Elon Musk says we may get FSD Beta v11.3 as early as this week
Not a Tesla App
Elon Musk has provided further guidance on Tesla's next major release of FSD Beta, v11.3. Last week Musk said that v11.3 would be ready in about 'two weeks' and would contain many major improvements.
We've heard these two-week estimates before, but it's reassuring that Musk is being specific with details on this upcoming release.
Now just seven days after his last tweet, Elon Musk is giving us more details on this significant upgrade.
Timeline
Musk said he expects FSD Beta v11.3 to start rolling out to some customers later this week, or next week at the latest. This matches up with his initial two weeks estimate a week ago.
Elon Musk's estimates are known to be overly optimistic, but given the number of details he's releasing, it sounds like Tesla may be close to releasing this next build.
FSD Beta v11.3 will likely roll out to Tesla employees first and then go out to select FSD Beta testers, possibly the original OG group. Since this is a major milestone and includes major improvements, expect a slow and gradual rollout. Although we may get our first glimpse into FSD Beta v11 this week, it may be several weeks or more before the majority of customers have access to this beta.
Neural Nets for Vehicle Behavior
A week ago Musk said this upgrade will include 'many major improvements.' Last night Musk revealed some additional details. He said there will be "many small things," one of which will be that Tesla will begin to use neural nets for vehicle navigation and control, instead of just vision.
Today Tesla uses neural networks to determine the vehicle's surroundings, where objects are, what they are, and their distances from the vehicle to create a 3D environment known as 'vector space.' With this information, the vehicle can then plan a path and navigate around these objects toward its destination.
However, based on Musk's comment, it sounds like Tesla is currently only using neural nets to determine its environment and not for controlling the vehicle. This means that how the vehicle behaves, how it finds a path, and how it moves is still a process that is coded traditionally.
In the same way that Tesla uses millions of images to determine what a stop sign or traffic cone is, it sounds like Tesla will now use a large number of examples to determine how to best control the vehicle in various situations.
That could mean that Tesla will take millions of quality examples of how to gradually accelerate or slow down, based on real driving behavior to determine how the vehicle should accelerate in different situations.
This could be applied to every driving characteristic such as turning, slow downing, driving around a parked vehicle, etc.
If Tesla starts leveraging neural nets to aid vehicle control we may soon see drastic improvements to vehicle behavior, making it much smoother and human-like.
New Features
Although Elon Musk didn't specifically mention new features coming to FSD Beta v11.3, there are several that have been talked about in the past that could show up in this major full self-driving update.
Reverse Creep
Reverse Creep has been a feature that has been talked about as far back as FSD Beta 10.13. This feature would allow the vehicle to go into reverse to move out of the way of danger or adjust its trajectory. Right now FSD Beta will only ever move forward, so this improvement would be a giant step toward achieving human-like behavior.
A good use case for this is when the vehicle moves forward for better visibility. There may be times when the vehicle sees a car coming after moving creeping forward. In these cases, it'd be smart to let the vehicle reverse back to its previous position if it is now in the path of traffic.
Navigating Without Map Data & GPS
In the past Musk also alluded to the fact that Tesla is working on the neural networks' ability to complete 'dead reckoning' navigation, which is navigating based only on inertial measurements such as speed, direction and wheel movement.
He gave underground parking garages as an example of where FSD would need the ability to navigate without GPS or map data.
The car will be able to do this by using its last known GPS location and then determine its future location using only a compass, wheel movement and speed.
FSD Beta v11
FSD Beta v11 has always been expected to be a big leap forward, and as we get closer, that hasn't changed. This update is expected to be a huge improvement to what is currently available to customers. Although Musk's timelines have usually shifted and features have typically taken longer than initially planned, it looks like we may be getting close to the next major release for FSD Beta.
Although we're still years away from true full self-driving, Tesla's mission inches closer with every update.
Recently there was also a leak revealing some details of Tesla's upcoming cameras in hardware 4.0, which are expected to include a fan and heater for select cameras.
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Did you know the Cybertruck’s air suspension automatically levels the truck, even while it’s asleep? This is a great feature, especially for camping or off-road adventures. However, it can be an issue when lifting a wheel to change a tire.
Fortunately, there’s a solution: Jack Mode.
Jack Mode
Jack Mode is made for jacking up the truck and prevents the Cybertruck from self-leveling.
To enable Jack Mode, you’ll first need to set the Ride Height to Medium from Controls > Dynamics > Ride Height. You can also set it from the Tesla app by navigating to the Controls section and sliding up until you see Ride Height. This will give you enough clearance for most jacks to get under the truck and lift it.
You can also activate Jack Mode in Low or High, but Tesla recommends a Medium ride height for best control of the vehicle and sufficient tire clearance to safely remove and reinstall the tire. However, once the vehicle is in Jack Mode, the Ride Height cannot be changed.
Next up, go to Controls > Service > Jack Mode to enable Jack Mode. The vehicle will warn you that Jack Mode is enabled and can either be disabled by pressing the button again or by putting the vehicle into drive.
For the duration that Jack Mode is active, it is safe to lift your Cybertruck, even on one side only. It will not self-level for the duration that Jack Mode is enabled.
Automatic Jack Mode
Jack Mode can also activate automatically to protect the suspension from potential damage. For example, if the vehicle’s bumper is resting on a curb, Jack Mode may engage on its own.
Once the obstacle is cleared, or if you shift into Drive or Reverse, Jack Mode will automatically be disabled.
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.
Important to note that Tesla is NOT unscathed here. The tariff impact on Tesla is still significant.
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.
