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The Model Y’s glass roof is Tesla’s best yet, and it can redefine car camping trips

(Credit: Tesla)

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6 years ago

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Teslas are known for many things: their quickness in 0-60 mph sprints, their dominance in drag races, their extended range, their Supercharger Network, and lately, even their proficiency on the track. Apart from these, Teslas are also known for their futuristic interiors, which are represented perfectly by the vehicles’ stunning glass roofs.

The glass roofs on the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 today make the vehicles extraordinarily airy and spacious, and for a good reason. While it’s true that the glass roofs provide Tesla’s electric cars a lot of natural light, they also help optimize the space in the cabin, adding precious centimeters’ worth of headroom for passengers. Safety tests have also proven that Tesla’s glass roofs are durable, with the Model 3’s roof withstanding over 20,000 lbs of force during the NHTSA’s evaluation.

Tesla’s penchant for equipping its vehicles with glass roofs started with the Model S, the company’s first EV that it designed from the ground up. The large premium sedan’s glass roof proved popular among buyers, though a good number of Model S owners preferred the convenience of a panoramic sunroof instead. Between the two, the Model S’ sunroof provided more utility, though it also required having a bar across the sedan’s otherwise seamless roof.

The Model X is Tesla’s largest vehicle, and it comes with arguably one of the most massive windshields among SUVs available today. Just like the Model S with sunroofs, however, the Model X’s roof also provides a somewhat obstructed view, thanks to the mechanism of its Falcon Wing Doors. The Model 3 is quite the same, with its glass roof being slightly obstructed by a bar that runs between its B-pillars.

The Model Y, on the other hand, seems to be equipped with Tesla’s best glass roof yet, hands down. Teaser images and videos of the Model Y’s interior show a seamless glass roof that’s quite similar to the Model S, offering passengers a completely unobstructed view from the cabin. But unlike the Model S, the Model Y is designed for the mass-market, which means that it is priced far more aggressively than the flagship sedan.

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The Tesla Model Y starts at $52,990 for a Long Range Dual Motor AWD variant. For that price, buyers of the vehicle will get a crossover with 66 cu ft of space for cargo, a 315-mile EPA range, basic Autopilot, and a glass roof that spans the vehicle’s entire cabin. Considering the Model Y’s designation as a crossover, its roof alone would make it the best camping vehicle, hands down.

Tesla has rolled out a Camp Mode feature for its vehicles, providing owners with a way to sleep comfortably in their electric car overnight. The feature even comes with an Easter Egg within an Easter Egg in the form of a Cybertruck. With Camp Mode engaged, Tesla enthusiasts can spend the night in their Model Y with a full view of the sky above, all while enjoying a cabin that’s adjusted for the perfect temperature.

That’s a combination that’s pretty hard to beat in terms of comfort and cool factor. It does, in a way, transform the Model Y into a spacious, reasonably priced, mobile hotel room of sorts, providing car campers with protection from the elements and a killer view of the outside.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla lands regulatory green light for Robotaxi testing in new state

This will be the third state in total where Tesla is operating Robotaxi, following Austin and California.

Published

17 hours ago

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September 11, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has landed a regulatory green light to test its Robotaxi platform in a new state, less than three months after the ride-hailing service launched in Texas.

Tesla first launched its driverless Robotaxi suite in Austin, Texas, back on June 22. Initially offering rides to a small group of people, Tesla kept things limited, but this was not to be the mentality for very long.

It continued to expand the rider population, the service area, and the vehicle fleet in Austin.

The company also launched rides in the Bay Area, but it does use a person in the driver’s seat to maintain safety. In Austin, the “Safety Monitor” is present in the passenger’s seat during local rides, and in the driver’s seat for routes that involve highway driving.

Tesla is currently testing the Robotaxi platform in other states. We reported that it was testing in Tempe, Arizona, as validation vehicles are traveling around the city in preparation for Robotaxi.

