Tesla rolls out in-cabin radar update — Here’s what it does

Tesla has officially started deploying a software update activating its in-cabin radar, a feature that has been supported and expected for a few years, and one that may require a retrofit for some owners.

On Friday, Tesla began rolling out software update 2025.2.6, featuring the activation of its in-cabin radar located just above the passenger dome light. The company lists the feature in its owner’s manuals, noting that the cabin radar is currently only available for 2022 model-year Model Y units and later, though it’s also expected to roll out to refreshed Model 3 and Cybertruck units at some point.

Some have also said that they believe the refreshed Model S and Model X have been equipped with the radar hardware, so it’s possible these vehicles could also receive the feature. Tesla calls the feature the First-Row Cabin Sensing Update in the release notes for 2025.2.6, which also seems to be related to the company’s debut of the so-called 4D Radar in the new Model Y.

What does Tesla’s in-cabin radar do?

“Cabin radar can detect the presence of people inside the vehicle and use the measurements to determine occupancy,” Tesla writes in the owner’s manual. “Cabin radar supports certain vehicle and safety features, such as occupancy detection for the front passenger seat.”

The benefit of cabin radar is that it uses radio waves to detect objects and passengers inside the vehicle, and it can do so more precisely than the selfie camera when identifying what exactly is in the front and rear seats. Recently, Tesla has also highlighted the 4D radar system’s ability to pick up on things like the heartbeat of a pet or small child, offering an extra layer of safety for passengers.

READ MORE ON IN-CABIN RADAR: Tesla plans to use cabin radar, ditching seat sensors for safety

In a video interview with Tesla Owners Silicon Valley earlier this week, the company’s Model Y Program Manager, Emmanuel Lamacchia, also detailed the 4D imaging radar, saying that it both detects and classifies passengers based on their size. This lets the system toggle necessary airbags and even take further precautions against passengers being left behind in the vehicle.

Eventually, Lamacchia says the system will be able to protect against a child or pet being left behind by sending a reminder to owners, turning on the HVAC system, rolling down the window, or even calling 911. The Model Y Program Manager says that these will be enabled in the refreshed model in Q3.

Tesla’s Lead Cybertruck Engineer said on X on Friday that, while incidents related to these issues are extremely low, their severity can be extremely high, pointing to the importance of the upcoming feature.

You can watch the full talk from Lamacchia and Tesla Owners Silicon Valley below, with the bit about the 4D in-cabin radar starting around 30:30.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla vehicles in the U.S. are set to get this long-awaited feature

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