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Tesla’s no-side-mirror approach becomes feasible as NHTSA ponders camera-based systems
When Tesla unveiled the next-generation Roadster and the Cybertruck to the world, the two vehicles immediately shocked the automotive industry. The Roadster stunned because of its insane specs, and the Cybertruck shocked because of its unorthodox design that is unlike any other pickup truck on the market. However, the two vehicles also share something very unique: they both lack side mirrors.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, titled “Rear Visibility,” requires all vehicles to “be equipped with rearview mirrors to provide drivers with a view of objects that are to their side or their side and rear.” However, the NHTSA recently hinted that “light vehicles and heavy trucks” may eventually be equipped with camera systems instead of traditional side mirrors.
An edition of the United States government’s Federal Register from late 2019 shows the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration sought more information on the possibility of vehicles utilizing a “Camera Monitor System,” or CMS. The removal of mirrors instead of camera systems would eliminate the need for traditional side mirrors and possibly rearview mirrors, too.
Tesla’s absence of side mirrors started back in 2013 with the unveiling of the Model X. After wrestling with the idea of a side-mirrorless SUV to increase aerodynamic performance, CEO Elon Musk stated that manufacturers were required to install side mirrors on vehicles. A side mirror-less design actually benefits electric cars like Teslas, since side mirrors increase drag, reducing range. This was done by Audi with the e-tron, with the vehicle being offered with a side mirror-less trim that is slightly more efficient.
The Cybertruck’s side mirrors were absent during its unveiling event in November 2019. Instead of regular mirrors, Tesla had equipped the vehicle with Autopilot cameras that are in the truck’s front fender. Many enthusiasts of the electric carmaker speculated that this was a design that wouldn’t enter production as regulations still existed that required side mirrors.
To determine the effectiveness of camera systems instead of traditional mirrors, the NHTSA conducted its research and testing. The organization also examined testing performed by other parties. The CMS noted that during a trial period from 2006 to 2011, NHTSA research showed that several safety concerns arose from the use of cameras instead of mirrors. These stemmed from glares when sunlight touched the cameras. However, the German Federal Highway Research Institute published a separate study that showed the CMS meets “specific quality criteria” and can provide “sufficient” rear visibility for drivers.
So the question is: What has changed in the nine years since the study concluded? For one, cameras have gotten significantly better. What was once a quality piece of photography equipment can be found on the back of an iPhone. High-resolution pictures and videos are not uncommon, and it is not rare for even extremely affordable cameras to provide better quality images than what was available in 2011.
To determine an accurate and fair assessment of the CMS, a new study should be performed using the 2020 technology. The use of rearview backup cameras is a standard feature on most vehicles today. While such systems are used mostly when backing into a parking spot, it is still relevant, and it shows that the widely adopted technology can be used in an effective and safe manner. This feature could be expanded on, and mirrors could be removed from vehicles if the proper research was performed and quality cameras were placed on a vehicle’s exterior.
Tesla has hinted at mirrorless driving in the past, and the door is open now more than ever. It seems this system could be integrated into performance vehicles like the Roadster, or pickups like the Cybertruck in the future. The designs of these two all-electric vehicles have hinted towards a future that does not include traditional side mirrors, which could change the way other carmakers design vehicles as a whole. Tesla’s minimalistic interior and large centrally-located dash screen has been adopted by many other carmakers, showing the electric car company influences other automakers in the industry. A side-mirror-less theme may be the next big trend that Tesla starts.
Tesla is set to inaugurate its dedicated Semi factory in Sparks, Nevada, this evening, but drone footage has already started to show who is expected on the handover stage.
Zanegler, a drone operator who regularly documents Tesla Semi operations in Nevada, filmed a row of new-generation Semi units parked outside of the plant with customer branding applied. The liveries visible in the video include companies like PepsiCo, U.S. Foods, Einride, DHL, WattEV, and others that have committed to utilizing Tesla’s Class 8 electric truck in their fleets.
Tesla Semi Pre-Reveal Revealed!
Excited to share this segment of the drone flight one day prior to the Tesla Semi Reveal event.
They have added branding to several Tesla new generation semis.
Including:
Pepsico
US Foods
Einride
LTS
Nevoya
OK Produce
ABF Freight
DHL
WattEV… pic.twitter.com/KoFOg2FouR— Zanegler (@HinrichsZane) September 24, 2026
Several of those company names already sit within Tesla’s public ordering book, including PepsiCo, which has been the program’s primary anchor customer since the first Semi deliveries in December 2022. PepsiCo now runs dozens of Tesla Semi units in daily service, with drivers completing regional routes.
Einride placed a 500-unit order in August, which was, at the time, the largest single Semi commitment. First deployments of their Semi units are planned for this month and will eventually span across California, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia. Meanwhile, IMC Logistics announced a 50-truck California order this week.
Tesla Semi lands the biggest electric truck deal in U.S. history
Other names, like LTS, OK Produce, and HMD, have not been widely confirmed as firm buyers, but their presence on the lot is perhaps the clearest signal that Tesla intends to expand on that list this evening at the event.
Tesla first unveiled the Semi back in 2017 with a 2019 production target.
Limited pilot builds reached PepsiCo in late 2022, and high-volume production began at the new 1.7-million-square-foot plant that sits logically positioned next to Tesla’s Gigafactory Nevada. Tesla Semi program director Dan Priestley has said that Tesla expects to build “many thousands” of Semi units this year, but as with every Tesla release, there have been set expectations of an S-curve ramp.
