Photo: Tesla | Edited
Tesla launched the Hardware 4 Autopilot computer on the refreshed Model S and Model X in March but with limited functionality. More than three months later, Tesla finally brought support for Vision Park Assist, but there's still no word about FSD Beta.
When Green treated us with a teardown of Tesla's Hardware 4 Autopilot computer, everyone was thrilled to discover the many upgrades. The new computer was significantly more powerful than HW3 and offered new features, including more camera connectors. This made many exaggerate its importance to the point that people were determined to delay a purchase until the new computer shipped. Elon Musk might have worsened things by admitting that a retrofit would not be possible.
Undoubtedly, Tesla has longer-term plans with the upgraded hardware, but for now, HW4 proved nothing but a nuisance. This became clear in March, as Model S and Model X with the new components were delivered to the first customers. Right from the start, the new owners ran into issues as the software didn't even recognize the new hardware. As expected in these conditions, no driver-assistance features were available on the refreshed Model S and Model X, including Cruise Control, Autopilot, and Navigate on Autopilot.
Tesla solved some of the problems with an OTA update, but the FSD Beta was still not available. Tesla promised to offer support "in an upcoming software release." This was a blow to early adopters, and those who hoped Hardware 4 would offer a better and safer FSD Beta operation. Instead, the software doesn't even use the high-definition radar sensor included with the Hardware 4. To say people were disappointed would be an understatement. It might also explain why the refreshed Model S and Model X are not very successful.
Thankfully, Tesla pushed the 2023.12.300.1 update to Hardware 4 cars, the most important new feature being the Vision-based park assist. This uses machine learning to estimate the distance to surrounding objects based on camera images and provide visual and audio alerts. Hardware 4 cars cannot run FSD Beta yet, which is a bummer for those who paid for the capability upfront or by subscription. It's intriguing that software, once Tesla's pride, has become such a letdown in the past months.
Tesla juggles many software branches, possibly developed by separate teams that lost sight of one another. The EV maker maintains the 2023.7 branch for the latest FSD Beta updates, but it also offers an older version of FSD Beta (supposedly more stable) with the 2023.12 builds. Unless, of course, there are three digits after 12, in which case they are destined for HW4 cars. Finally, there are the 2023.20 builds, which were initially destined for non-FSD Beta cars, but recent findings show they have at least a placeholder for FSD Beta.
Undoubtedly, Tesla has longer-term plans with the upgraded hardware, but for now, HW4 proved nothing but a nuisance. This became clear in March, as Model S and Model X with the new components were delivered to the first customers. Right from the start, the new owners ran into issues as the software didn't even recognize the new hardware. As expected in these conditions, no driver-assistance features were available on the refreshed Model S and Model X, including Cruise Control, Autopilot, and Navigate on Autopilot.
Tesla solved some of the problems with an OTA update, but the FSD Beta was still not available. Tesla promised to offer support "in an upcoming software release." This was a blow to early adopters, and those who hoped Hardware 4 would offer a better and safer FSD Beta operation. Instead, the software doesn't even use the high-definition radar sensor included with the Hardware 4. To say people were disappointed would be an understatement. It might also explain why the refreshed Model S and Model X are not very successful.
Thankfully, Tesla pushed the 2023.12.300.1 update to Hardware 4 cars, the most important new feature being the Vision-based park assist. This uses machine learning to estimate the distance to surrounding objects based on camera images and provide visual and audio alerts. Hardware 4 cars cannot run FSD Beta yet, which is a bummer for those who paid for the capability upfront or by subscription. It's intriguing that software, once Tesla's pride, has become such a letdown in the past months.
Tesla juggles many software branches, possibly developed by separate teams that lost sight of one another. The EV maker maintains the 2023.7 branch for the latest FSD Beta updates, but it also offers an older version of FSD Beta (supposedly more stable) with the 2023.12 builds. Unless, of course, there are three digits after 12, in which case they are destined for HW4 cars. Finally, there are the 2023.20 builds, which were initially destined for non-FSD Beta cars, but recent findings show they have at least a placeholder for FSD Beta.
Tesla Vision Park Assist rolling out to HW4 vehicles via 2023.12.300.1@teslascope @WholeMarsBlog pic.twitter.com/j7NSYQzf8C
— Shaun (@sw_ev) June 9, 2023
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