AI4. They are the same things.

HW3 or HW4, by model and year

Read the dates as “around,” because that is how they were reported. Tesla did not announce the HW4 change; CleanTechnica wrote at the time that “there has been no announcement about the change in hardware by the company,” and the Model S, Model X and Model Y dates in the table come from owner reports and trade sites, not from a Tesla announcement. For any one car, the screen check below beats the table.

How to check your own Tesla in 30 seconds

Tesla’s support page answers the question “How can I confirm my current computer configuration?” this way: “Check your configuration from your touchscreen. Select ‘Controls’ > ‘Software’ and confirm AI computer type. Then press ‘Additional Vehicle Information.’”

That second screen arrived with a 2020 software update. The used-Tesla dealer Current Automotive described it when it arrived: “With the 2020.4.1 software update, Tesla has included a new ‘Additional Vehicle Information’ screen, visible from the software menu on all Teslas.” At the time, the computer was “listed as 1.0, 2.0. 2.5, or ‘Full Self-Driving Computer’ for 3.0 cars.”

Accounts differ on when HW4 cars began to show their version there. Not a Tesla App reports that “as of software update 2024.38, Tesla has added the ability to view the vehicle’s hardware version,” on a line labeled “Autopilot computer,” where “you’ll likely see version 2.5, 3 or 4.” Tesla’s support page now calls the same item the “AI computer type.” Whatever the label says on your software version, a 3 is HW3 and a 4 is HW4.

If you are buying used and cannot sit in the car, ask the seller for a photo of that screen. It settles the question for that exact car, which no table can.

How to tell HW3 from HW4 without getting in the car

Look at the cameras first. Not a Tesla App’s description is the clearest: “HW4/AI4 has cameras with red lenses – the easiest place to see this is on the front cameras – where there will be 2 red lenses and one black (fake) lens.” An HW3 car has three working cameras behind the windshield; the newer hardware “got rid of the 3rd front-facing camera since the cameras now have a higher resolution.” The side cameras in the front fenders changed too: they carry “the same red tint, but include a smaller and narrower turn indicator.”

Then read the VIN for the model year. Every Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) sold in the United States encodes the model year in its tenth character, under a federal rule: K is 2019, L is 2020, M is 2021, N is 2022, P is 2023, R is 2024, S is 2025 and T is 2026. For a Model 3 that is nearly enough by itself, since the 2024 restyle is the dividing line. For a Model Y, S or X with a P in the tenth position, it is not enough: 2023 is the year the hardware changed mid-run, so a P car can be either.

The VIN does not name the computer. Free VIN lookup tools exist, but for a split-year car treat their answer as an estimate; the Additional Vehicle Information screen is the check for one specific car.

Is a 2023 Tesla HW3 or HW4?

It depends on the model, and for the Model Y, Model S and Model X it also depends on the month.

2023 Model 3: HW3. Not a Tesla App puts it in one sentence: “The updated 2024 Model 3 has HW4, but if you have a 2017-2023 Model 3, you’ll have Hardware 3.” (The early part of that range needs a footnote, covered in the next section.) The restyled car, often called Highland, opened for North American orders on January 9, 2024, with Electrek reporting deliveries “within a month.”

2023 Model Y: either. Teslarati reported that Tesla “has evidently started shipping some Model Y units from its Fremont, California factory with Hardware 4,” in a report published May 25, 2023, with photos of the cars spotted in California. Note the word “some.” CleanTechnica added that “so far as anyone knows, the new hardware is only being installed in cars manufactured in Fremont,” and that Canadian buyers receiving Model Ys made in China “will not be getting the hardware update” yet. A Model Y built in the first months of 2023 is an HW3 car; one built late in the year is probably HW4; anything in between needs the camera look or the screen.

2023 Model S and Model X: probably HW4, with an early-year gray zone. The first confirmed customer car was a Model X that, per Not a Tesla App, “was built on February 25th and delivered March 5th.” Teslarati reported that a Tesla technician showed the owner the car was equipped with “AP4.” Not a Tesla App’s later guide says you will “likely have AI4 if you purchased after March 2023,” while Wikipedia’s hardware table dates HW4’s first availability to January 2023. Those do not line up to the month, so treat any S or X built in the first quarter of 2023 as unknown until you see the screen.

