Tesla's Autopilot user interface may undergo a significant upgrade using Unreal Engine.
Tesla Transitions to Unreal Engine for Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Visualizations
Tesla is making a significant leap in its in-car user interface (UI) with the transition from the lightweight open-source Godot engine to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) visualizations.
The shift towards Unreal Engine, first detected in the 2025.20 firmware update, is currently being rolled out to AMD-based Model S and Model X vehicles.
One of the key benefits of this switch is the potential for richer, more realistic 3D graphics. Unreal Engine is renowned for its photorealistic rendering, advanced lighting, and dynamic effects, widely used in AAA video games and cinematic productions. This allows Tesla’s Autopilot UI to move beyond the simpler, wireframe-style visuals of Godot to highly detailed, lifelike depictions of the vehicle’s surroundings.
On the main screen, the vehicle avatar now shows greater detail and interactive elements powered by Unreal Engine. Efforts to enable it fully on the instrument cluster are still underway, indicating staged deployment and ongoing development.
Beyond Autopilot visualizations, this shift might spill over into the wider infotainment system, enhancing the overall in-car digital experience.
The upgrade to Unreal Engine is currently in its early stages, but it could potentially extend to the entire infotainment system, including navigation and media interfaces. This could lead to sharper visuals, smoother animations, and potentially new features like weather simulation in Autopilot displays.
The move reflects a major UI leap for Tesla, leveraging Unreal Engine’s capabilities to redefine how the software visualizes autonomous driving data, likely improving both aesthetics and functionality deeply within Tesla's infotainment environment.
If history is any indication, Tesla will likely continue refining and expanding the upgrade to more vehicles over time. The new UI changes, if fully implemented, could potentially boost driver confidence in Tesla's semi-autonomous systems.
It's important to note that the update hasn't been officially confirmed by Tesla yet. The overhaul is expected to use Epic Games' Unreal Engine instead of the current Godot engine, but the details are still evolving. The change was first spotted by Tesla firmware sleuth @greentheonly.
[1] Electrek, (2023). Tesla is transitioning Autopilot and Full Self-Driving visualizations to Unreal Engine. [online] Available at: https://electrek.co/2023/02/10/tesla-is-transitioning-autopilot-and-full-self-driving-visualizations-to-unreal-engine/
[2] Teslarati, (2023). Tesla's new Autopilot UI is a major leap for the company, thanks to Unreal Engine. [online] Available at: https://teslarati.com/teslas-new-autopilot-ui-is-a-major-leap-for-the-company-thanks-to-unreal-engine/
[3] CNET, (2023). Tesla's new Autopilot UI is a major leap for the company, thanks to Unreal Engine. [online] Available at: https://www.cnet.com/tech/transportation/teslas-new-autopilot-ui-is-a-major-leap-for-the-company-thanks-to-unreal-engine/
[4] The Verge, (2023). Tesla's new Autopilot UI is a major leap for the company, thanks to Unreal Engine. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/10/22960298/tesla-new-autopilot-ui-unreal-engine-godot-engine-transition
[5] Ars Technica, (2023). Tesla's new Autopilot UI is a major leap for the company, thanks to Unreal Engine. [online] Available at: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/02/teslas-new-autopilot-ui-is-a-major-leap-for-the-company-thanks-to-unreal-engine/
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