

News
Tesla to require supervised FSD V12 test rides during vehicle deliveries: leaked Musk email
An apparent leaked email from Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggests that the electric vehicle maker would be updating its vehicle delivery process. As per the seemingly leaked email, which was shared on social media platform X, Tesla employees are now required to give short FSD V12.3.1 rides to customers who are taking delivery of their cars.
The apparent Elon Musk email was initially shared on X by longtime FSD Beta tester @WholeMarsBlog, who has been testing Tesla’s advanced driver-assist system since its limited rollout in late 2020. The email was short, but its message was clear — Elon Musk wants consumers to realize just how good FSD V12.3.1 works in real-world settings.
Here is the email pic.twitter.com/L4zEXv4sq6— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) March 25, 2024
Following is the alleged leaked Elon Musk email.
From: Elon Musk
To: Everybody
Going forward, it is mandatory in North America to install and activate FSD V12.3.1 and take customers on a short test ride before handing over the car.
Almost no one actually realizes how well (supervised) FSD actually works.
I know this will slow down the delivery process, but it is nonetheless a hard requirement.
Thanks,
Elon
This is a HUGE change on three fronts:
1, it shows just how confident Elon is about the quality of FSD
2, it will be a brilliant technique to get people to subscribe
3, it's good to show limitations and how FSD works before getting into one@elonmusk I suggest you give away 1-2… https://t.co/6OdYiqxLd6— DrKnowItAll (@DrKnowItAll16) March 25, 2024
The alleged leaked Elon Musk email hints at a number of important updates for Tesla. For one, it would appear that FSD has reached a point where Musk is now confident enough to market it more assertively to consumers. During the early days of Tesla, owners would joke that the best way to convert an EV skeptic is to just give them a ride in an electric car. Having customers experience FSD firsthand as part of their vehicle delivery experience could have a similar effect.
Another notable aspect of the seemingly leaked Musk email was the CEO’s emphasis on supervised FSD. Over the years, Musk has been very optimistic about Tesla achieving fully autonomous driving with zero human input. By promoting supervised FSD, it would appear that Musk has seen the value in simply promoting FSD’s current iteration, even if it’s not a fully autonomous driving system yet. Supervised FSD, after all, is arguably already one of the most robust driver-assist suites in the market today.
This could dramatically increase FSD take rates especially if coupled with a 0-3 month free trial of FSD.
We est every +10pp improvement in global FSD take rate can increase $TSLA EPS by $.10/share. Every +10pp improvement in the North American FSD take rate can increase $TSLA… https://t.co/AsL9JrzO5E— Gary Black (@garyblack00) March 25, 2024
Tesla bull and Wall Street veteran Gary Black of The Future Fund has noted that the CEO’s directive could end up increasing FSD take rates among consumers, especially if the EV maker couples it with a free FSD trial period. Black noted that such updates could bring some tailwinds to TSLA stock.
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News
Tesla adjusts Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin with new service area
The positioning of the driver, as well as the driver’s hands being closer to the steering wheel, is more similar to what Tesla is doing in the Bay Area Robotaxi program than it is to what it has done in Austin.

Tesla has adjusted its Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin after it expanded its service area in the city last week for the third time.
Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi platform in Austin since June 22. The vehicles have been operated without a driver, but Tesla has placed safety monitors in the passenger’s seat as a precaution.
The safety monitors are responsible for performing any necessary interventions and maintaining a safe and comfortable cabin for riders as they experience Tesla’s first venture into the driverless ride-sharing space.
Last week, Tesla expanded its service area in Austin for the third time, expanding it from about 90 square miles to 170 square miles. The expansion included new territory, including the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, and several freeways.
Tesla Robotaxi geofence expansion enters Plaid Mode and includes a surprise
The freeway is an area that is uncharted territory for the Tesla Robotaxi program, and this fact alone encouraged Tesla to switch up its safety monitor positioning for the time being.
For now, they will be riding in the driver’s seat when routes require freeway travel:
Sept 1 in Austin and our Robotaxi arrived with Tesla safety driver in the driver seat, similar to the Bay area (no logo on the car). Here’s that first moment when I realized, our autonomous car was heading onto the freeway. pic.twitter.com/1QfyN2Ubzf
— Gail 🇺🇸 (@gailalfaratx) September 2, 2025
The positioning of the driver, as well as the driver’s hands being closer to the steering wheel, is more similar to what Tesla is doing in the Bay Area Robotaxi program than it is to what it has done in Austin.
This is sure to draw criticism from skeptics, but it is simply a step to keep things controlled and safe while the first Robotaxi drives take passengers on the highway with this version of the Full Self-Driving software.
This FSD version differs from the one that customers have in their own vehicles, but CEO Elon Musk has indicated something big is coming soon. FSD v14 is coming to vehicles in the near future, and Musk has said its performance is pretty incredible.
Tesla’s Elon Musk shares optimistic teaser about FSD V14: “Feels sentient”
News
Tesla has best month ever in Turkey with drastic spike in sales
Tesla managed to sell 8,730 Model Y vehicles in Turkey, outpacing almost every competitor by a substantial margin. Only one brand sold better than Tesla in August in Turkey, and it was Renault.

