All Teslas now come standard with Autopilot, but if you want the full capabilities you’ll currently have to cough up $10,000 USD for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving package or wait for the upcoming FSD subscription, which should be available in May.
The FSD package adds additional capabilities, which currently include Navigate on Autopilot, Auto Lane Change, Autopark, Summon and Traffic-Light and Stop Sign Control. In all honesty, in its current offering, the package isn’t worth $10,000 for most people.
Navigate on Autopilot (NoA) is likely the most useful feature there so that you can change lanes without disengaging and then reengaging Autopilot.
However, as we know Tesla has been completely rebuilding its neural networks and rewriting Autopilot software so that it can traverse city streets with much higher levels of reliability than we’ve ever seen. It’s truly exciting. They’re achieving what no one else has with image processing alone. They don’t use lidar, and they’re moving away from radar use as well and focusing strictly on image processing. Which is why everyone who already has the FSD package is so anxiously awaiting that promised FSD beta button which will allow anyone to try the latest FSD features and blow our minds.
Elon Musk first mentioned that The Button would become available in April, but he has recently updated the timing and gave a more realistic expectation. Elon tweeted that the button will hopefully be available in May. He goes on to say that May is aspirational, but he would be surprised if the wide release of the FSD beta was any later than June.
Sure, this is disappointing to those of us waiting patiently, but I do like Elon’s choice of words here. He appears realistic and is setting some real-world expectations. There may be no need to convert anything to Elon-time this time. It looks like we won’t have to wait much longer before getting our hands on that sweet, sweet beta.
Update:
On August 15th, 2021, Elon gave another update on the latest target for the FSD Button. You can read about it here.
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A couple of weeks ago, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI, announced that Tesla would finally roll out an FSD update for vehicles with Hardware 3. Earlier this week, on December 30th, Tesla did just that and started a public rollout of FSD V12.6.
Since the initial rollout, the update has gone out in several other waves, but they’ve been extremely small. Thanks to several users, we know have our first look at FSD V12.6 and how it compares to the previous FSD version and to the latest version for Hardware 4 vehicles — FSD V13.2.2.1.
How FSD V12.6 Compares to 12.5.4.2
Vehicles receiving the FSD V12.6 update are coming from Tesla’s Holiday update, version 2024.44.25.2, which includes FSD V12.5.4.2.
While FSD V12.5 was a big step up from FSD V12.3.6 for most users, it did include its share of issues. The big two have been lane selection and behavior at traffic lights.
While the release notes for FSD V12.6 highlight features such as End-to-End on Highway, Improved City Streets Behavior, and Smoother and More Accurate Tracking, FSD V12.6 is noticeably smoother and more capable. It now handles turns and scenarios that it struggled with or simply couldn’t perform on FSD V12.5.
How it Compares to FSD V13
One of the key features of FSD V12.6 is a redesigned controller for smoother and more accurate tracking. This feature actually comes from FSD V13, so users should think of FSD 12.6 as a hybrid between FSD V12 and FSD V13. In fact, it seems like Tesla considered calling this version V13, but more on this later.
The controller referenced in the release notes is responsible for tracking objects around the vehicle. The vehicle can only drive as well as it can see, so the improved tracking accuracy directly improves FSD decision-making, leading to smoother driving. This is very evident in FSD V12.6, which now delivers a level of smoothness comparable to what users are experiencing in FSD V13.
Thanks to a reader who has both FSD V12.6 and FSD 13.2, they directly compare the two versions and say that FSD V12.6 now operates as smoothly and confidently as his Cybertruck on FSD V13.2.
In their eyes, FSD 12.6 has done a lot to reduce, if not eliminate, the anxiety of not having AI4/HW4 in their Model S. This may change as AI4 vehicles continue to receive improvements while HW3 vehicles are expected to lag in FSD updates, but FSD V12.6 is a big step forward and could have arguably been called FSD V13.
Which Vehicles are Receiving V12.6
Right now, FSD V12.6 is only rolling out to Model S and Model X vehicles with Hardware 3. So far this has only been “refreshed” models, so it doesn’t include Model S/X cars prior to 2021. When the update was released on December 30th, Ashok Elluswamy stated that the update would be available for “other platforms,” presumably the Model 3 and Model Y, within a week. This puts us at around January 6th for other models. Ashok’s timelines have been extremely accurate and we believe Tesla will deliver this update sometime next week.
The Model 3 and Model Y are expected to be supported, but it’s not clear whether it’ll also include legacy Model S/X vehicles as well.
We expect this release to eventually become available for everyone soon, the only question would be whether it’d become available for legacy S/X vehicles with MCU 1. While the upgrade to MCU 2 isn’t cheap, any owners with an MCU 1 vehicle and HW3 would receive a much more capable vehicle by upgrading to the newer infotainment unit.
What About FSD V13 for HW3?
