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Tesla employees get FSD beta v12.2.1 ahead of wide v12 release
Tesla has begun rolling out its latest point version of the Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta to a group of employees amidst expectations that the automaker could launch its v12 software publicly in the coming months.
According to a post from Teslascope shared on Sunday, the FSD beta v12.2.1 has started rolling out to employees and special groups, coming just over a week after Tesla started rolling out FSD beta v12.2 to workers. The latest build is going out on software version 2023.44.30.20, and it includes support for HW4 vehicles after the last point version only went out to HW3 vehicles, as Teslascope explains.
Full Self-Driving (Beta) V12.2.1 is now going out to @Tesla employees and special groups for the first time!
— Teslascope (@teslascope) February 18, 2024
Notably, Teslascope also says that the period between internal release and public release for v11 was about three months:
It was actually almost three months for V11!
The initial build of V11 went out on 11/11 but went out to customers at the end of February, going into March of the following year.
Compared to that, V12 has had a 4x rate of progress and only partially delayed due to the recall.
— Teslascope (@teslascope) February 19, 2024
Since Tesla initially began rolling its first v12 FSD beta build to a limited group of employees in November, the automaker has deployed multiple point releases and has even expanded the group that receives the highly anticipated v12 software.
Teslascope and others have noted that the wide rollout of the v12 FSD beta could be imminent, given the employee testing versions, though CEO Elon Musk said in late December that v12 was undergoing some extra testing before the automaker rolls it out to the public.
Tesla also began deploying its FSD beta v12.1 to over 15,000 personally-owned Tesla employee vehicles in late December as part of its Wave1 testing group, seemingly indicating that a wider launch would be coming soon.
In recent weeks, Teslascope has been told by some at Tesla that “the goal is to release an update any day now to the public.”
Tesla FSD beta v12 rollout timeline (so far)
- June 27, 2023: Musk says FSD v12 “won’t be beta”
- August 11, 2023: Musk says FSD beta v12 is being tested by QA drivers
- August 25, 2023: Musk livestreams FSD beta v12 drive on X
- November 24, 2023: Tesla rolls out FSD beta v12 to initial employee group
- December 27, 2023: Teslascope confirms FSD (still termed “beta”) v12.1 rollout to Wave1, including over 15,000 Tesla employee vehicles
- December 28, 2023: Musk says FSD beta v12 is undergoing extra testing
- January 13, 2024: Tesla rolls out FSD beta v12.1.1 to employees and special groups
- January 21, 2024: Tesla rolls out FSD beta v12.1.2 to first customer vehicle
- February 10, 2024: Tesla rolls out FSD beta v12.2 to employees and special groups
- February 18, 2024: Tesla rolls out FSD beta v12.2.1 to employees and special groups
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us news tips at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla’s European Comeback: Registrations soar in May as recovery gains momentum
Tesla is staging a powerful rebound in Europe. New vehicle registrations surged dramatically across multiple key markets in May 2026, signaling a strong recovery from the challenges of 2025.
Data released this week show double- and triple-digit year-over-year gains in several countries, driven by refreshed Model Y production, supportive policies, high fuel prices, and renewed consumer interest in electric vehicles.
In France, registrations exploded 655 percent to 5,446 vehicles, marking Tesla’s best May performance ever in the country. Norway, a longtime EV stronghold, saw 3,345 new Teslas registered, up 29 percent from May 2025. The company even captured a commanding 21.5 percent market share there, according to Detroit News.
Growth extended to other markets as well. Sweden posted a 71 percent increase to 858 registrations. Denmark jumped 136 percent to 1,750 units, where the Model Y became the top-selling vehicle overall. Spain climbed 113 percent to 1,690 sales, while Portugal soared nearly 350 percent to 1,463.
RELATED:
Tesla Full Self-Driving expansion in Europe continues with new addition
The May results build on a broader turnaround for Tesla in Europe. The company’s sales on the continent had declined sharply in 2025, dropping between 27 and 28 percent amid production shifts, intense competition from Chinese rivals like BYD, and shifting consumer sentiment.
Early 2026 showed signs of life, with registrations rising about 45 percent across Europe in the first quarter and continuing upward momentum through April, up over 46 percent region-wide.
Europe’s overall electrified vehicle market (including BEVs, PHEVs, and hybrids) grew about 21 percent in May, providing a favorable tailwind. Tesla’s gains align with this trend, boosted by government incentives and high fuel costs that make EVs more attractive.
Earlier data from March and April already hinted at strength in Germany, where registrations had surged dramatically in prior months.
Analysts note that while competition remains fierce, Tesla’s refreshed lineup and Europe’s policy support for EVs are helping the company regain ground. The May surge suggests the worst of the 2025 downturn may be behind it, positioning Tesla for stronger performance in the second half of 2026.
This rebound is welcome news for the EV pioneer, demonstrating resilience in a competitive and evolving market. As more data rolls in, investors and industry watchers will be closely monitoring whether this momentum can sustain through the summer and beyond.
