Tesla is pushing FSD Beta automatically to owners who qualify

By Lennon Cihak
Tesla automatically pushing FSD Beta to owners who qualify
Tesla automatically pushing FSD Beta to owners who qualify
Tesla

Tesla recently announced that it was dropping the requirement to get into FSD Beta to a Safety Score of 80+.

Once a driver’s Safety Score goes above 80+ and they’ve driven at least 100 miles on Autopilot, they should receive the latest version of FSD Beta. The latest version of FSD Beta is 10.69.2.2 (2022.20.17).

Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to announce the improvements that the Autopilot and Beta teams have made to the driver-assistance software. On September 19th, Musk said, “FSD Beta 10.69.2.1 looks good, extending to 160k owners in US & Canada.”

As users and future FSD Beta testers chimed in with questions, Teslascope inquired about those in the Safety Score queue with an 80+ receiving Beta. Musk responded, “Yes, all US & Canada cars with safety scores above 80 should receive an invitation to download FSD Beta by tomorrow [September 20th].”

Additionally, Musk clarified BLCKMDL3’s question as to whether Tesla would automatically push FSD Beta to owners with a sufficient Safety Score with 100+ miles of driving. “Yes,” Musk says.

However, there appears to be one issue if you're trying to get into the FSD Beta program. It seems that Tesla wants to avoid rolling back vehicle software. So, if you’re in the FSD Beta queue and you’re running a 2022.24, or 2022.28 build, you may have to wait for an updated version of FSD Beta because the most recent version of Beta is built on 2022.20.

Rolling back a major update appears to be something Tesla wants to avoid. It's possible that Tesla does not rigously test rollbacks, while functionality and upgrade testing is a standard part of their releases.

In addition, customers downgrading from 2022.28 to 2022.20 would lose bug fixes, various improvements and features, and safety features that they may have already started getting used to.

Tesla's Safety Score was introduced in the fall of 2021 as a way for Tesla to keep a tally on owners' driving behaviors. Although the Safety Score is far from perfect, it is one metric Tesla uses to decide who they should allow into their beta program.

FSD Beta continues to go out to new owners. If you've requested access to FSD Beta and haven't received it yet, keep your Safety Score up and keep driving on Autopilot as much as safely possible. If you're on an update after 2022.20, you may have to wait until the next beta, which is expected to be FSD Beta 10.69.3 and should be available shortly after Tesla's AI Day Part II, which is scheduled for September 30th.

How the 25% Auto Tariffs Will Impact Tesla

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

On March 27, the U.S. Administration announced a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles and foreign-made automotive parts, an attempt to strengthen domestic manufacturing. Currently, Tesla and Rivian stand out as the major EV automakers with a predominantly U.S.-built lineup.

In this analysis, we’ll explore the potential impact of these tariffs, examining key factors and what they mean for the industry moving forward.

Percentage of American Parts

One key item we want to point out here before we continue is that the NHTSA defines North American made parts as parts built in either the United States or Canada - Mexico is not included in this number. In November 2024, we found out the percentage of parts Tesla uses that come from the U.S. and Canada. At the top we have Tesla’s Model 3, which uses 75% North American parts.

We’ll be sticking with overall percentage of North American parts since we don’t actually know what percentage Tesla sources from Canada. We do know today that some cameras, essential die parts, and other key components are sourced from Canada for nearly every vehicle in Tesla’s lineup - so it isn’t an insignificant percentage.

Insulated from Tariffs?

At first glance, Tesla may seem insulated from these tariffs. However, its dependence on a global supply chain—particularly parts moving across the U.S.-Canada border under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)—adds complexity to the equation. Additionally, potential retaliatory tariffs from Canada could further pressure Tesla, a trend already evident in the company being excluded from multiple EV incentives across the country.

While Canada isn’t Tesla’s largest market, it still accounts for a meaningful share of sales. Even a small decline in that market could have a noticeable impact on the company’s bottom line.

Domestic Advantage

Tesla’s domestic advantage is impressive—it manufactures all vehicles sold in North America at just two facilities: Tesla Fremont and Gigafactory Texas. The initial 25% tariff, set to take effect on April 2, 2025, applies to cars and light trucks assembled outside the U.S., likely dealing a heavy blow to competitors like Hyundai and Volkswagen. According to a Goldman Sachs report, these tariffs could drive up vehicle prices by $5,000 to $15,000.

However, this advantage is partially offset by exemptions under the USMCA. To avoid the full tariff, vehicles and parts must meet a strict “rules of origin” requirement, meaning at least 75% of components must come from the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. This exemption remains in place until May 3, 2025, when the second stage of tariffs kicks in—targeting non-U.S. content more directly.

Effectively, the NHTSA and USMCA’s existing framework for defining “North American-made” components is being upended. This shift plays to Tesla’s strengths, but to understand the full impact, we need to take a closer look at its supply chain.

Supply Chains

Tesla’s supply chain is deeply integrated across North America. Approximately 25% of the Model 3 Long Range RWD and AWD comes from Mexico - and some undefined percentage also comes from Canada. That number rises significantly for the other vehicle’s in Tesla’s line-up, which is available in the chart below from early November 2024.

Phase 2 of the tariffs will place an increasing impact on Tesla - especially as it won’t be simple nor quick for Tesla to move all part production to the United States. 

