Connect with us
fsd-plaid-1 fsd-plaid-1

News

Tesla FSD Beta V11 partial release notes confirm single stack rollout

Credit: @evamcmillan333/Twitter)

Published

on

Tesla released FSD Beta version 11 over the weekend. Partial release notes of v11 confirm that it is the single stack update testers have been waiting for Tesla to roll out. 

The fact that only parts of the FSD Beta V11 release notes are available hints at the enormity of the update. Listed below are the FSD Beta V11 release notes that have been shared as of writing.

Enabled FSD Beta on Highway 

“Enabled FSD Beta on highway. This unifies the vision and planning stack on and off-highway and replaces the legacy highway stack, which is over four years old. The legacy highway stack still relies on several single-camera and single-frame networks, and was setup to handle simple lane-specific maneuvers. 

“FSD Beta’s multi-camera video networks and next-gen planner, that allows for more complex agent interactions with less reliance on lanes, make way for adding more intelligent behaviors, smoother control and better decision making,” said Tesla’s FSD Beta V11 release notes. 

Advertisement

During AI Day 2022, an FSD expert mentioned Tesla’s new FSD stack for highway drives. He noted that the new stack for highway drives performed better than the production stacks Tesla had already rolled out. 

Elon Musk confirmed Tesla’s official FSD Beta V11 rollout late Friday. The CEO has teased this highway stack update for quite some time and has mentioned that it will be available during the single stack release.

“The version of FSD Beta that I drive, actually does have the integrated stack so it uses the FSD stack both in city streets and highway,” Musk said during AI Day 2022.

“It works quite well for me but we need to validate it in all kinds of weather, like heavy rain, snow, dust— And just make sure it’s working better than the production stack, you know, across a wide range of environments. But we’re pretty close to that, I mean I think it’s—I don’t know… It’ll definitely be before the end of the year and maybe November,” he added.

Advertisement

Improved Occupancy Network’s Recall

“improved Occupancy Network’s recall for close by obstacles and precision in severe weather conditions with 4x increase in transformer spatial resolution, 20% increase in image featurizer capacity, improved side camera calibration, and 260k more video training clips (real-world and simulation),” noted the FSD Beta V11 release notes. 

Most FSD testers emphasized Tesla FSD Beta’s significant improvements in Occupancy Networks. In August 2022, Tesla’s Director of Autopilot Software, Ashok Elluswamy, talked about Tesla’s new Occupancy Network during his CVPR 2022 keynote address. 

Tesla’s new Occupancy Network determines if any location in 3D space around a car is drivable or not drivable. Youtuber Dr. Know-it-all Knows it all noted that Tesla’s new Occupancy Network has profound implications for FSD Beta, but also for collision avoidance. During his keynote address, Elluswamy mentioned that the new Occupancy Network would generate a more efficient collision avoidance field, making Teslas safer. 

Improvements to Tesla’s collision avoidance field are expected to roll out to all of the company’s vehicles, meaning the implications of the Occupancy Network reverberate throughout the entire fleet. 

Advertisement

What else to expect in FSD Beta V11?

Elon Musk announced that Version 11 will roll out to more FSD Beta testers in the coming weeks. As the weeks go by, Tesla might also release more information on V11

Besides the highway stack, Tesla is expected to roll out “Actual” Smart Summon in the single stack FSD Beta update. Elon Musk also mentioned an update that would give the car the ability to assess the velocity of fast-moving traffic.

Only the rest of Version 11’s release notes will reveal the surprises Tesla had up its sleeve for FSD Beta testers. 

Check out the video below about Tesla’s new Occupancy Network!

Advertisement

Are you an FSD Beta tester? Have you tried version 11 yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the FSD Beta V11! Contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla gets another layer of gamification with Free Supercharging on the line

Published

on

tesla-supercharger-diner
Credit: Tesla

Tesla Supercharging is getting yet another layer of gamification, as the company is rolling out a new competition that could win Free Supercharging miles.

Tesla is ramping up its efforts to make vehicle ownership more engaging through gamification. In June 2026, the company announced the 2026 Free Supercharging Competition, building on the Charging Passport feature introduced the previous year. This initiative turns Supercharging into a competitive, collectible adventure while offering substantial real-world incentives.

The Charging Passport, rolled out late last year, functions like a digital travel log or a year-in-review for Tesla owners. These types of things are used by many platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, which show listeners what type of taste they had for the year.

Accessed in the Tesla App under the ‘Charging’ section, it displays a map of visited Superchargers, key stats, such as total energy charged (kWh), number of unique sites, total charging sessions, top charging day, and miles added. Owners earn collectible Charging Badges in categories, which include:

  • Charging Milestones – for total energy, consecutive weeks of Supercharging, or unique sites visited
  • Iconic Chargers – for Flagship Locations or stations near famous landmarks
  • Special Events – limited-time badges for specific experiences. These badges appear within 24 hours of qualifying activity and provide a fun, shareable recap of an owner’s Supercharging journeys. Milestone progress resets annually, allowing fresh challenges each year

The 2026 contest elevates this gamification by rewarding top performers with lifetime free Supercharging. All Supercharging sessions from January 1 to December 31, 2026, count toward the competition. To participate, owners must enable “Share Charging Data with Tesla App” in vehicle settings and open the 2026 Charging Passport in the app at least once before January 1, 2027.