Outside estimates still put 2026 deliveries in the 5,000-to-15,000 range, but it will ultimately depend on Tesla’s readiness to put those units out, as well as how smoothly production is moving internally.
Tesla’s Semi Rollout event is set to start tonight at the Sparks factory, and it will be livestreamed on X starting at 6 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. ET.
The Tesla App is now giving owners a better indication of what to expect when visiting a Supercharger site, as it is now sharing Site Maps in the app itself, making the feature no longer exclusively available in the car.
Tesla owners can now preview a Supercharger’s layout and live stall status from their phone thanks to the App’s new software version, v4.61.0. Zooming into a supported Supercharger on the charging map now switches the familiar street view into a site-specific map that shows stall positions, occupied bays, out-of-service posts, and a live count of open Superchargers.
It will even show you which specific Tesla model is charging at each occupied stall.
You can now see Live Site Maps in the latest Tesla app (4.61.0.) pic.twitter.com/JIL8QzR8hu
— Zack (@BLKMDL3) September 18, 2026
This is the same view drivers first saw inside the car with the 2025 Holiday Update, which started as a pilot for Tesla in California and Texas. Those early maps showed layout, nearby amenities, and the status of each operational stall. The feature has spread to most Superchargers in the U.S., but now Tesla wants the feature available through the Smartphone App, which is now rolling out to owners.
The in-vehicle screen maps remain a richer 3D canvas and originally required AMD Ryzen infotainment hardware, which left many Intel-based Model 3 and Model Y owners without the view. The app version removes that hardware barrier, so any owner can now get a preview of their upcoming Supercharger stop on their phone.
Anyone with the updated version of the app can open a Site Map on their phone. The feature has provided some additional peace of mind to anxious travelers and those who might be looking for a place that is less congested for faster charging speeds. It is a meaningful addition to many owners, especially for trips to unfamiliar locations.
You can now pick a Supercharger location that might be more aligned with what you are looking for or need: you can pick a site based on what stalls are open, where ADA stalls sit, how you will pull in, and more, instead of circling a crowded lot after arriving. Owners of older cars now have access to the feature without having to purchase a new vehicle altogether.
Site Mpas will not reserve a stall, nor will it change how Fast Charging works. Tesla does something simpler and more useful by giving owners a dedicated preview of the Supercharger they’re about to charge, turning an unknown parking lot into a place that may seem more familiar thanks to the preview.
Interested in ordering a Tesla? Use my referral code for three free months of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) here.
Investor's Corner
Tesla Optimus Gen 3 shows off a cleaner, factory-ready design in new app discovery
Renders hidden inside Tesla’s Android app show Optimus Gen 3’s design before any official reveal.
![Tesla Optimus Gen 3 [Credit: Tesla]](https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/tesla-optimus-gen3-diner.jpg)
Tesla may have accidentally given a first look at its newest Optimus Gen 3 humanoid robot when photos were found in the Tesla smartphone app.
Design files tucked inside a recent Android version of the Tesla app appear to show the third generation humanoid robot next to the older Gen 2.5 prototype. The assets were extracted from the app package by Tesla community member @wholemars, who posted the renders on X late Tuesday night before deleting them. The Tesla Newswire reshared the side by side comparison on Wednesday, and the images have circulated widely since.
Tesla Optimus Gen 2.5 vs Gen 3 comparison via @WholeMars on X
The files are labeled “gen3” and were built as models for Tesla app’s own interface, as validated directly by Grok to be official.
The comparison shows a robot that looks built for a factory line rather than a lab bench. Gen 2.5’s exposed mechanical linkages and gold plating on the knees and shins are gone. In their place, Gen 3 uses matte black fairings on the lower legs, paired with a more contoured champagne gold body. Flexible covers now seal the joint where the torso meets the upper thighs, keeping bearings and moving parts sealed from debris and unnecessary contact.
The body panels fit more tightly, and the hands, which Tesla has said carry 22 degrees of freedom, look far more refined than those on earlier units.
This most recent leak fills a gap Tesla has left open for most of the year. Elon Musk said on March 31 that Optimus 3 was walking around but needed “some finishing touches” before it could be shown, a delay Teslarati covered when Tesla missed its first quarter reveal target. Musk later said Tesla would hold the design back until closer to production, partly to keep competitors from copying it. No reveal date has been announced.
The app itself has been preparing for Optimus for months. In July, code in the Tesla app pointed to a dedicated robot phone key, a consent screen for collecting video and spatial data while Optimus works inside a home, and an alert system for low battery and mechanical faults. Finished 3D models of Gen 3 suggest the interface owners will eventually use is moving past placeholder code toward something Tesla intends to ship.
Manufacturing is moving in parallel. Tesla tore out the original Model S and Model X lines at Fremont this summer to make room for Optimus production, with a planned capacity of one million robots a year. At Giga Texas, the steel frame of a dedicated Optimus factory is nearing completion ahead of a targeted 2027 start, with Musk pointing to an eventual output of 10 million units annually.
Tesla drops big hints ahead of Semi handover event
Tesla App now shows you what your Supercharger will look like upon arrival
![Tesla Optimus Gen 3 [Credit: Tesla]](https://www.teslarati.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/tesla-optimus-gen3-diner-80x80.jpg)
