Tesla has released its first-ever video showcasing Full Self-Driving (FSD) (Supervised) operating in Australia. This marks a significant milestone, not only as the company’s first public FSD test in Australia but also as the debut of FSD in a right-hand drive (RHD) market.
The video, shared by Tesla AI account on X, features a new Model 3 on the streets of downtown Melbourne, showcasing the system’s ability to handle urban driving scenarios unique to Australia. Until now, Tesla’s FSD development has been focused on left-hand drive (LHD) markets including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China.
FSD (Supervised) testing in Melbourne, Australia
— Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) May 16, 2025
And yes, that’s a hook turn pic.twitter.com/tjakHvRohP
The video begins with a tap-to-drive initiation by the safety driver, followed by the vehicle autonomously navigating through Melbourne’s busy urban environment. Near the start of the video FSD successfully performs what is called a hook turn, something which Tesla notes in the post, but anyone outside Australia probably doesn’t realize its significance.
A hook turn is primarily used in Melbourne, and is a traffic maneuver where drivers turning right at intersections with tram tracks start in the leftmost lane, move straight through, stop on the left side of the intersecting road, and complete the turn when the lights change, keeping tram paths clear and reducing congestion. Even the description is confusing, let alone being able to pull off the complex maneuer in busy traffic, but the Model 3 is able to perform it flawlessly.
Throughout the demonstration, the Tesla maneuvers around other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, showcasing the system’s ability to adapt to Australia’s unique road conditions and traffic patterns on the other side of the road.
Tesla’s deployment of FSD in Australia is notable for another reason—it highlights the scalability of Tesla’s vision-only autonomous driving strategy. Unlike competitors such as Waymo, which relies heavily on HD maps and geofencing, Tesla’s end-to-end computer vision approach does not require prior mapping of specific locations. This flexibility has allowed Tesla to bring FSD to a new region without the extensive groundwork needed by rivals.
When Will FSD Launch in Australia?
That is the million-dollar question for Tesla owners in Australia. Tesla provided no timeline in the post, a disclaimer at the bottom of the video clarifies that this is an “engineering test drive in a prototype vehicle” and that “activation for customers remains subject to development progress and regulatory approval.”
While there is no concrete timeline as of yet, the release of this Melbourne demonstration video shows the company has taken a concrete step towards bringing FSD to Australian customers. FSD is currently priced at AU$10,100, or C$9,028/US$6,480, cheaper than what it is offered for in North America (C$11,000/US$8,000).