Nine winners will be selected — three per region (Americas, Asia-Pacific, and EMEA, with some  countries excluded for regulatory reasons) — one in each of three categories:

  • Longest Trip: Longest continuous streak of unique Supercharger locations where each new site is visited within 24 hours of the previous session’s start time
  • Most Unique Supercharger Sites Visited: Highest number of distinct locations
  • Most Energy Supercharged: Highest total in kWh charged at Superchargers

A unique site is defined as shown in the Tesla app or vehicle navigation. Repeat visits during a streak are allowed but do not extend the count. Ties are broken by total energy charged. Ineligible participants include vehicles already receiving free Supercharging, commercial-use vehicles (taxi, rideshare, delivery), Tesla employees and their immediate families, and residents of certain excluded countries.

Winners receive free Supercharging on the winning vehicle for as long as they own or lease it.

This contest is part of Tesla’s broader gamification strategy. The Safety Score has long rewarded safe driving habits with a numerical rating that can influence insurance rates or feature access. The referral program incentivizes owners with credits or free Supercharging months for successful referrals.

In-app statistics, streaks, and community features further encourage engagement. Older third-party apps even awarded “mayor” titles for frequenting specific Superchargers.

By combining digital badges, competitive leaderboards, and high-value rewards, Tesla boosts network utilization, gathers usage data, and fosters deeper owner loyalty. The 2026 Free Supercharging Competition invites enthusiasts to plan epic road trips while turning everyday charging into a rewarding pursuit. With the Passport already proving popular, expect heightened activity across the Supercharger network throughout the year.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla tops American-Made Index for sixth-consecutive year

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla is atop the American-Made Index from Cars.com for the sixth-straight year, as the Model 3 and Model Y took the top two spots, respectively.

Last year, the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X took the top four spots, respectively. The company has routinely performed well in the Index. However, Tesla discontinued its flagship Model S and Model X earlier this year, which took the two cars out of the ranking.

Cybertruck is not considered due to its curb weight being above the 8,500-pound threshold, which eliminates it from being required to have more detailed assembly information.

Cars.com uses five main categories to develop its rankings:

  • Location(s) of final assembly
  • Percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts
  • Countries of origin for all available engines
  • Countries of origin for all available transmissions
  • U.S. manufacturing workforce

These five major factors are then put into a 100-point scale. The vehicles with the highest scores sit atop the list. The Model 3 edged out the Model Y.

Tesla uses a strong domestic strategy to build its cars and parts domestically. It relies on intense vertical integration that reduces its dependence on global suppliers, keeping more value and jobs in the United States.

This strategy has helped Tesla gain a strong reputation for domestically produced vehicles and parts. However, it helps it with more than just awards like this one. Keeping a supply chain local has also helped insulate Tesla more than others from tariffs and supply chain disruptions.

This year’s American-Made Index from Cars.com studied nearly 400 vehicles from the 2026 model year. Tesla was the only manufacturer to have an EV inside the Top 10. The Kia EV9 was the next EV to make the list, scoring the 17th position.

The Hyundai IONIQ 5 was 21st, and the final EV to make the list was the Cadillac LYRIQ in 77th.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

Tesla finally clarifies fatal Texas crash, confirms driver manually overrode acceleration

Published

on

Credit: CNBC

Tesla has finally clarified the situation regarding the viral crash in Texas where a Model 3 slammed into a home.

CEO Elon Musk replied to reports on Monday that stated the crash was due to the company’s Full Self-Driving or Autopilot suite, which seemed unlikely to those who are familiar with it. Video showed the car slamming into a house at an excessive rate of speed, making it highly unlikely the crash was due to the suite’s operation, as it does not travel at those speeds in residential areas.

Musk said:

“This makes no sense. FSD drives slowly through neighborhood streets, and this was a high-speed crash!”

Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, added context, revealing that the company’s data shows the driver “manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100%.”

He revealed the speed reached by the car was 73 MPH, and the accelerator was still pressed “even after the crash.”

Authorities are reportedly investigating “whether Tesla’s Autopilot system played a role after a Model 3 left the roadway…slammed through a brick house at high speed and fatally struck Matha Avila as she sat inside,” the New York Post reported.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now investigating the crash. Tesla will work with the agency to provide them with whatever information they need in order to clarify the cause of the crash.

Similarly, Tesla had claims of a fatal accident in Harris County, Texas, a few years ago. Early reports indicated that Full Self-Driving was the cause of the crash. After the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) worked with Tesla, the agency proved there was “no use of the Autopilot system at any time during this ownership period of the vehicle, including the time frame up to the last transmitted timestamp on April 17, 2021.”

Tesla alleged “driverless” crash in Texas: What is known so far

“Application of the accelerator pedal was found to be as high as 98.8 percent,” the NTSB said in their findings. The highest recorded speed in the five seconds leading up to the impact was 67 miles per hour. The area where the crash occurred is residential, and Texas State laws have default speed limits of 30 MPH in residential streets.

This appears to be a similar situation. However, an investigation will prove what happened for sure.

Continue Reading