Tesla Autopilot hardware: AP1, AP2, AP2.5 or HW3?
Updated October 2, 2026
Two Model S that look the same can have very different Autopilot hardware, and the hardware decides what the car can ever do. Cars with Tesla's own hardware (AP2.0 and later) can have Full Self-Driving added; the earlier AP1 cars can't. Here's how to tell which one you're looking at.
The hardware codes
Tesla records the hardware on the car's factory build sheet as one of these codes, listed in the order they shipped:
| Code | Hardware | Full Self-Driving |
|---|---|---|
| APH0 | No Autopilot hardware | No |
| APH1 | AP1 (Mobileye) | No |
| APH2 | AP2.0 | Can be added |
| APH3 | AP2.5 | Can be added |
| APH4 | HW3 (FSD computer) | Can be added |
No code? Go by the build date
- Built before about September 2014: no Autopilot hardware.
- From about September 2014: AP1, using Mobileye hardware.
- From about October 2016: AP2 or later, Tesla's own cameras and computer.
The dates are approximate, and a car's own code always wins: a car built after the change that says APH0 really has no Autopilot hardware. Motors don't come into it either. Single-motor cars were built with AP1 and with AP2 hardware too.
The features on the build sheet
The hardware is what the car can run; these codes say which driver-assistance features it was sold with. AP1 cars came with Autopilot with Autosteer, never Enhanced Autopilot.
| Code | Feature |
|---|---|
| APBS | Basic Autopilot |
| APD0 | No Driver's Assistance |
| APD1 | Autopilot Hardware |
| APD2 | Autopilot with convenience features |
| APF0 | Autopilot (firmware 2.0, base) |
| APF1 | Enhanced Autopilot |
| APF2 | Full Self-Driving (Supervised) |
| APPB | Enhanced Autopilot |
| DA00 | No Driver's Assistance |
| DA01 | Active Safety (adaptive cruise, lane departure warning, speed assist) |
| DA02 | Autopilot with convenience features |
Check a car's hardware
Enter the VIN and TrueSpec reads the car's factory build sheet from Tesla's parts catalog: its Autopilot hardware, driver-assistance features and Supercharging code, together. For what the Supercharging code means, see SC01 explained.
Questions buyers ask
How can I tell if a Tesla has AP1 or AP2?
Look for its Autopilot hardware code on the build sheet: APH1 is AP1, APH2 is AP2.0, APH3 is AP2.5 and APH4 is HW3. Without the code, the build date is a good guide: cars built from about October 2016 have AP2 or later, and cars built from about September 2014 until then have AP1.
Can an AP1 Tesla get Full Self-Driving?
No. AP1 is built on Mobileye hardware that can never take Full Self-Driving, whatever you pay. Cars with Tesla's own hardware, AP2.0 and later, can have it added.
Did AP1 cars come with Enhanced Autopilot?
No. AP1 cars came with Autopilot with Autosteer. Enhanced Autopilot needs AP2 hardware or later.
See what Tesla's own record says about a car before you buy it.
Check a VIN →