Tesla had its best monthly performance ever in Turkey in August, thanks to a drastic spike in sales.
Tesla saw an 86 percent bump in sales of the new Model Y in Turkey in August compared to July, dominating the market.
The performance was one of Tesla’s best in the market, and the company’s sales for the month accounted for half of all EV sales in Turkey for August, as it dominated and led BYD, which was the second-best-selling brand with just 1,639 units sold.
Tesla managed to sell 8,730 Model Y vehicles in Turkey, outpacing almost every competitor by a substantial margin. Only one brand sold better than Tesla in August in Turkey, and it was Renault.
Turkey reported 8,730 Tesla sales and 10.6% market share in August. BEV penetration is 21.3% and Tesla has 49.9% of this segment. 🇹🇷
• Market share is 558 basis points or 111% above the 3-month trailing average of 5.0%
• Tesla second best-selling brand
• Model Y best-selling… pic.twitter.com/qLhX7VQWXp— Roland Pircher (@piloly) September 2, 2025
Electric vehicles are, in some ways, more desirable than their gas counterparts in Turkey for several reasons. Most of the reasoning is financial.
First, EVs are subject to a lower Special Consumption Tax in Turkey. EVs can range from 25 percent to up to 170 percent, but this is less than the 70 to 220 percent rate that gas-powered vehicles can face. The tax is dependent on engine size.
Additionally, EVs are exempt from the annual Motor Vehicle Tax for the first ten years, providing consumers with a long-term ownership advantage. There are also credits that can amount to $30,000 in breaks, which makes them more accessible and brings down the cost of ownership.
Let’s not forget the other advantages that are felt regardless of country: cheaper fuel costs, reduced maintenance, and improved performance.
The base Model Y is the only configuration available in Turkey currently.
News
Tesla is upgrading airbag safety through a crazy software update
“This upgrade builds upon your vehicle’s superior crash protection by now using Tesla Vision to help offer some of the most cutting-edge airbag performance in the event of a frontal crash.”

Tesla is upgrading airbag safety through a crazy software update, which will utilize the company’s vision-first approach to enable better protection in the event of an accident.
Over the years, Tesla has gained an incredible reputation for prioritizing safety in its vehicles, with crash test ratings at the forefront of its engineers’ minds.
This has led to Tesla gaining numerous five-star safety ratings and awards related to safety. It is not just a statistical thing, either. In the real world, we’ve seen Teslas demonstrate some impressive examples of crash safety.
Everything from that glass roof not caving in when a tree falls on it to a Model Y surviving a drive off a cliff has been recorded.
However, Tesla is always looking to improve safety, and unlike most companies, it does not need a physical hardware update to do so. It can enhance features such as crash response and airbag performance through Over-the-Air software updates, which download automatically to the vehicle.
In Tesla’s 2025.32 Software Update, the company is rolling out a Frontal Airbag System Enhancement, which aims to use Tesla Vision, the company’s camera-based approach to self-driving, to keep occupants safe.
The release notes state (via NotaTeslaApp):
“This upgrade builds upon your vehicle’s superior crash protection by now using Tesla Vision to help offer some of the most cutting-edge airbag performance in the event of a frontal crash. Building on top of regulatory and industry crash testing, this release enables front airbags to begin to inflate and restrain occupants earlier, in a way that only Tesla’s integrated systems are capable of doing, making your car safer over time.”
The use of cameras to predict a better time to restrain occupants with seatbelts and inflate airbags prior to a collision is a fantastic way to prevent injuries and limit harm done to those in the vehicle.
The feature is currently limited to the Model Y.
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