Tesla's Full Self-Driving beta may be enabled on European streets as early as September 2024. The new UN Economic Commission for Europe regulation on Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS) has been added to the annotated provisional agenda for the upcoming 192nd session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations.
BREAKING NEWS The new UNECE regulation DCAS, which could allow Tesla's FSD Beta in Europe, was added to the annotated provisional agenda for the 192nd session of the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29). If it gets adopted, the regulation could come into… pic.twitter.com/yK8tLP0nYt
This discussion was initially set for 2025, with the regulatory body deciding the journey towards autonomous driving on the continent. Adding the DCAS regulation to the provisional agenda signals a crucial step in the regulatory process, suggesting a more accelerated timeline than anticipated. The provision comes with a 70-page document that dives into every aspect of autonomous driving.
The Essence of the Proposal and Its Impact
The DCAS regulation aims to establish a standardized framework for advanced driver assistance technologies, specifically targeting systems that provide sustained lateral and longitudinal motion control support. Unlike fully autonomous systems, DCAS requires the driver to remain engaged and responsible for the vehicle, fitting within the SAE level 2 automation category and lining up with Tesla’s FSD warnings. Adopting the DCAS regulation could mean re-enabling certain Autopilot features previously restricted in Europe and introducing the much-anticipated FSD Beta.
The document focuses on preventing misuse and overreliance on DCAS and addresses concerns about drivers overestimating the capabilities of automated systems. For Tesla and its users, the FSD Beta will have clear guidelines and interfaces to keep drivers informed and engaged, preventing potential safety issues from misunderstanding the system's limits.
Tesla’s Technology Will Face a New Standard of Tests
Tesla has an ongoing relationship with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S., and now the company will have to adhere to a new rule book. The proposal details the safety measures that DCAS-equipped vehicles must adhere to, including response to system failures and compliance with speed limits. The FSD Beta must meet stringent safety standards for Tesla, ensuring its deployment in Europe will be innovative and aligned with the highest safety protocols.
Highlighting the various testing methods for verifying DCAS reliability and effectiveness provides insight into the rigorous approval process that Tesla's FSD Beta must undergo. This thorough testing and compliance process is reassuring for potential users, indicating that the system will have been extensively evaluated for safety and functionality before it becomes available in Europe.
The journey to this point has not been without its challenges. Regulatory processes, especially those involving new technologies and international standards, are inherently complex and time-consuming. The inclusion of the DCAS regulation in the WP.29 agenda comes after intensive efforts by stakeholders to prioritize and expedite the framework, reflecting the high level of interest and investment in the future of mobility.
The potential early adoption of the DCAS regulation holds promise for a new era of driving in Europe. Tesla's FSD Beta could soon be within reach for European drivers. The meeting takes place in Geneva in early March.
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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.
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.
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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