Vehicle

Pct made in US/Canada

Model 3 LR AWD/RWD

75%

Model 3 Performance

70%

Model Y (All Variants)

70%

Cybertruck

65%

Model S

65%

Model X

60%

Battery Production

This is particularly evident in Tesla’s reliance on Canadian minerals, which are crucial for its battery production. Tesla sources key materials like nickel, lithium, and cobalt from Canadian mines, with most of these resources being shipped across the border in an unrefined state. Currently, these shipments face a relatively low 10% tariff from Canada. However, potential retaliatory tariffs could drive costs higher or even restrict access to these essential minerals.

While limiting access may seem extreme, Ontario has already threatened to halt nickel exports from Canada’s largest nickel mine to the U.S.—a move that could pose a serious challenge for Tesla.

Even Elon Musk has acknowledged that Tesla won’t emerge from these tariffs unscathed.

Retaliatory Tariffs

Tariffs are rarely a one-way street. Canada and Mexico are likely to respond with retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made auto parts or vehicles. Both countries have already explored reducing EV incentives by excluding Tesla from certain rebates. Additionally, there have been discussions about imposing tariffs specifically on Tesla, partly due to Elon Musk’s political involvement.

Consumer Impact

Several scenarios impacting consumers can unfold in response to these upcoming tariffs.

In the short term, higher prices for competitors could drive more customers toward Tesla as they seek more affordable products. However, increased import costs could force Tesla to either absorb the expense or raise prices—potentially offsetting any sales gains.

Cox Automotive, a leading industry analyst, has warned that by mid-April 2025, North America could see reduced production, tighter supply, and rising vehicle prices. Tesla, despite its domestic production, won’t be immune to these effects due to its reliance on a continental supply chain.

To mitigate long-term costs, Tesla could explore securing domestic mineral rights—an expensive move initially but one that could provide stability if tariffs remain in place for years under the current administration.

However, Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja acknowledged during the Q4 2025 Earnings Call that the company remains heavily dependent on global parts sourcing. Given Tesla’s own admission of the impact, consumers should expect price increases as the company adjusts to the shifting trade landscape.

What to Take Away

Overall, the 25% tariff presents a double-edged sword for Tesla. While it may offer short-term advantages by making competitors’ vehicles more expensive, long-term, Tesla will also be impacted. Tesla’s reliance on cross-border parts, coupled with potential retaliatory tariffs, could quickly escalate costs and increase vehicle prices.

As the political landscape around tariffs continues to evolve on what seems to be a daily basis, Tesla will need to navigate these changes carefully. Tesla’s supply chain has been optimized for cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Any changes that happen could be driven by the new tariffs. Tesla may be forced to make changes that prioritize reducing tariff costs, potentially at the expense of efficiency. However, if these policies continue to evolve or if tariffs are later removed, Tesla is then stuck with a less-efficient supply change.

The company will likely address these challenges in detail during the Q1 2025 Earnings Call, though that remains several weeks away.

What the Green and Orange Dots in a Tesla Mean

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Over the years, Tesla has introduced UI elements that indicate when specific hardware or software features are active—and these two new dots follow the same pattern.

In June 2024, Tesla introduced the ability to see which third-party apps have access to the vehicle’s location, and these new indicator dots have a similar goal — to improve transparency on features that impact privacy.

Green Dot

If you’ve noticed a green dot on your Tesla display or the instrument cluster for the Model S or Model X, then you have access to Tesla’s hands-free Autopilot feature.

The green dot is displayed on the screen whenever FSD or Autopilot is active and the vehicle is using the interior camera to monitor the driver’s attention.

The cabin camera does a much better job monitoring the driver than the old method of sensing torque on the steering wheel. The cabin camera detects driver attention by tracking the driver’s head and eyes and making sure they’re focusing on the road. If the driver looks away from the road for an extended period, the vehicle will warn the driver or issue a strike for repeat offenses.

If the cabin camera is occluded or obscured, or if it’s simply too dark, the vehicle will fall back to monitoring the driver by detecting torque on the steering wheel.

The presence of the green dot not only lets the driver know that the interior camera is being used but also lets them know whether they need to keep their hands on the steering wheel.

It’s important to note that images and video taken with the interior camera are processed in the vehicle and do not leave the vehicle unless you have granted access for Tesla to use them to improve functionality.

You can check your privacy and data sharing policy in Controls > Software and tap the Data Sharing button at the bottom.

Orange Dot

The orange dot functions similarly to the green one, but instead of indicating cabin camera usage, it appears when the vehicle’s microphone is active. This was added with software update 2025.2, which now listens for audio cues to detect emergency vehicles and other types of noises that could help the vehicle better understand its environment in the future.

Tesla is currently collecting this data to refine its ability to detect emergency vehicles even before they come into view. This capability is expected to be added in FSD v14 along with a larger model size.

Like cabin camera analytics, drivers can opt to share audio data with Tesla to improve detection accuracy. Many users received an “Allow Sound Detection Analytics” prompt following the recent update. If they consent, Tesla may use certain audio snippets to help improve their detection model. Any data transmitted to Tesla is not linked to a specific user or vehicle, so it can’t be tied to a specific individual.

Otherwise, all audio detection and processing is completed in the vehicle to ensure the driver’s privacy.

The prompt for audio analytics
The prompt for audio analytics
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