Tesla Releases FSD Beta 11.3.2 and Begins Wider Roll Out

FSD Beta v11 now displays useful messages at the top of the screen

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Tesla's FSD Beta v11.3.2 is now rolling out with version 2022.45.11. When Tesla rolls out a new beta update, it usually goes out to employees and then original beta testers, but we're seeing this update going out much more widely than in previous releases.

Earlier this week, Elon Musk tweeted that "V11 starts going wide this weekend," a timeline that some questioned. However, in the early hours of Sunday morning, FSD Beta has now started going out 'wide'.

It's not clear how wide this beta has gone yet, but it has already been sent to many more users than v11.3.1 had according to our statistics. Tesla will likely continue to expand this beta to more owners in the coming hours or days.

Musk had earlier predicted that it would be v11.3.2 that would go to the wider group, but with v11.3.1 doing so well, it was starting to look like it would be that version to go out more widely.

What's New

For the most part, the release notes for FSD Beta v11.3.2 are the same as FSD Beta v11.3.1, however there is one notable addition to the release notes of v11.3.2.

Tesla has adjusted the position of the blind spot camera while FSD Beta is active so that it doesn't cover up the vehicle visualizations. As Tesla says, if you prefer to have the camera feed on top of the visualizations, you can move it back and it'll remember your preference:

- Adjusted position of Automatic Blind Spot Camera when FSD Beta is active to prioritize the Autopilot visualization. Drag the camera to save custom positions.

This is the only change in the release notes from the previous v11.3.1 beta, however, there are likely other bug fixes and improvements under the hood.

If you're on one of the 10.69.x versions like 99% of beta users, then you'll receive all of these features below and much more.

New in FSD Beta V11

Besides the big feature of FSD Beta use on the highway, Tesla has also redesigned the Autopilot menu to remove older options and make your options clearer. At the very top, Tesla now gives owners three options for Autopilot features: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC), Autosteer, or FSD Beta. Autosteer is essentially Basic Autopilot, which will keep the vehicle's speed, and brake, keep a proper following distance, and steer within the vehicle's lane. FSD Beta is the option you'll want if you want the vehicle to make lane changes to follow your route.

FSD Beta v11.3.2 also introduces a new shortcut for some Autopilot options. When tilting the right scroll wheel, you'll now be presented with a new set of options. They'll allow you to adjust the vehicle's FSD Profile between Chill, Average, and Assertive. You'll also have the option to enable 'Minimal Lane Changes' with this shortcut quickly. The option will only stay enabled for the current drive.

Another significant addition is voice drive-notes. The software now allows for instant driver feedback. If you must take control away from FSD, a prompt will ask you to explain what happened. You can leave an audio recording. For example, if the software says it is stopping for a red light, but you see the light is green, you can take over and tell Tesla what happened so their team can review it.

Watch for Visual Enhancements

The update brings with it several significant improvements, including new visualizations and features that enhance the driving experience. One of the most noticeable changes in FSD v11.3.2 is the new visualizations. The vehicle's path is now a much thicker line, representing the entire space the car currently occupies and will occupy in the immediate future.

Chevrons will also appear in the path to show the car slowing down. A white or black line will now appear before the Tesla to tell the supervising driver exactly where the car will stop.

The traffic lights will now sometimes appear blue, indicating that the vehicle obeys that traffic light. Tesla has also improved how the system identifies objects more accurately.

One of the most exciting new features in FSD v11.3.2 is the addition of FSD messages. These messages let the driver know what the vehicle is doing. If the software spots an intersection and a red light, it will say, "stopping for the red light."

It will display various messages that make it clear what the vehicle is stopping or waiting for, such as stop signs, crossing pedestrians, bicyclists, and more. This addition gives us a better look into what the software is doing.

It's unclear whether the improvements to automatic emergency braking included in the FSD Beta v11.3 release notes are in the update right now. However, Tesla's continued progress with Full Self-Driving technology is clear. With each update, the company moves closer to its goal of producing fully autonomous vehicles and a more sustainable future.

Tesla LFP Batteries Can Now Be Warmed up While Supercharging Using Innovative Feature

Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s been on a roll with Supercharger improvements lately, from the 325kW charging update for the Cybertruck, to 500kW with V4 Superchargers coming next year. While those improvements have been limited to the Cybertruck, Tesla didn’t put all their focus on their new flagship vehicle, but looked at their more affordable vehicles as well.

LFP Battery Heating

Tesla’s Superchargers can now heat LFP Batteries - those that are in the Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive variants. This applies to Long Range and Standard Range models, which saw a limited run. This is another update included as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update - which really arrived with a lot of unannounced new features and capabilities.