Rhys Samson
While we expected Tesla to release an FSD update for HW3 vehicles with the new end-to-end highway stack, FSD V13 was more of a wildcard. Would Tesla wait to upgrade HW3 vehicles with newer hardware or spend the time creating a smaller V13 model for HW3 vehicles?
Due to a small bug, it looks like we may have some insight into this question. Users who have installed FSD V12.6 will notice that while the release notes and the vehicle will call update 2024.45.25.10 FSD V12.6, the version shown in the app is actually quite different.
At the bottom of the main screen in the Tesla app, Tesla will show several bits of information, including your vehicle’s software version and the FSD version. While the vehicle software is correctly labeled as 2024.45.25.10, the FSD version actually mentions an unreleased FSD version — v13.2.3.
While this could simply be a bug or a typo, it could also be an indication that Tesla was considering calling this release FSD V13.2.3 and that it may have been a last-minute decision. While this may not mean much, it could be a sign that is already thinking about or developing FSD V13 for HW3 vehicles.
Keep in mind that many features for FSD V13 take advantage of the more powerful hardware, such as larger AI models and improved video feeds. However, other features could potentially be carried over to HW3.
Roll Out
While FSD V12.6 is still only available for the Model S and Model X, it continues to go out in increasingly larger waves. The last wave occurred overnight, and there’s a possibility of us seeing more today. Given the continued waves, it looks like everything is on track for a release to other models this weekend or early next week.
You can keep an eye out on our statistics page to track additional roll outs, and we’ll be sure to cover the release when it becomes available to more vehicles.
On January 1st, in what could potentially have been related to other terror-related incidents, a Cybertruck loaded with firework mortars, gas, and other explosive materials, was detonated outside a Trump-affiliated hotel. This information was provided at a press conference from the Las Vegas Police Department. The FBI has declared that the incident was intentional and that it is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.
The press conference confirmed that the only fatality was the driver. Several others were treated at a local hospital.
🚨 JUST IN: CNN reports the Cybertruck explosion at Trump Tower Vegas came from a detonation system controlled by the driver, plus explosives such as fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel.
We’re going to specifically look at what happened, how the Cybertruck potentially reduced the damage to the hotel and bystanders, and Elon Musk’s comments on the incident.
The Incident
After the detonation, the Cybertruck’s cabin was on fire, which kept burning until first responders managed to put it out with a combination of water and a tarp. Interestingly, even after the detonation, the Cybertruck’s battery was intact. There was no battery fire, and the battery did itself did not explode.
🚨New footage of the Tesla Cybertruck exploding in front of the Trump hotel
In fact, as you can see in the picture below, the tires are still intact, and even one of the headlights is on - indicating that the incident did not damage the battery. Once the fire continued, the pyro fuze blew, which cut any remaining power and isolated the high-voltage battery from other electrical systems in the truck.
The Cybertruck in the immediate moments after the explosion, with the cabin burning but the headlights on.
Not a Tesla App
Shortly after the incident, authorities released imagery of the bed of the Cybertruck, which was confirmed to be loaded with leftover fireworks and gas tanks. Authorities are crediting the Cybertruck’s exoskeleton exterior with reducing the damage done. The bed of the Cybertruck contained the explosion and directed it upwards and outwards rather than around the vehicle.
The image released by authorities with the remains of the explosives in the bed.
Not a Tesla App
This essentially meant that rather than serving as a vehicle-based improvised explosive device (VBIED), Cybertruck essentially stopped the explosion with the strength of its frame and exoskeleton. It is interesting to see just how strong and resilient the truck is, even when the explosion originated from within, rather than outside it.
🚨 #BREAKING: Las Vegas Police release new video of the exploded Cybertruck outside of the Trump Hotel, showing explosive ordinances in the back
Police credited the lack of damage to the Trump Hotel to the strength of the Cybertruck, as it remained mostly intact.
Elon commented throughout the incident and in the following hours.
Shortly after the incident, Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla’s teams were investigating the incident, and then shortly afterward confirmed that the Cybertruck - at least up to the point of the explosion, was reporting nominal vehicle health.
In the hours after the incident, it was revealed that both the Cybertruck, as well as the F-150 Lightning used in the other terror-related incident, were rented from Turo, as per Elon. Turo is a company that works with vehicle owners to arrange rentals of their vehicles, netting them some extra income while their vehicle is used by someone else.
Turo’s peer-to-peer model has resulted in an exceptionally high number of insurance claims and incidents relative to standardized vehicle rentals, with unauthorized drivers stealing or damaging rented vehicles, modifying them, or doing other less-than-above-board tasks with them. After this incident, Turo has come under a considerable amount of scrutiny in how it rents out vehicles.
Musk also commented that the Cybertruck was the worst vehicle for this kind of terrorist attack. The truck redirected the explosion upward, reducing potential injuries and property damage. Even the hotel’s glass doors remained intact.
![Elon talks about Twitter and job cuts at Bloomberg forum [video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/images/news/2022/elon-musk-qatar-forum_300w.jpg)