News
Tesla plans ingenious improvement to one of its best features
Tesla is planning to improve one of the best features on its lineup of cars, a new patent shows. Tesla’s massive glass roof on its premium models is among the coolest additions to the all-electric vehicles, but the design certainly has its complaints, especially from those who live in even slightly warm climates.
Tesla has published a new patent that promises to transform cabin comfort in its electric vehicles, particularly those equipped with the expansive glass roofs.
The document, identified as US20260091643A1 and titled “Airflow Optimization for Cabin Comfort“, addresses that common complaint. Sunlight streaming through windshields and panoramic roofs creates localized hot air pockets near the dashboard and headliner. These pockets generate significant temperature gradients that conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems struggle to manage evenly.
The exposure to direct sunlight can make the cabin extremely warm, and even after cooling down the interior temperature, combating the continuous stream of sunlight and heat is a challenge. It uses precious energy that is especially pertinent to range and efficiency.
The patent explains how standard dashboard vents push cool air upward, only to entrain warmer air from these stagnant zones and distribute it throughout the occupied cabin space. This process forces the blower to operate at higher speeds, increasing energy consumption and reducing overall efficiency.
In electric vehicles, where every watt impacts driving range, such inefficiencies prove costly.
🚨 THE MODEL Y L IS THE MOST WATCHED EV LAUNCH OF 2026. ITS GLASS ROOF HAS ONE WEAKNESS — AND A PATENT PUBLISHED THIS WEEK SHOWS @TESLA BUILT THE FIX
The Model Y L launched in China and is now arriving in Korea, Japan, and across Asia-Pacific. It also has a glass roof. So does… https://t.co/wr6XnBn1Oc pic.twitter.com/5sYpniXJbU
— SETI Park (@seti_park) April 5, 2026
Research from AAA indicates that air conditioning can diminish range by up to 17 percent under hot conditions. Tesla’s innovation shifts the approach by extracting heat at its source rather than attempting to dilute it after mixing occurs.
Engineers describe a suction HVAC unit connected to dedicated intakes positioned strategically on the upper dashboard surface and within the headliner.
These intakes link to a hot air pocket extraction duct that channels the warmest air directly into the system’s plenum for conditioning. As the blower activates, it simultaneously draws recirculated cabin air and targeted hot pocket air through filters and cooling coils before redistributing conditioned airflow.
It seems somewhat reminiscent of the Tesla heat pump, which aims to combat colder temperatures.
Tesla highlights Model Y’s heat pump innovations in new promotional video
This method reduces entrainment, lowers peak temperatures, and achieves more uniform comfort levels. Testing data reveals that facial temperature gradients drop from 21 degrees Celsius, or 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit, in conventional setups to just 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees F) with the new system. Blower speeds and compressor power requirements decrease appreciably as a result.
The design incorporates smart controls that monitor sunlight intensity and internal temperature distributions in real time. Suction activates selectively only where needed, optimizing energy use without constant high demand. Furthermore, the extraction duct serves a dual purpose.
In the summer months, it pulls hot air inward for cooling; in winter, it reverses to direct warm air outward for rapid windshield defrosting. This versatility allows the reuse of existing hardware with minimal modifications, potentially enabling retrofits in current Tesla fleets.
Lifestyle
Tesla saves its passengers again – This time after a 300-foot cliff fall in Malibu
A Tesla Model 3 fell 300 feet off a Malibu cliff and both passengers survived.
A Tesla Model 3 plunged roughly 300 feet off a cliff on Mulholland Highway in Malibu on Friday morning, May 29, 2026, and both occupants survived. The crash was reported at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the 2500 block of Mulholland Highway, triggering a multi-agency rescue operation involving Malibu Search and Rescue, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and McCormick Ambulance.
When first responders arrived, the male driver was outside the vehicle shouting for help while the female passenger remained pinned inside the Tesla. Rescue crews rappelled down the cliffside on ropes to reach the wreckage. A flight medic was lowered by helicopter to begin treating both victims, and the driver was hoisted up to the roadway before crews used the Jaws of Life to free the trapped passenger. Both were airlifted to a local trauma center with moderate injuries despite a remarkable result for a fall that steep.
The outcome is not surprising, considering Model 3 earned an overall 5-star rating from NHTSA in every category and sub-category, and recorded the lowest probability of injury of any car ever evaluated by the U.S. New Car Assessment Program. The absence of a traditional engine in the front of the vehicle creates a longer crumple zone that absorbs impact energy before it reaches occupants, and the battery pack running along the floor gives the car an unusually low center of gravity that reinforces structural rigidity.
This is not the first time a Tesla has kept passengers alive after going off a cliff. A Tesla Model Y carrying a family of four survived a plunge off a cliff at Devil’s Slide near San Francisco in January 2023, with two adults and two children walking away from a 250-foot fall. That incident drew widespread attention to how the structural integrity of Tesla’s electric platform performs in extreme crash scenarios that most vehicles would not survive.
Tesla Model Y driver who drove off cliff with family attempts to avoid criminal conviction