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Tesla owners share first impressions of FSD V12.5 on Hardware 3 vehicles

Credit: Tesla Tutorials/YouTube

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It appears that Tesla is now ramping the release of FSD V12.5.1.5 to more Hardware 3 vehicles. Based on comments from HW3 Tesla owners on social media, it appears that the recently released update represents a good step forward for the advanced driver-assist system. 

As noted by Tesla Director of Autopilot Software Ashok Elluswamy in a recent comment on social media platform X, the company was able to achieve similar performance as HW4’s FSD V12.5 release with a smaller model for Hardware 3 vehicles. He also noted that deploying the larger model required Tesla to “implement a few kernels in the compiler to emulate the same operations that are natively supported on the AI4 hardware.”

While initial reports of FSD V12.5’s HW3 release still suggested that the software was being rolled out to employees, later posts on social media suggested that regular consumers were also receiving the update. Reviews posted on social media from longtime Tesla owners so far suggest that FSD V12.5 may very well be the best version of the advanced driver assist system that has been rolled out to HW3 vehicles to date.

Among the most prominent comments from HW3 vehicle owners was that FSD V12.5 definitely feels smoother than previous iterations of the advanced driver assist system. The build reportedly also feels quicker and more confident in making decisions. This is quite evident in the freeway, as the highway stack has reportedly become more decisive with the V12.5 update as well. That being said, some owners also mentioned that V12.5’s auto speed is a bit too slow in Hardware 3 vehicles. 

Longtime FSD tester @AIDRIVR, who uses a Hardware 3 Tesla Model S with no interior camera, observed that the new update tends to take natural paths through turns. He also noted that FSD V12.5 has very good lane positioning. The update reportedly also featured the best acceleration and braking compared to any FSD version that has been released to date. 

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Overall, it does appear that FSD V12.5 is a solid release for Hardware 3 vehicles. However, it does present some concerns about how fast older Teslas would be receiving the latest updates from the electric vehicle maker. Tesla first started selling FSD as an add-on for Enhanced Autopilot in 2016, after all, and Hardware 3 was only made available for vehicles in 2019. Hardware 4 was released in 2023.

Watch a video of FSD V12.5 on a Hardware 3 vehicle below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla is adding an interesting feature to its centerscreen in a coming update

In a recent dissection of coding, Tesla hacker green noticed that the company is bringing in screenshare with Software Update 2025.38

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is adding an interesting feature to its center touchscreen in a coming update, according to a noted hacker.

In a recent dissection of coding, Tesla hacker green noticed that the company is bringing in screenshare with Software Update 2025.38. Details on the use case are slim, but he said the feature would export the car screen so it could be viewed remotely.

It would bring up a notification on the screen, along with a four-digit pin that would link the two together:

As previously mentioned, the use case is unclear, but there are some ideas. One of which is for remote support, which is something Apple has used to help resolve issues with its products.

Support staff and employees routinely tap into customers’ screens to help resolve issues, so this could be a way Tesla could also use it.

This seems especially relevant with Robotaxi, as the screen might be a crucial part of resolving customer complaints when there is no employee in the car.

Additionally, it seems as if it will not be exclusive to those owners who have newer vehicles that utilize the AMD chip. Intel will get support with the new feature as well, according to what green has noticed in the coding.

Finally, it could also be used with all sorts of content creation, especially as Full Self-Driving videos and what the vehicle sees in Driver Visualization.

As it is released, Tesla will likely release more information regarding what the screensharing mode will be used for.

For right now, many owners are wondering where it could actually work and what advantages it will offer for owners as well as the company itself.

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SpaceX posts Starship booster feat that’s so nutty, it doesn’t even look real

The Super Heavy booster’s feat was so impressive that the whole maneuver almost looked like it was AI-generated.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX has shared a video of a remarkable feat achieved by Starship’s Super Heavy booster during its 11th flight test.

The Super Heavy booster’s feat was so impressive that the whole maneuver, which was captured on video, almost looked like it was AI-generated.

Super Heavy’s picture perfect hover

As could be seen in the video shared by SpaceX, Starship’s Super Heavy booster, which is nearly 400 feet tall, smoothly returned to Earth and hovered above the Gulf of America for a few seconds before it went for its soft water landing. The booster’s picture-perfect maneuver before splashing down all but capped a near-flawless mission for Starship, which is about to enter its V3 era with Flight 12.

The booster’s balance and stability were so perfect that some users on X joked that the whole thing looked AI-generated. Considering the size of Super Heavy, as well as the fact that the booster was returning from space, the hovering display all but showed that SpaceX is dead serious about keeping its dominant lead in the spaceflight sector.

Starship V2’s curtain call

As noted in a Space.com report, Flight Test 11 achieved every major goal SpaceX had set for the mission, including deploying Starlink mass simulators, relighting Raptor engines in space, and executing a stable reentry for both the Starship Upper Stage and the Super Heavy booster. The feat also marked the second time a Super Heavy booster has been reflown, a milestone in SpaceX’s quest to make the entire Starship system fully reusable.

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Starship’s V2 vehicle will now give way to the upgraded Starship V3, which is designed for faster turnaround and higher payload capacity. The Starship program is expected to pursue even more aggressive targets in the coming months as well, with Elon Musk stating on social media platform X that SpaceX will attempt a tower catch for Starship Upper Stage as early as spring 2026.

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After moving Tesla to Texas, Elon Musk is back in the Bay Area with Neuralink expansion

The news marks a noticeable step in Musk’s expanding presence in the Bay Area, despite the move of his biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to Texas.

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Neuralink-Demo-Elon-Musk
Credit: Steve Jurvetson/Twitter

Recent reports have indicated that Elon Musk’s brain-implant startup, Neuralink, has leased a five-story, 144,000-square-foot building in South San Francisco. At the same time, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI is reportedly also looking around for a Bay Area office. 

The news marks a noticeable step in Musk’s expanding presence in the Bay Area, despite the move of his biggest companies, Tesla and SpaceX, to Texas.

Neuralink’s Bay Area expansion

As noted in a report from the San Francisco Business Times, the property that Neuralink has leased is located at 499 Forbes Boulevard, and it was built by Aralon Properties before it was leased to cancer test developer InterVenn Biosciences. The site, however, had remained vacant since 2023 after InterVenn canceled its 10-year lease.

xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, is reportedly scouting for an even larger Bay Area office as well, as noted in a report from the San Francisco Chronicle. Combined, the two ventures could secure nearly 400,000 square feet of local workspace, a move seen as a symbolic return of sorts for Musk-led innovation to Silicon Valley.

Neuralink’s momentum

Founded in 2016, Neuralink develops brain-computer interfaces intended to help paralyzed patients control digital devices through thought. The company received U.S. regulatory approval in 2023 to begin human trials, with its first patient, quadriplegic Noland Arbaugh, making headlines for his stunning ability to control a computer cursor and play games using only his mind. Since receiving his implant, Arbaugh has stated that he now browses the web, plays video games like Mario Kart, studies neuroscience, and operates his smart home without lifting a finger. 

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Nauralink is only just getting started, with Elon Musk noting on X that the company is busy preparing its next product, Blindsight, for human trials. As per Musk, Neuralink is “aiming to restore (limited) sight to the completely blind next year,” an aggressive target for a potentially life-changing device.

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