First Tesla Model 3 Highland facelift interior snapshot reveals stalkless steering wheel

After the Model S and Model X got their mid-cycle refresh, it's the Model 3 turn for a 2023 facelift that is said to be released some time in the fall. The alleged Model 3 refresh, reportedly dubbed Project Highland, has appeared in a drone footage while flying over Tesla's Fremont factory which is the only one that produces all current models of the brand.

The drone operator managed to zoom in on the heavily camouflaged vehicle, and this time around there is a glimpse at the interior for the first time, albeit camouflaged as well. There is still a good view of the new steering wheel which seems borrowed from the Model S refresh, save for the area below the horn.

While, thankfully, the new steering wheel is not of the controversial yoke type as rumored, it would probably gain Tesla's new stalkless design with capacitive buttons for things like cruise control or turn signals. This is one of the rumored changes in the interior, while the rest would reportedly follow the familiar Model S path of hidden buttons and vents.

The last time that the Model 3 facelift got snapped, it was partially uncovered, revealing a more streamlined headlight form, as well as subtler, more aerodynamic curves. The big under-the-hood change in the Model 3 refresh is expected to be the Hardware 4.0 FSD kit that new Model S batches come equipped with, too. The HW4 set relies on a new computer and more cameras with much higher resolution, plus some new radar wiring.

The front bumper will reportedly house a camera like the Cybertruck, which, together with the new side-mounted cameras, will help the Model 3 refresh drivers park easier, or creep less at busy intersections in driver-assist mode. The new computer and FSD camera equipment, however, alter the shape and size of the HW4 kit dramatically, so it can't be retrofitted easily on older Model 3 versions like the HW3 upgrade.

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