Tesla appears to be preparing a major graphical overhaul for its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) visualizations, with signs pointing to a move from the lightweight Godot engine to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. The change was first spotted by well-known Tesla firmware sleuth @greentheonly, who noted that Unreal Engine binaries started shipping with software update 2025.20 — currently for AMD-based Model S and Model X vehicles only.
According to Green, Unreal Engine-powered visualization is already active on the main screen, controlling the vehicle avatar with greater interactivity and detail than before. Activating it on the instrument cluster has proven trickier, but the groundwork is clearly being laid. This shift could allow for richer, more realistic 3D graphics in Tesla’s driver-assist displays, and possibly across the entire infotainment system, from navigation to media playback.
The 2025.20 update wasn’t just about Unreal Engine. It also contained code references to a new six-seat Model Y variant, as well as multiple personalities for Tesla’s in-car Grok AI assistant — further expanding the range of updates Tesla is quietly working on.
The move to Unreal Engine is notable given its heavy use in AAA video games and high-end simulations, which could mean sharper visuals, smoother animations, and potentially new features like weather simulation in Autopilot displays. While Tesla hasn’t officially confirmed the switch, this could mark the company’s biggest in-car UI leap in years, potentially boosting driver confidence in its semi-autonomous systems through more realistic representations of the road and surroundings.
For now, the upgrade is in its early stages, but if history is any indication, Tesla will likely continue refining and expanding it to more vehicles over time.
