Tesla is reportedly planning to upgrade its in-car visualizations for Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features by switching to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine. This information was discovered by Tesla hacker greentheonly, who found evidence of the change in Tesla’s 2025.20 firmware for Model S and Model X cars equipped with AMD chips. Currently, Tesla uses the Godot engine for its visualizations, but a switch to Unreal Engine would bring it in line with a growing number of automakers, including Rivian, Ford, GMC, Volvo, and Lotus, which already utilize Epic’s engine.
Unreal Engine is a powerful development tool, perhaps best known for its use in video game development. However, Epic Games has been actively promoting its use in the automotive industry, and several major manufacturers have already adopted it. The switch to Unreal Engine could potentially lead to more advanced and detailed visualizations for Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features, enhancing the overall user experience.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first time Tesla and Epic Games have been connected. Last year, Tesla’s Cybertruck was added to the popular video game Fortnite, suggesting a collaborative relationship between the two companies. While neither Tesla nor Epic Games has commented on the reported switch to Unreal Engine, the discovery of evidence in the firmware suggests that a change may be on the horizon.
The use of Unreal Engine in Tesla’s vehicles could have significant implications for the future of in-car visualizations and autonomous driving technology. With its advanced capabilities and widespread adoption in the automotive industry, Unreal Engine could enable Tesla to create more sophisticated and interactive visualizations, potentially improving the safety and effectiveness of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Tesla and other manufacturers leverage tools like Unreal Engine to enhance the driving experience.