One oddity if you are looking at an early HW4 car: that first Model X did “not show any details confirming it has HW4 in any of the usual places such as the software tab, in the ‘additional vehicle information’ dialog,” and its owner needed Tesla to confirm it. Software since 2024.38 shows the version.

What is the oldest Tesla with HW3?

From the factory, a Model S or Model X built from about March 20, 2019, or a Model 3 built from about April 12, 2019. Those are the dates Tesla gave at its Autonomy Day event on April 22, 2019, as Electrek reported them: the new computer “was in all new Model S and Model X since March (start around March 20th) and in all new Model 3 vehicles earlier this month (starting around April 12th).” Tesla had confirmed production nearly three weeks earlier, on April 3, saying its “FSD computer” was “currently in production.”

Older cars can have HW3 too, because Tesla retrofitted it. Cars built after October 2016 carried Hardware 2, and Tesla announced version 2.5 in August 2017. The HW3 board was made the same physical size as the 2.5 board, which is what made a swap possible. Tesla’s support page still carries the offer: “If you purchased Full Self-Driving (Supervised) and have computer 2.0 or 2.5, you are eligible for a complimentary upgrade to Full Self-Driving computer 3.0.” FSD subscribers do not get it free; the page says they “may be eligible to upgrade for $1,000.00 plus applicable tax, including installation,” and that the work “will typically take about an hour.”

So a 2018 Model 3 can be an HW3 car if a previous owner bought FSD and had the upgrade done, and a 2018 car whose owner never did is still on the older computer. That is one more reason the screen beats the calendar. This site’s own reference car, a 2019 Model 3, is an HW3 car.

What is the difference between HW3 and HW4?

Mostly cameras and computing headroom.

Each HW3 camera tops out at 1280x960, or 1.2 megapixels. Not a Tesla App says the red tint on the newer lenses “ensures better performance in low-light conditions.” For everyday driving, parking and Autopilot lane-keeping, none of this changes how the car feels. It matters mainly for one thing: which version of FSD the car can run.

Is HW3 bad? What each computer gets in 2026

HW3 is not broken, and it is still getting updates. It is now the second tier.

Per Not a Tesla App’s account of the first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Tesla admitted “for the first time that Hardware 3 (HW3) will not be capable of Unsupervised Full Self-Driving,” because the hardware “lacks the compute power and camera resolution required to operate safely without a human in the driver’s seat.” Tesla’s own support page describes every car the same way for now: “All Tesla vehicles require active driver supervision and are not autonomous.”

What HW3 cars do get is a slimmed-down build called FSD v14 Lite. Tesla Oracle reported that HW3 owners in the United States and Canada “started getting the FSD v14 Lite (2026.20.6.11) update on Tuesday, July 21,” 2026, after “more than a year” on versions of FSD v12. By mid-September 2026 Tesla was pushing v14.2 Lite to HW3 cars while HW4 cars ran FSD v14.3.9, and Tesla Oracle noted the Lite build had “not yet entered wide release.” Those version numbers will age fast; the pattern is what lasts. HW4 gets the full build first, and HW3 gets a smaller one later.

Can you upgrade a Tesla from HW3 to HW4?

Not as of September 2026. For years the answer was a flat no; Not a Tesla App’s 2024 guide said a retrofit “isn’t feasible” because HW4 uses “an entirely new wiring and cooling harness.”

That changed on the first-quarter 2026 earnings call. As Not a Tesla App reported it, Tesla said it “will eventually offer a massive hardware upgrade to owners who previously purchased the Full Self-Driving package,” one that “will require new cameras, an updated vehicle computer, and an extensive overhaul of the internal wiring harnesses.” Owners who would rather not wait can take “a special discount on the trade-in of their vehicle” toward a new car, though Tesla “didn’t go into further detail about the discount.” That report carried no customer dates, prices or booking process from Tesla. The one timing detail was about the hardware: a new AI4+ computer that is “not expected to enter production until mid-2027.” Treat any dollar figure you see quoted as a guess. The HW3 owner’s guide tracks the retrofit and trade-in terms as Tesla fills them in.

