Tesla pioneered the use of the big infotainment screens that now dominate every car’s dashboard, and now the Model 3 is getting an even bigger one. The electric sedan is switching from a 15.4-inch display to a 16-inch unit, but there’s a catch. So far the upgrade, and several others, are restricted to Model 3s sold in China.

The automaker announced the spec enhancement on China’s social media platform Weibo, claiming the new screen offers more than just extra digital real estate. It also promises a higher resolution and improved refresh rate, which could be useful for owners who like to watch movies or play video games. This bigger screen is already fitted to Model Ys in China, the US and Europe.

Related: Tesla’s Long-Awaited Roadster Demo Won’t Happen This Week After All

We checked Tesla’s European and US sites and in each case the Model 3 is still listed as having a 15.4-inch screen, though it’s very likely China’s display will be rolled out across the globe later this year. Tesla has a habit of treating Chinese customers to the new stuff before giving it to the rest of us. The Model Y “Juniper” facelift and long wheelbase Model Y L both appeared first in Chia.

White Too Bright?

Another Model 3 change is the option of a light gray premium interior as an alternative to the default black. Both choices are paired with a black headliner. We’ve seen that combination before, again on the Model Y, so there’s a clear pattern here of new features appearing on the SUV before trickling down to the more affordable sedan.

Camping, Chinese-Style

One new feature not available until now on the 3 in any Tesla market is V2L vehicle-to-load capability, though the Model Y and Cybertruck do offer it in the US. One of multiple promotional slides on Tesla’s Weibo account confirmed that all Model 3 and Model Y variants are now capable of delivering up to 2.2 kW of AC power.

That output is enough to run a portable rice cooker, a kettle and another cooking device at the same time, Tesla claims, though the small print says you’ll need a special Tesla AC external power adapter for most cars, which is sold separately. The exception is the Model Y L. The three-row SUV is ready to juice up your camping accessories right out of the box, no adapter required.

And if some useful new tech isn’t enough to lure Chinese EV buyers into their local Tesla showroom, some big financial incentives might be. Stick an order in for a Model 3 by the end of October and you get 5000 yuan ($740) from the total bill. Other sweeteners include 5 years of zero percent financing and credits towards paint upgrades and charging costs.

Tesla

Developing and building fully autonomous vehicles isn’t easy. Just ask Tesla, which has been working on the technology for more than a decade and has yet to perfect it. Based on a recent video of a Model Y currently being used by its robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, Tesla still has a long way to go.

This clip was recently shared on Reddit by a frequent user of Tesla’s Austin robotaxi service, and it may make you think twice before trying it yourself. For whatever reason, the Model Y in question attempted to make a right turn at a large intersection, but failed to realize that the inside corner of the road was blocked off by bollards for pedestrian safety.

Read: Tesla’s Cybercab Is About To Carry Real Passengers

A human driver would have seen these bollards and realized you have to turn around them. Instead, the Tesla Model Y drove directly into the blocked-off area and sat there for several seconds, presumably because it realized it was now stuck. Unable to reverse out and correct its mistake, the robotaxi instead tried to thread its way through two of the bollards, hitting them in the process.

It didn’t take long for Redditors to identify the exact intersection where the incident took place, and a Google Street View search revealed the bollards had been there since at least February 2024.

Video Reddit /bladerskb

Cybercabs Are Coming

Despite incidents like this, Tesla appears to be plowing ahead with plans to expand its robotaxi fleet in Austin. According to a recent report, it completed a local trial with the Cybercab and company employees on private roads and is now preparing to add the Cybercab to its fleet and make it available to the public.

It remains to be seen whether the Cybercab’s self-driving capabilities will be better than those of other Tesla models. We do know it’s equipped with more RAM and an upgraded AI4 Fully Self-Driving computer. Whether it actually performs any better than a Model Y like this remains to be seen, but as we’ve seen so often from Tesla in the past, members of the public will be used as test dummies.