Elon Musk Reveals Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Setback: New Hardware Upgrade May Be Necessary

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Ambitions Face Hardware Hurdles, Musk Admits

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has acknowledged concerns about the capability of current Tesla vehicles to achieve full self-driving capabilities, despite previous assurances. The admission comes as a surprise to many Tesla owners who have invested in the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) package.

Current Tesla models utilize HW3 computers, introduced in 2019, with some customers having paid for retrofits from the earlier HW2 system. However, Musk now suggests that a new hardware upgrade, dubbed HW4, may be necessary to achieve unsupervised full self-driving capabilities.

The Tesla chief executive stated that HW4 is significantly more capable than its predecessor, potentially making it easier to implement full self-driving features. This revelation has raised questions about whether HW3 can achieve the necessary safety levels for unsupervised driving.

Musk has promised free upgrades for customers who purchased the Full Self-Driving package. However, technical challenges loom due to differences in power and camera harnesses between HW3 and HW4 systems.

The potential need for retrofitting HW4 into existing HW3 vehicles presents both technical and financial challenges for Tesla. Musk himself has expressed uncertainty about the feasibility of such upgrades, leaving many Tesla owners in limbo.

Questions remain about whether HW4 will finally enable full self-driving or if further upgrades will be needed. Musk has a history of setting optimistic timelines, having previously promised full autonomy with earlier hardware versions.

As Tesla plans to introduce unsupervised FSD in Texas and California, starting with Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the company faces not only technical hurdles but also regulatory challenges. Critics have pointed out that Tesla’s reliance on cameras instead of LIDAR technology may be a disadvantage in achieving true autonomous driving.

Despite Musk’s continued promises, full self-driving capabilities remain elusive, with ongoing technical and regulatory challenges. Tesla enthusiasts find themselves once again relying on Musk’s assurances as the company navigates these obstacles in its pursuit of autonomous driving technology.