Tesla Model 3 Adds Overhead PRND Buttons

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【Summary】The new Tesla Model 3 has backup PRND buttons on the ceiling, a change that might take some getting used to. The buttons are nearly invisible from multiple angles and are located between the sun visors. They serve as a fail-safe in case the screen freezes and cannot be reset. The new Model 3 also has three ways to get it going, including pressing the gas pedal, using controls on the center display, or pressing the touch-sensitive buttons on the ceiling.

FutureCar Staff Sep 04, 2023 4:19 PM PT

Tesla Model 3 Adds Overhead PRND Buttons

Tesla has sold over two million Model 3s in the six years it has been on sale, and this number is expected to continue growing as the vehicle becomes available in North America and the UK. Despite the non-facelifted version still being ordered, many people are eagerly anticipating the refreshed Model 3. However, there is one change that might take some getting used to – the backup gear shifter is now located on the ceiling, rather than in the traditional position.

When Tesla unveiled the facelifted Model 3, they carefully selected media representatives to see the vehicle for the first time. These representatives likely had to follow certain guidelines and had limited time with the car. As a result, many popular reviewers overlooked the panel where the hazard warning lights button is located. However, recent photos published on Tesla's Instagram account reveal something interesting etched between the dome lights – the letters P, R, N, and D. This suggests that the backup gear shifter serves as a fail-safe for the drive mode.

Initially, it was hard to believe that Tesla had decided to abandon the touch-sensitive drive mode strip found in other models like the Model S and Model X. Early images of the refreshed Model 3 showed a bumper camera, which excited fans as it would have been a useful addition. Unfortunately, Tesla later updated the photos and videos, removing the camera. However, they did introduce the backup PRND buttons on a separate panel on the ceiling of the new Model 3, positioned between the sun visors. While these controls are a handy backup if the main screen freezes, they are almost invisible from certain angles.

The new Model 3 was also showcased at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, Germany, allowing the public to see it up close. However, even those who filmed the car were unable to spot the relocated drive mode strip on the ceiling. It is so subtle that one must already know it exists to notice it. Fortunately, German journalists from auto motor und sport have confirmed that the drive mode strip has indeed been moved to the ceiling. There are now three ways to engage the drive mode: the car can automatically detect when the driver wants to go forward or backward and respond accordingly, there are controls on the center display to manually override the automatic detection, and there are touch-sensitive buttons on the ceiling for the driver to use.

Although Tesla has not yet updated the Model 3 for the American market, pictures of right-hand drive models have surfaced online. However, it is unlikely that Tesla will make a last-minute change and relocate the PRND buttons to the center console, as they currently are in the Model S and Model X. Nevertheless, Tesla is known for surprises, and its CEO, Elon Musk, is famously unpredictable, so anything could happen in the future.