Used Tesla Model Y with FSD: which years have which computer, and what to check before you pay

Model Y by year: what changed for FSD buyers

Tesla's own FSD support page says that specific features "may vary depending on your vehicle configuration, hardware, software version, region, model, vehicle trim and model year" (Tesla, July 14, 2026 capture). For the Model Y that comes down to the table below. Model year and build date are not the same thing, and changeovers happened car by car, so use the table to shortlist and the screen to decide.

Sources: model years and changes are from Wikipedia, Tesla Model Y, Wikipedia, Tesla Autopilot hardware and Tesla's Tesla Vision support page (December 2023 capture, which gives the October 2022 ultrasonic sensor date and the 2021 radar removal); the HW4 start from Teslarati, May 25, 2023 and Not a Tesla App; the 2025 cars from InsideEVs, January 23, 2025, Tesla Oracle, January 24, 2025 (HW4 in the refreshed car; Tesla has not published a spec sheet we could read), Tesla Oracle, March 9, 2025 and InsideEVs, October 7, 2025; the 2026 change from Electrek, January 23, 2026. The price column is Tesla's list price by date from Not a Tesla App's price history: it shows what FSD cost while that model year was on sale, not what any particular owner paid, and it is not what the FSD is worth today (see what FSD adds to a used Tesla's value).

Two practical notes from the table. Tesla's page on removing ultrasonic sensors said that Model 3 and Model Y built without them would be delivered with Autopark, Summon and Smart Summon "limited or inactive" until software restored them. Those are FSD-package features, so on a Model Y built from October 2022, ask the seller to show them working. And the Austin-built cars of 2022 and 2023 sit inside the HW3 to HW4 window: we found no source that gives an exact Texas cutover, so do not guess from the factory sticker.

HW3 or AI4: how to tell, and what it runs

1. The screen (best). Tesla's own instruction is Controls > Software, then Additional Vehicle Information, which shows the Autopilot computer. Ask for a photo of that screen before you travel.
2. The front cameras. Not a Tesla App reports that AI4 cars have two red-tinted front camera lenses and one blank, with a higher-resolution sensor (2896 x 1876 against 1280 x 960 on HW3). It is a quick look at the viewing, not a substitute for the screen.
3. Build date and trim. Good for shortlisting. A Model Y made after late May 2023 in the US likely has AI4 (Not a Tesla App); a 2020 to 2022 car has HW3.

What that means in November 2026: AI4 cars run Tesla's main FSD (Supervised) branch. HW3 cars got "v14 Lite" from June 29, 2026, which Tesla describes as the intelligence of the HW4 version "distilled" into HW3, and which needs firmware 2026.20.5.1 (Electrek, June 29, 2026). Tesla has said HW3 cannot do unsupervised driving, and no HW3 upgrade has a price or date; the dated statements are in Can a Tesla with HW3 be upgraded to AI4?. The full comparison, including what each computer is and is not missing, is in HW3 vs HW4 (AI4). Test-drive the version you are buying: Lite is the product on a 2020 to 2023 Model Y today.

What you can and cannot assume about FSD on a Model Y

• Owned or subscribed is not visible from outside. Tesla's rule for resale: "If the previous owner purchased FSD (Supervised) outright and did not transfer it to a new vehicle, you will receive the vehicle with FSD (Supervised)." But "If the previous owner subscribed to FSD (Supervised), you will need to subscribe using your own Tesla Account." A photo of the Software screen shows FSD, not which kind. See FSD subscription vs purchased.
• The 2025 Launch Series is a special case. InsideEVs reported it was "fully kitted out with Full-Self Driving (Supervised) as standard" at $59,990 before destination. That is FSD bundled into the price at sale, but we have not seen a Tesla statement that these cars are treated as outright purchases on resale, and Tesla's Luxe Package on Model S and X shows bundled FSD can end at sale. Ask for the order paperwork and confirm with Tesla before paying extra (Does FSD transfer to a new owner?).
• A 2025 or 2026 Model Y Standard. It launched without Autosteer and with FSD as an $8,000 add-on (InsideEVs, October 2025). Since February 14, 2026 FSD can only be a subscription on it. Do not expect owned FSD on a Standard unless the first owner bought the add-on before that date.
• A 2026 Model Y bought new with no FSD. Tesla removed Autosteer from new Model 3 and Model Y orders in January 2026, so they ship with Traffic-Aware Cruise Control only (Electrek); Engadget reported that Autosteer now requires the $99 FSD subscription. The change applies to new orders, not to cars already owned. A used car like this is a subscription case: see Can you add FSD to a used Tesla?.
• You cannot add owned FSD later. A Model Y without it can subscribe, but Tesla's support page says FSD (Supervised) "is not available for outright purchase and is only available as a subscription."

Tesla's own used Model Ys and FSD

FSD Radar studied Tesla's archived used-inventory data from 2020 to 2025 (the method and caveats are in Tesla CPO cars and FSD). It covers Tesla's own resale stock only, not private sellers or other dealers, so it says nothing direct about the open market.

The Model Y was not in the sample before 2023. The 2024 and 2025 pages were price-limited and cheapest-first, so they lean toward cheaper cars, but the drop from 53% to none is the same collapse that guide describes across models. The takeaway for a Model Y buyer: a used Model Y bought from Tesla's inventory has usually been sold without owned FSD, so the cars worth hunting are at private sellers and independent dealers (where to find a used Tesla with FSD).

A checklist for the Model Y in front of you

1. Software screen. Controls > Software should list "Full Self Driving Capability" in the included package, and a "Full Self-Driving (Supervised) Software" line (Tesla's own check). Get a photo from the seller before you travel and look at it yourself at the viewing.
2. Computer line. Read "Autopilot computer" in Additional Vehicle Information, not the listing.
3. Purchase proof. Ask for the order or invoice showing the FSD line, or a screenshot of the seller's Tesla app Upgrades page. A subscription shows as a subscription in the app; see how to check a Tesla for FSD.
4. Whether it ever moved. Ask if FSD was transferred to another Tesla under the transfer program, which ended March 31, 2026 (Tesla, July 2026 capture). Cars that had it moved away no longer hold it.
5. FSD suspension. Tesla says FSD (Supervised) can be suspended for a week after repeated strikeouts for inattention, and that Controls > Self-Driving shows remaining strikeouts. Open that screen and ask about it.
6. Drive it. Engage FSD (Supervised) on a route you know, at the seller's, with them present. On a mid-2023 car, note whether it feels like Lite or the main version.
7. Run the VIN. The free Tesla VIN decoder reads year and factory and gives a likely HW3 or AI4 estimate; what a VIN can and cannot prove about FSD explains the limits.
8. Pay for what it does. Price the premium with the break-even rule and do not pay extra for unsupervised driving: in October 2026 a Tesla executive said they suspect around Q2 2027 for the first customer cars, in select areas (Will a used Tesla get unsupervised FSD?).

More questions to put to the seller are in questions to ask a Tesla seller about FSD. Comparing with a Model 3? Its year-by-year table, and the 2024 cars that can have either computer, are in Used Tesla Model 3 with FSD.

FSD Radar is independent and not affiliated with Tesla, Inc. Facts in this guide are dated where they change often; we re-check Tesla's support pages regularly. Spotted something out of date? Email info@fsdradar.com.