Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed that owners of cars equipped with the latest Hardware 4.0 (HW4) self-driving computer won’t get Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta for at least another six months. While the news is definitely disappointing for those owners, there was a bit of a bright spot for those outside North America as it relates to the release of the software.
Tesla first released HW4 in the Model S and Model X in March of this year, before expanding it to the Model Y a few months later, although with a slightly watered down version compared to the computer found in the flagship vehicles. There was a big catch with these cars however, as they were not receiving FSD Beta, even though customers had paid C$19,500/US$15,000 for the software, or the US$200 monthly subscription (in the US).
The full lineup isn’t expected to get HW4 until the release of the Project Highland Model 3 refresh, which based on what we have been hearing should happen next month. While the entire lineup of cars will then have the latest and greatest self-driving computer from Tesla, all those owners will be without FSD Beta until sometime in early 2024, at the earliest. The timeline was revealed by Musk on X, who said on Sunday “HW4 software will lag HW3 by at least another six months,” putting the earliest possible release towards the end of February or early March 2024.
For the earliest HW4 adopters, that will mean their Model S or Model X will be without FSD Beta for nearly a full year.
As for the reason, Musk explained the focus of the Autopilot team will be on “getting FSD on HW3 working super well and provided internationally.” That is good news for owners outside of North America who have been waiting even longer to receive FSD Beta, but Musk didn’t provide any further details on what those international markets might be.
This lengthy delay for HW4 owners causes some obvious problems and concerns. Those who have been paying for the subscription should of course cancel, but there is also the issue of the new referral program, one of the perks of which is a free 3 month trial of FSD Beta. This trial will of course be long gone by the time the software is ready. Neither Musk nor Tesla have addressed this issue yet, but hopefully it will be handled appropriately.
There is also the fact that Tesla’s website says Autopark and Smart Summon are included when you purchase FSD Beta, but neither of these options are available if you receive a car with HW4.
Finally, there is Musk’s reputation when it comes to timelines, especially FSD-related timelines, so six months could end up being much longer. However Musk attempted to alleviate those concerns, later saying “it’s a real 6 months. Maybe less.”
When do you think FSD Beta will be ready for HW4? Let us know in the comments below.
HW4 software will lag HW3 by at least another six months, as our focus needs to be on getting FSD on HW3 working super well and provided internationally.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 27, 2023
