Tesla Secretly Developing Advanced Radar Technology

FCC filings reveal Tesla's plans for high-resolution millimeter-wave radar despite public vision-only autonomy claims.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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While Tesla CEO Elon Musk publicly promoted a vision-only approach to autonomous driving, the company was quietly developing sophisticated radar technology behind the scenes. FCC filings from June 2022 show Tesla secured approval for a high-resolution millimeter-wave radar system operating in the 60-64 GHz band, directly contradicting their public stance on the unnecessary nature of radar for Full Self-Driving.

Why it matters

This revelation challenges Tesla's public narrative around vision-only autonomy and suggests the company is working to address the limitations of camera-only systems, particularly in adverse weather conditions where radar excels. The move also puts Tesla in a better position to compete with automakers deploying multi-modal sensor suites combining cameras, radar, and lidar.

The details

Tesla's new radar system uses Texas Instruments' IWR6843AOP chip, delivering higher power than the Continental ARS-4B radar it previously abandoned. The system employs four transmit and three receive antennas with chirp-based modulation, capable of detecting objects within a six-foot range with medical-grade precision. FCC approvals also cover cabin-based radar for driver monitoring, child detection, and anti-theft systems, suggesting Tesla may activate multiple radar functions through over-the-air updates.

  • In June 2022, Tesla secured FCC approval for its high-resolution millimeter-wave radar system.
  • The confidentiality period on these FCC filings ended in December 2022.

The players

Elon Musk

The CEO of Tesla, who has publicly promoted a vision-only approach to autonomous driving.

Tesla

An American electric vehicle and clean energy company that has secretly developed advanced radar technology despite its public stance on vision-only autonomy.

Texas Instruments

A semiconductor company whose IWR6843AOP chip is used in Tesla's new radar system.

Continental

An automotive parts supplier whose ARS-4B radar was previously used by Tesla before the company abandoned radar in favor of a vision-only approach.

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What they’re saying

“While Elon Musk preached the gospel of vision-only autonomy, Tesla was quietly developing sophisticated radar technology behind closed doors.”

— Annemarije de Boer, Technology journalist (gadgetreview.com)

What’s next

Tesla is expected to activate the new radar capabilities through future over-the-air software updates, potentially transforming the sensor capabilities of its vehicles overnight.

The takeaway

Tesla's secret development of advanced radar technology challenges the company's public narrative around vision-only autonomy and suggests it is working to address the limitations of camera-only systems, particularly in adverse weather conditions. This move also puts Tesla in a better position to compete with automakers deploying multi-modal sensor suites.