I've had vehicles with "adaptive" headlights before that would adjust for the pitch of the vehicle and/or either swivel or illuminate an additional element in the direction of a turn, but my 2026 Model Y is my first vehicle with ADB (Adaptive Driving Beams) where the high beam light pattern changes in response to other vehicles.

Although it does make some annoying or distracting flickers or patterns sometimes when it get confused by light sources or its own reflection or a vehicle ahead is on the threshold of recognition or activation, 98% of the time it is a game-changer. I find it particularly useful when following vehicles on two-lane country roads without street lights since it can illuminate to the sides ahead of the vehicle in front of me while avoiding having my high beams reflect in their mirrors.

I don't know that I would be willing to pay thousands of even hundreds of dollars to retrofit them to a vehicle that didn't originally come with them, but now that I have them, it is a feature that I will demand on future vehicles. It's one of those features like a heated steering wheel that I didn't have for decades, but after having it, there's no going back.

 

Interesting. I was under the impression that Tesla started installing matrix headlights in the US years ago before legal to activate. Does your post mean HW4 was shipping before that?

I would decide on upgrading based on how many highway miles I drive at night. Only thing I would care about is effectively having high beams always on driving at speed.

 

Interesting. I was under the impression that Tesla started installing matrix headlights in the US years ago before legal to activate. Does your post mean HW4 was shipping before that?

Apparently, Tesla was shipping regular LED Reflector lights out of the Austin factory till mid to late 2023. After that all of them came with Matrix. The Fremont cars had Matrix lights even in 2022 so I gather. The true details are murky at best but I know a friend who made sure he got a Fremont one for the Matrix lights and better build quality. He said the Austin ones had fit and finish issues and rattles and that the Fremont ones were better. But. He has HW3.

HW3 and HW4 also have similar stories. Some time in 1Q or early 2Q 2023 is when all cars started getting HW4. I knew of the HW4 part so I made a point to ask which FSD HW the used car has and passed on all the ones which had HW3.

My car was sold in July 2023 locally here in Charlotte and has HW4 and LED Reflector headlights. I know of 2 other people who have older builds than mine and have Matrix lights. Leading me to conclude that theirs are Fremont builds.

 

1) - Does your headlight look like top or bottom pic?

I recall when they first came out I thought the top pic was matrix. I didn’t understand how the projector style had more individual pixels than the lower pic. But I learned I was wrong. 😎

2) - What do you mean by global? You should be able to source a newer US headlight.

3) - I wonder if it’s plug and play or if it would cause an issue.

 

2) - What do you mean by global? You should be able to source a newer US headlight.

That's what the matrix headlamps are called in the parts catalog. I believe the SAE lamps are the non-matrix lamps from your top picture.
(BTW, GFSH refers to the Shanghai factory, GFBB refers to Berlin)

Parts Catalog

epc.tesla.com

 

Our new to us Y came with HW4 but I was not aware of the Matrix headlights so I passed on another Y which had them for this car. I have seen articles citing that if one were to source the pair of Global headlights and slap them on DIY, Tesla SC can reprogram the lights for a small fee.

You might be able to just do a Software Reinstall from Service Mode and have them start working. If they actually need to be provisioned though, fair warning that they will not work at all as headlights until they are fully activated. You might also be able to use a Tesla Toolbox subscription to activate them.

Also, note that there is a “headlight ECU” - make sure the new headlights you source come with them, or you get s matched one.

2020–2024 Model Y Service Manual | Tesla

Correction code 17400812 0.25 NOTE: Unless otherwise explicitly stated in the procedure, the above correction code and FRT reflect all of the work required to perform this procedure, including the linked procedures. Do not stack correction codes unless explicitly told to do so. NOTE: See Flat...

service.tesla.com

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Also, note that there is a “headlight ECU” - make sure the new headlights you source come with them, or you get s matched one.

Are you talking about the ballasts on the lights or is there a separate unit inside the car? Each headlight seems to have something that appears like the ECU/Ballast based on photos I looked for of the said lighting ECU. I have watched a couple retrofit videos but they do not mention the ECU requirement.

 

Just a minor semantic point, but the term ballast applies to HID (High Intensity Discharge) headlights. LED headlights use drivers.

 

Is the said driver the same as the ECU being mentioned by @JasonF ?

 

BTW. I used the term ballast because - 2021 2022 2023 Tesla Model 3 / Y Matrix Headlight Ballast ECU OEM 1532925-02-C | eBay

 

I did the matrix upgrade on my 20202 model 3 . And I would say there is definitely a noticeable difference. Brighter low beam and better high beam all around

 

I love the Matrix headlights. I don't feel blinded when other cars pass because everything except right at the other car is still bright. Knowing this I would pay for this upgrade in your situation.