First Model Y Juniper FSD 13 test ride demos how the facelift handles self-driving in a more comfortable manner

The first publicly available test drive of the new Model Y Juniper facelift riding around town with the newest FSD 13 version in the driver's seat looks rather promising.

Tesla equipped the new Model Y refresh with the usual Hardware 4.0 (AI4) set of high-res cameras and sensors that it installs on previous Model Y batches, as well as on the Model 3 and the Cybertruck.

At the same time, the facelift differs from the rest of its vehicle pack with some exclusive hardware such as a 4D cabin radar. Unlike the radar in the old Model Y batches produced after November 2021 that just got turned on with a software update, the 4D one in the Juniper refresh can detect back seat occupancy as well.

Apart from the size and weight of the passengers, needed for deciding on airbag deployment in the case of a crash, the radar can also detect their pulse and breathing rates, so that the car can open the windows, turn on the A/C, or even call emergency services if the app alert is not acted upon by the owner.

While the Model Y Juniper FSD tester said that Tesla's latest autonomous driving software version works as good as ever, with no interventions needed on his part in the video below, he praised the increase in ride comfort compared to the old Model Y.

The Juniper refresh comes with an overhauled suspension, lower clearance, and slightly larger, more comfortable vented seats, small additions that amount to an overall better ride for the passengers. Thankfully, it also comes with a physical turn signal stalk for manual driving, a move that Model 3 refresh owners have been clamoring about for a while.

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