While Tesla continues to roll out firmware updates across its fleet, a growing disparity has emerged between vehicles equipped with newer AMD processors and those running on older Intel hardware. Pre-2022 Tesla models face considerable exclusions from recent software enhancements, creating a two-tier ownership experience that’s becoming increasingly pronounced with each update cycle.
Tesla’s hardware divide creates a digital caste system, leaving pre-2022 owners watching features pass them by.
The most notable omission for Intel-based vehicles is the Zoom application, preventing owners from conducting video calls directly from their cars. This limitation extends to the refreshed user interface, which delivers smoother window management and detailed 3D vehicle models exclusively to AMD-equipped vehicles. Weather radar integration—a valuable navigation tool—remains unavailable to older models despite its utility for trip planning.
Tesla’s approach to feature distribution has created clear winners and losers. Newer vehicles receive enhanced media controls, improved theater experiences, and faster application performance. The automotive sector typically expects reasonable software support throughout a vehicle’s lifespan, yet Tesla’s aggressive feature segmentation contradicts this expectation.
I’ve observed that even when older hardware appears capable of supporting certain functions, these vehicles remain excluded from updates. Navigation capabilities show similar disparities. Real-time Supercharger stall information—crucial for long-distance travel planning—remains restricted to newer models. Enhanced route predictions and lane-level navigation guidance bypass pre-2022 vehicles entirely.
The streaming entertainment experience suffers similar fragmentation, with faster minimization and improved playback performance reserved for AMD processors. Tesla offers no pathway for owners to request features or determine future compatibility, leaving Intel owners increasingly marginalized. The upcoming B-pillar recording feature in the 2025 Spring Update will only be available for HW4 vehicles, further widening this feature gap. Owners should regularly check for available updates by looking for a yellow arrow indicator in the Controls > Software screen. The company’s silence regarding support timelines exacerbates uncertainty.
While hardware differences necessarily create some limitations, the current approach risks alienating early adopters who invested considerably in what were premium vehicles just a few years ago. As software increasingly defines the ownership experience, this widening gap between hardware generations presents a troubling precedent for the electric vehicle industry.
