According to a recent vehicle approval filing in the European Union, the Model 3 is slated for a minor refresh that will add some long-requested functionality. The approved changes include the addition of a front bumper camera, bringing it in line with the rest of Tesla’s refreshed fleet, as well as the return of physical indicator stalks, aligning it with the refreshed Model Y.
These updates, which are expected to begin rolling out to newly manufactured vehicles in the near future, not only improve the Model 3’s feature set but also bring it closer to Tesla’s updated design philosophy that was cemented with the refreshed Model Y.
Front Bumper Camera
One of the most anticipated hardware additions for the Model 3 is finally on the way to production vehicles. The filing confirms the inclusion of a front bumper camera, something owners have been requesting since the transition from ultrasonic sensors to Tesla Vision.
While Tesla Vision is incredibly accurate for a camera system and can create 3D maps of its surroundings, the front camera in the windshield is simply not able to see the area directly in front of the bumper. This makes it challenging for low-speed maneuvers and parking in tight spaces. This camera will help provide visibility in those situations and allow drivers, as well as one day FSD, to judge distances to otherwise unseen obstacles accurately.
Turn Signal Stalks
In a move that will be celebrated by many drivers and critics, the European filing also confirms that Tesla is bringing back the traditional indicator stalks to the Model 3. This change will be accompanied by an updated steering wheel design that removes the haptic indicator buttons.
This is a fairly significant change. Now, Tesla will once again only ship indicator buttons on the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. The refreshed Model 3 adopted the button-based indicator system in its refresh in 2024, matching the Model S and Model X at the time.
While Tesla has perfected the steering indicator buttons on the Cybertruck thanks to Steer-by-Wire, this hardware has yet to make its way to the rest of the lineup, and for the most part, using physical stalks is just easier.
The stalks that Tesla will be including will likely match those included in the Model Y refresh, so they will only have two simple actions - tilt down and up. All other functionality, from wipers to high beams, is not included in the stalk. Wipers will continue to be on the steering wheel, and gear shifting will continue to be on the center display.
For customers, these changes to the Model 3 are a big win - the addition of a feature many have been waiting for, alongside the return of physical turn stalks. The question for many will be whether Tesla will support retrofits for the new turn stalk, wheel, and bumper camera onto existing Model 3s, or if it will require considerable DIY work, similar to the Model S Refresh.
In China, Tesla is already offering retrofits for the turn signal for about $350 for vehicles produced after February 2025. However, they plan to add support for older vehicles as well.
This is a sign that Tesla is listening to customers and bringing back features to better align with what people actually want and use. We’ll have to wait and see if there are any additional changes besides the front camera and turn signal stalks.
Thanks to Eivissa for bringing this to our attention.