Does it matter which one you buy?

It matters in proportion to how much you care about FSD.

If you will never pay for FSD, the number on that screen is a small part of the decision. The computer’s job is driver assistance, and other things that vary by year, such as whether the car has a heat pump, follow their own dates. A well-priced HW3 car is no worse to live with for having the older computer. The used Model 3 value analysis covers what does move the price.

If FSD is part of why you want a Tesla, buy HW4 and confirm it on the screen before money changes hands. Tesla has said HW3 will not run unsupervised FSD, and the upgrade it promised puts owners who bought the FSD package outright first in line, with no date attached; Not a Tesla App expects a paid option for everyone else to come later. For a Model Y, S or X from 2023, do not trust the listing’s model year: look for the red lenses, then ask for the screen photo.

The computer touches a few smaller features too. Tesla’s support page notes that the 3.0 upgrade “does enable recording from all cameras with Sentry Mode and DashCam” on cars that had computer 2.0 or 2.5, when paired with the Infotainment Upgrade. The Tesla dashcam USB drive guide covers the recording side. For everything else about living with the car, start at the Tesla owner’s guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do you know if your Tesla has HW3 or HW4?

On the touchscreen, Tesla’s support page says to “Select ‘Controls’ > ‘Software’ and confirm AI computer type. Then press ‘Additional Vehicle Information.’” A 3 means HW3 and a 4 means HW4.

Does a 2023 Model Y have HW4?

Some do. Teslarati reported HW4 Model Ys shipping from the Fremont factory in late May 2023, and early reports said other factories had not switched yet. Check the cameras for red-tinted lenses or check the screen.

Does a 2023 Model 3 have HW4?

No. HW4 came to the Model 3 with the restyled 2024 car. Model 3s built from about April 12, 2019, through the 2023 model year left the factory with HW3, and cars built before that date started life on an older computer.

Does the Cybertruck have HW4?

Yes. AutoPilot Review notes the Cybertruck “debuted with HW4.”

Can HW3 run FSD?

Yes, under supervision, like every Tesla as of September 2026. HW3 cars run the Lite builds of FSD v14, and Tesla has said HW3 will not run unsupervised FSD.

Your Tesla shows computer 2.5. Can you get HW3?

If you bought FSD outright, Tesla’s support page says the upgrade to computer 3.0 is complimentary; for FSD subscribers it lists $1,000 plus tax, installed. Confirm the current price on that page before you book, because Tesla changes these terms without notice.

Sources (16)

• tesla.com Tesla Support: AI Computer Installations (read September 20, 2026)
• electrek.co Electrek (Apr 22, 2019): Tesla unveils its new Full Self-Driving computer in detail
• electrek.co Electrek (Apr 3, 2019): Tesla confirms new full self-driving computer is in production
• notateslaapp.com Tesla Delivers First Hardware 4.0 Vehicles
• teslarati.com Tesla begins deliveries of vehicles with Hardware 4 computer
• teslarati.com Tesla begins shipping Model Y with Hardware 4
• cleantechnica.com CleanTechnica (May 30, 2023): Tesla Quietly Introduces Hardware 4 Suite On New Model Y Cars
• notateslaapp.com How to Check If Your Tesla Has Hardware 3 or Hardware 4 (AI4)
• electrek.co Electrek (Jan 9, 2024): Tesla launches Model 3 Highland refresh in North America
• autopilotreview.com Tesla Hardware 4 (AI4), Full Details
• currentautomotive.com What Autopilot Hardware does your car have?
• en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia: Tesla Autopilot hardware
• notateslaapp.com Tesla Announces HW3 Upgrade Plan, Trade-In Discount, No Unsupervised FSD for HW3
• teslaoracle.com Tesla Oracle (Jul 23, 2026): FSD v14 Lite goes wide release with 2026.20.6.11
• teslaoracle.com Tesla Oracle (Sep 15, 2026): FSD v14.2 Lite rollout status
• ecfr.gov eCFR 49 CFR 565.15, VIN content requirements (model year codes, Table VII)