2022 Tesla Model 3 LR Projector to Matrix headlight retrofit

[stopcrazypp]

Matrix is low beam only.

I don't believe that is true, it operates more like a hybrid. Both sections are on for both low and high beams. There are 102 led elements inside the projector beam on the edges, there are 2 led elements inside the reflector part.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1475148524606140421

This video at 7:45 shows that the projector part is on during high beam also, and the projector unit shifts the beam upwards (also shows during adjustment mode it can shift left and right):

I haven't seem more thorough testing (like how much each element contributes), but it would seem both are active.

 

[JHCCAZ]

Matrix is low beam only.

I don't believe that is true, it operates more like a hybrid. Both sections are on for both low and high beams. There are 102 led elements inside the projector beam on the edges, there are 2 led elements inside the reflector part.

The main point of the matrix projection headlight technology it is to enable full-time high beams, with selective regions able to be dimmed so as not to dazzle oncoming drivers. Depending on the programming, it may also be used to dim the beam for pedestrians and animals, but the first priority is that pedestrians and animals will be seen better by the car's driver (and FSD cameras) at night. Highly reflective signs and markers may also get dimmed; I'm sure this programming sophistication will evolve over time once the adaptive-matrix functionality is actually deployed.

Yes it can project the word Tesla or some cute cartoon effect, and there's been some discussion (mostly with higher-res adaptive -matrix units) of projecting virtual road markings in front of the car as you drive. But these tricks and enhancements are secondary to the original design motivation.

So in my understanding, the primary purpose is "adaptive high beams". It wouldn't make much sense then to relegate the matrix operation to low beams only.

 

[stopcrazypp]

The main point of the matrix projection headlight technology it is to enable full-time high beams, with selective regions able to be dimmed so as not to dazzle oncoming drivers. Depending on the programming, it may also be used to dim the beam for pedestrians and animals, but the first priority is that pedestrians and animals will be seen better by the car's driver (and FSD cameras) at night. Highly reflective signs and markers may also get dimmed; I'm sure this programming sophistication will evolve over time once the adaptive-matrix functionality is actually deployed.

Yes it can project the word Tesla or some cute cartoon effect, and there's been some discussion (mostly with higher-res adaptive -matrix units) of projecting virtual road markings in front of the car as you drive. But these tricks and enhancements are secondary to the original design motivation.

So in my understanding, the primary purpose is "adaptive high beams". It wouldn't make much sense then to relegate the matrix operation to low beams only.

What you presume is necessarily that Tesla will do adaptive high beams with current lights. This is not necessarily the case. So what I was more concerned is actual emperical evidence that the matrix part is still active during high beams (which it appears to still be).

 

[JHCCAZ]

What you presume is necessarily that Tesla will do adaptive high beams with current lights. This is not necessarily the case. So what I was more concerned is actual emperical evidence that the matrix part is still active during high beams (which it appears to still be).

You're right, I do presume that the inclusion of the matrix headlights was for the same purpose that motivated their development, not for light shows etc.

Here: I'm not a Twitter user but I found a tweet from Elon, less than a year old, about this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1446932789266423815

I think this more or less agrees with what I presumed. However, it doesn't explain why Tesla has been so slow / indifferent about equipping the entire fleet with these Matrix headlights, ready for future software update deployment.

 

[stopcrazypp]

You're right, I do presume that the inclusion of the matrix headlights was for the same purpose that motivated their development, not for light shows etc.

Here: I'm not a Twitter user but I found a tweet from Elon, less than a year old, about this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1446932789266423815

I think this more or less agrees with what I presumed. However, it doesn't explain why Tesla has been so slow / indifferent about equipping the entire fleet with these Matrix headlights, ready for future software update deployment.

Elon has made plenty of claims that don't come to fruition for various reasons, I look mainly in what Tesla says officially on their website when they sell the cars and there is no mention of matrix adaptive high beam functionality or promises it will come in a future update. If it was true that in high beam mode, the projector light is completely off and it was only on during low beams (as per the claim I was responding to), that bodes poorly for the possibility of it.

 

[JHCCAZ]

Elon has made plenty of claims that don't come to fruition for various reasons, I look mainly in what Tesla says officially on their website when they sell the cars and there is no mention of matrix adaptive high beam functionality or promises it will come in a future update. If it was true that in high beam mode, the projector light is completely off and it was only on during low beams (as per the claim I was responding to), that bodes poorly for the possibility of it.

I hesitated on my order in January 2021, (missed the brief availability of the MYSR though I'm quite happy with yhe LR I got). A big reason for waiting was the expected arrival of the adaptive lights, and soon their DOT aporoval and activation by Tesla. I could really use the nighttime illumination boost. But as we all know, it hasn't happened and there has been a fluctuating situation with the matrix lights on both 3 and Y in the USA.

I still hope for activation of the feature and the willingness on Tesla's part to make it an official available upgrade. I would pay for it without too much complaining, but I can see Tesla holding back on this because - now - there's such a mish-mosh of cars delivered with and without, and so many opportunities for owners to be angry about having to pay for a hardware upgrade when instances of the same order config, delivered just days before or days after, already have the hardware. Heck, we have frustrated people already, even those who don't really know what it's about - just that it's not the latest equipment.

So sad that this was poorly managed by Tesla (even allowing for supply-chain challenges), and then "this is why we can't have nice things"...

 

[smatthew]

I don't believe that is true, it operates more like a hybrid. Both sections are on for both low and high beams. There are 102 led elements inside the projector beam on the edges, there are 2 led elements inside the reflector part.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1475148524606140421

This video at 7:45 shows that the projector part is on during high beam also, and the projector unit shifts the beam upwards (also shows during adjustment mode it can shift left and right):

I haven't seem more thorough testing (like how much each element contributes), but it would seem both are active.