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Tesla looks to make a big splash with Robotaxi in a new market

Tesla is also hoping to launch in Florida and New York, as job postings have shown the company’s intention to operate there.

However, it appears it will launch in Nevada before those states, as the company submitted its application to obtain a Testing Registry certification on September 3. It was processed by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles Office of Business Licensing on September 10.

It will then need to self-certify for operations, essentially meaning they will need to comply with various state requirements.

This will be the third state in total where Tesla is operating Robotaxi, following Austin and California.

CEO Elon Musk has stated that he believes Robotaxi will be available to at least half of the U.S. population by the end of the year. Geographically, Tesla will need to make incredible strides over the final four months of the year to achieve this.

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Tesla is improving this critical feature in older vehicles

Published

19 hours ago

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September 11, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is set to improve a critical feature that has not been present in older vehicles with a new update.

Tesla vehicles feature a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, some of which aid in driving itself, while others support the vehicle’s surroundings.

One of those features is that of Driver Visualization, and with the rollout of a new update, owners of Intel-based Tesla vehicles are receiving an upgrade that will come with a simple software update.

Tesla plans to use Unreal Engine for driver visualization with crazy upgrade

The update will provide new visualizations while Intel-based vehicles are in reverse, a feature that was not previously available, but will be with Software Update 2025.32.2.

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The improvement was spotted by Not a Tesla App via TheBeatYT_evil:

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Previously, vehicles Tesla built were equipped with Intel-based processors, but newer cars feature the AMD chip, which is capable of rendering these visualizations as they happen. They were capable of visualizations when driving forward, but not in reverse, which is what this change resolves.

It is a good sign for those with Intel-based vehicles, as Tesla seems to be paying attention to what those cars are not capable of and improving them.

This was an undocumented improvement associated with this particular update, so you will not find any mention of it in the release notes that Tesla distributes with each update.

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Tesla looks to make a big splash with Robotaxi in a new market

Tesla has been transparent that it is prioritizing safety, but it believes it can expand to basically any geographical location within the United States and find success with its Robotaxi suite. CEO Elon Musk said it could be available to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year.

Published

21 hours ago

on

September 11, 2025

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla is looking to make a big splash with Robotaxi in a new market, as the company was spotted testing validation vehicles in one region where it has not yet launched its ride-hailing service.

After launching Robotaxi in Austin in late June, Tesla followed up with a relatively quick expansion to the Bay Area of California. Both service areas are operating with a geofence that is expansive: In Texas, it is 173 square miles, while in the Bay Area, it is roughly 400 square miles.

Tesla has been transparent that it is prioritizing safety, but it believes it can expand to basically any geographical location within the United States and find success with its Robotaxi suite. CEO Elon Musk said it could be available to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year.

There have been plenty of reports out there that have speculated as to where Tesla would land next to test Robotaxi, and Nevada, Florida, Arizona, and New York have all been in the realm of possibility. These regions will need to approve Tesla for regulatory purposes before Robotaxi can officially operate.

Tesla is still testing and performing validation in several regions, and in Tempe, Arizona, things are moving forward as a Model Y with a LiDAR rig was spotted performing ground truth for the platform:

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With the LiDAR unit, many followers of the self-driving and autonomy space might wonder why Tesla uses these apparatuses during validation, especially considering the company’s stance and vision-based approach.

LiDAR is used for “ground truth,” which is basically a solidification or confirmation of what the cameras on the car are seeing. It is a great way to essentially confirm the accuracy of the vision-based suite, and will not be used on Robotaxi units used within the ride-hailing suite.

The Robotaxi platform was made available to the public earlier this month, as Tesla launched its app for iOS users.

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Tesla Robotaxi app download rate demolishes Uber, Waymo all-time highs

Downloading the app allows you to join a waitlist, giving you the opportunity to utilize and test the Robotaxi platform in either Austin or the Bay Area.

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