The change is pretty interesting - Superchargers of the V3 and V4 variety can now pre-heat batteries for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with LFP battery packs. That means those vehicles are able to get back on the road faster when it's extremely cold. Of course, Tesla still advises you to precondition before you arrive, saving drivers time and money.

Max de Zegher, Tesla’s Director of Charging, also commented on the new feature. Essentially, Tesla is inducing an AC (alternating) ripple current through the battery to warm it up. Keep in mind that Superchargers are DC charging. That means it is possible to get a cold-soaked LFP vehicle on the road 4x faster than before, assuming that it didn’t precondition at all and that it is in the worst-case scenario (below 0ºF).

In essence, Tesla is using some engineering magic to turn the circuits inside the LFP battery into an electric heater - and powering that heater through the Supercharger. An AC ripple current is a small oscillation in the DC charging current that generates heat through electrical resistance, warming up the battery. Those ripples are a byproduct of converting AC to DC and back - so Tesla is using the onboard charger to induce those ripples to warm up the battery. Definitely an innovative technique that’s really only possible with the versatility of the NACS connector.

We’re hoping Tesla can implement this across their full lineup of vehicles, but we’ll have to wait and see how it is trialed across LFP vehicles first and if it is even possible on vehicles with 2170 or 4680 battery packs.

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Tesla Included FSD V12.6.1 and V13.2.4 in the Same Update: What Caused This and What It Means

Not a Tesla App

Tesla launched two FSD updates simultaneously on Saturday night, and what’s most interesting is that they arrived on the same software version. We’ll dig into that a little later, but for now, there’s good news for everyone. For Hardware 3 owners, FSD V12.6.1 is launching to all vehicles, including the Model 3 and Model Y. For AI4 owners, FSD V13.2.4 is launching, starting with the Cybertruck.

FSD V13.2.4

A new V13 build is now rolling out to the Cybertruck and is expected to arrive for the rest of the AI4 fleet soon. However, this build seems to be focused on bug fixes. There are no changes to the release notes for the Cybertruck with this release, and it’s unlikely to feature any changes when it arrives on other vehicles.

While this update focuses on bug fixes, Tesla’s already working on bigger features for FSD V13.3, which we have already confirmed to include improvements to highway following and speed control.

FSD V12.6.1

FSD V12.6.1 builds upon V12.6, which is the latest FSD version for HW3 vehicles. While FSD V12.6 was only released for the redesigned Model S and Model X with HW3, FSD V12.6.1 is adding support for the Model 3 and Model Y.

While this is only a bug-fix release for users coming from FSD V12.6, it includes massive improvements for anyone coming from an older FSD version. Two of the biggest changes are the new end-to-end highway stack that now utilizes FSD V12 for highway driving and a redesigned controller that allows FSD to drive “V13” smooth.

It also adds speed profiles, earlier lane changes, and more. You can read our in-depth look at all the changes in FSD V12.6.

Same Update, Multiple FSD Builds

What’s interesting about this software version is that it “includes" two FSD updates, V12.6.1 for HW3 and V13.2.4 for HW4 vehicles. While this is interesting, it’s less special when you understand what’s happening under the hood.

The vehicle’s firmware and Autopilot firmware are actually completely separate. While a vehicle downloading a firmware update may look like a singular process, it’s actually performing several functions during this period. First, it downloads the vehicle’s firmware. Upon unpacking the update, it’s instructed which Autopilot/FSD firmware should be downloaded.

While the FSD firmware is separate, the vehicle can’t download any FSD update. The FSD version is hard-coded in the vehicle’s firmware that was just downloaded. This helps Tesla keep the infotainment and Autopilot firmware tightly coupled, leading to fewer issues.

What we’re seeing here is that HW3 vehicles are being told to download one FSD version, while HW4 vehicles are being told to download a different version.

While this is the first time Tesla has had two FSD versions tied to the same vehicle software version, the process hasn’t actually changed, and what we’re seeing won’t lead to faster FSD updates or the ability to download FSD separately. What we’re seeing is the direct result of the divergence of HW3 and HW4.

While HW3/4 remained basically on the same FSD version until recently, it is now necessary to deploy different versions for the two platforms. We expect this to be the norm going forward, where HW3 will be on a much different version of FSD than HW4. While each update may not include two different FSD versions going forward, we may see it occasionally, depending on which features Autopilot is dependent on.

Thanks to Greentheonly for helping us understand what happened with this release and for the insight into Tesla’s processes.

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