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Tesla FSD buyers in Europe request HW3 clarity after multiple retrofit delays
Austria-based Raffael Helmhart was one of the Tesla Model 3’s early adopters in his area. Placing his reservation for the all-electric sedan back in April 2016, Helmhart waited over three years before he could get behind the wheel of his Model 3. Such a wait was long, but it was somewhat expected considering Tesla’s challenges in producing and delivering the vehicle.
Helmhart ultimately took delivery of his 2019 Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor AWD in May 2019. His vehicle came loaded with the Full Self-Driving suite, which includes some features and the promise of more advanced automated capabilities over time. Perhaps due to his early reservation, Helmhart’s Model 3 came with Hardware 2.5, the iteration of the company’s Autopilot computer that preceded Hardware 3, a custom computer unveiled on Autonomy Day.
Similar to fellow Model 3 buyers in the United States who also purchased the Full Self-Driving suite, Helmhart and his fellow Tesla owners in Europe were promised a HW3 retrofit. Reports of initial Hardware 3 retrofits for Model S and Model X owners in the US were reported by members of the electric vehicle community in the third quarter of 2019. Model 3 owners with HW2.5 were provided the promised HW3 retrofit soon after.
For Model 3 owners in Europe, the story unfortunately turned out quite different. Initially, Tesla’s official website noted that HW2.5 to HW3 retrofits in Europe would be initiated in early March 2020. This date was eventually updated to the end of March 2020, before being moved once more to July 2020. Much to the chagrin of Tesla owners with HW2.5 Model 3s, the date on Tesla’s site for the promised retrofit was later updated to October 2020, and later, to the end of October 2020.
Recently, Tesla’s site was updated once more, and it noted that HW3 retrofits for Model 3 owners with HW2.5 in Europe were expected in Q2 2021.
Needless to say, Tesla Model 3 early adopters in the region who purchased the FSD suite are getting their patience tested. This became particularly notable in Autumn 2020, when Tesla owners in Norway, the Netherlands, and Switzerland received their HW3 upgrade. Model 3 owners in the rest of Europe only received an updated expected retrofit date.
https://twitter.com/tesla_adri/status/1370828412382760960?s=20
As for Helmhart, he eventually opted to sell his 2019 Model 3 to Denmark a few months ago. He opted to switch to a 2021 Model 3, which featured refresh elements like new headlights, a new center console, a heat pump, and of course, HW3. In a statement to Teslarati, the Tesla owner stated that while it is often claimed that the HW3 upgrade doesn’t really do anything in Europe considering the region’s regulations, his experience with his 2021 Model 3 suggests that this may not really be the case.
For one, there are already a number of key features requiring HW3 that are pertinent for Europe-based Tesla owners. One of these is traffic sign recognition, which works even with basic Autopilot. FSD-specific features such as Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, a key Full Self-Driving feature and a pivotal part of Tesla’s inner-city driving system, is also allowed in Europe despite the region’s strict regulations. The FSD Preview visualizations are now accessible as well. Ultimately, it appears that the HW3 upgrade does provide a number of improvements to the Tesla ownership experience, and it is one that Tesla Model 3 owners with HW2.5 in Europe continue to wait for until today.
Hopefully, Tesla could straighten out its HW3 retrofit rollout strategy for the majority of Europe. Elon Musk, after all, has always maintained that Tesla’s success is in no small part due to the faith of early adopters who chose to take a chance on a company with little experience building cars. As Tesla grows into one of the world’s most formidable carmakers and the market’s dominating EV force, there is very little reason why perennial delays on after-sales programs such as the HW3 retrofit are still happening.
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Elon Musk
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”
Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.
According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.
While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report.
The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.
The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.
Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.
The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