Thanks for clarifying that for me!

 

[WhiteM3P-]

Did tesla do the swap? If so, what did it take?

 

[ludicolo]

I found a shop that did the swap for me, and my understanding is they used the third party version of toolbox (as in the version Tesla allows non Tesla employees to use) to put the car in service mode, then updated the gateway configuration directly and redeployed firmware from Tesla. My avatar in the app has been updated with the new lights and the TESLA projections happen during the light show so I'm reasonably confident I have full functionality. I have to be a little coy because I'm not sure how much the shop who helped me really wants to advertise they can do this, but I'd ask around indy shops who do tesla repairs and service, or dismantlers who specialize in tesla parts.

 

[WhiteM3P-]

I found a shop that did the swap for me, and my understanding is they used the third party version of toolbox (as in the version Tesla allows non Tesla employees to use) to put the car in service mode, then updated the gateway configuration directly and redeployed firmware from Tesla. My avatar in the app has been updated with the new lights and the TESLA projections happen during the light show so I'm reasonably confident I have full functionality. I have to be a little coy because I'm not sure how much the shop who helped me really wants to advertise they can do this, but I'd ask around indy shops who do tesla repairs and service, or dismantlers who specialize in tesla parts.

I am really surprised that they are giving third-party shops this ability yet removing it from their top level techs. I've tried to have them change this config 3 times. It's always locked and the drop down of options never shows up. Do you know how exactly this shop did it? I am curious and want to have the next service tech try it the way yours was done.

 

[ludicolo]

I am really surprised that they are giving third-party shops this ability yet removing it from their top level techs. I've tried to have them change this config 3 times. It's always locked and the drop down of options never shows up. Do you know how exactly this shop did it? I am curious and want to have the next service tech try it the way yours was done.

They did not give third party shops the ability to do this via toolbox. There is a loophole where one can manually update the gateway config directly via an ethernet cable to the MCU via a terminal. Tesla Rangers wouldn't know how to do this as they aren't trained in the procedure, if Tesla wanted them to be able to do so, it would be simple for them to add it as a configurable option in toolbox, no different than enabling a Homelink transceiver.

 

[WhiteM3P-]

They did not give third party shops the ability to do this via toolbox. There is a loophole where one can manually update the gateway config directly via an ethernet cable to the MCU via a terminal. Tesla Rangers wouldn't know how to do this as they aren't trained in the procedure, if Tesla wanted them to be able to do so, it would be simple for them to add it as a configurable option in toolbox, no different than enabling a Homelink transceiver.

Do elaborate. I would buy toolbox subscription to do this if I can do this over terminal session

 

[ludicolo]

Do elaborate. I would buy toolbox subscription to do this if I can do this over terminal session

I don't know exactly how it's done, that is just how the job was generally described to me, and of course I didn't want to risk doing it myself.

 

[eesmjus]

@ludicolo is this shop in CA?

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[terranx]

Do elaborate. I would buy toolbox subscription to do this if I can do this over terminal session

So I'll have to do research into this, but my understanding when reading into various model 3 hacking blogs is that it's secured pretty well and you need a proper security token to do much of anything. Perhaps being logged in with toolbox does raise the security access enough to mess with the gateway via shell access.

I'd really rather not spend $500 on a maybe (especially since at the moment the only things I'd really like to do are enable lumbar support and add support for the global taillights), but seems like it's a plausible method.

 

[terranx]

So the gateway unlock feature described here might be the key to interacting with the gateway via shell access.

DiY HomeLink Install using in car Service Mode - No need for Tesla Service or ToolBox

TLDR: You can now DiY install and activate HomeLink garage door opener function using the HomeLink Retrofit function via in-car Service Mode. 2022 LR AWD Model 3 VIN F318XXX Built July 2022 SW Ver: 2022.40.4.1 Module: HomeLink 5 (Option 2); Part Number: 1114984-00-B 1. Installed HL module part...

teslamotorsclub.com

might be worth trying in combination with instructions on this github

Setting Changes

Tesla root information dump. Contribute to Lunars/tesla development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

I might mess around with this tomorrow

Edit: So I just went into my car. The homelink retrofit menu option is present even if you already have the home link installed. Additionally, the gateway unlocking combo (turn signal + brake + key card or fob) works even if you’re not accessing that function.

Additionally I don’t know when Tesla made this change, but my car has a plain old rj45 instead of the sumitomo connector. So I don’t even have to fabricate a cable

 

[terranx]

So no luck so far. I know I have a connection to the car network since I get that web interface at 192.168.90.100:8080. But none of the publicized ways of poking at the gateway seem to do anything whether or not I unlock the gateway. Doesn't rule out that having toolbox does something, but I'm not spending $500 for 1 month's access.

Now that guy who claims his shop was able to do stuff did mention they connected to the ethernet port on the MCU itself, perhaps that would allow access. But that's a pain to get to (and I don't even know if ryzen cars have that ethernet port?)

 

[WhiteM3P-]

As far as I know. You would need toolbox to do the authentication then that unlock gateway procedure may work.

 

[terranx]

As far as I know. You would need toolbox to do the authentication then that unlock gateway procedure may work.

Yeah I think you're probably right. According to this post here, if you unlock the gateway and then connect toolbox, the car enters service mode plus. While the public tesla docs don't really tell you what service mode plus allows, they do mention "For advanced diagnostics, see Service Mode Plus." I suppose something within that context might be the ticket.

Lots of speculation, but that's all I can piece together with the hints we're given.

 

[WhiteM3P-]

I went into service mode. Did the gateway unlock procedure and it did say gtw unlocked at the bottom with a timer counting down.