During the fourth quarter earnings call, Tesla executives highlighted that the company has not given up on Hardware 3 yet. The executives noted that the FSD Supervised v12.6 release is like a “baby v13,” and thus it is a notable improvement over its predecessors.
Based on comments from Hardware 3 FSD users, it appears that Tesla executives were not joking at all.
FSD Supervised v12.6.3:
- Following the release of FSD Supervised v12.6.3, numerous Tesla owners with Hardware 3 vehicles took to social media to share their experiences about the update.
- The reviews from Tesla owners were very positive, with some describing FSD Supervised v12.6.3’s performance as “unbelievable” and “epic.”
- Others praised the update for its smoothness and confidence, which reportedly was previously exhibited only by FSD Supervised v13.
- “The smoothness and confidence was only something I’ve witnessed on V13. They’ve truly outdone themselves here,” a Tesla Model 3 owner who tested FSD Supervised v12.6.3 noted.
Just installed FSD V12.6.3, coming from FSD V12.5.4.2 on AI3 on my personal Tesla. Check your AI3 Teslas if you haven’t already!
Earlier today, I got the chance to go for a short ride and it was unbelievable. The smoothness and confidence was only something I’ve witnessed on… pic.twitter.com/pViA9lXLA6— BabyTesla (@BabyTesla3) February 3, 2025
I have both FSD 12.6.3 and 13.2.2
The only major differences are Reverse and the Start FSD button.
Performance is very similar— TimDOES (@TimDOES) February 2, 2025
Here’s a condensed clip of my latest video reviewing FSD v12.6.3. Link below. It’s crazy how well it’s performing. ? Based on a recent poll where 395 people voted, 55% of HW3 owners are still on v12.5.4. 20% are on v12.6.2 while 23% are on v12.6.3. Hey @Tesla_AI @aelluswamy… pic.twitter.com/0wNuy2rlOj— TechGeek Tesla ?⚡️ (@jonbbc) February 2, 2025
FSD V12.6.3 is no joke! I've done multiple flawless point to point drives on LA surface streets. HW3 owners are going to love when this goes wide! https://t.co/wct46Lllt8— FSD (Beta) Test Pilot (@j32pmxr) February 3, 2025
FSD v12.6.3 feels like a mini V13 pic.twitter.com/tN240jkZUM— Zack (@BLKMDL3) February 3, 2025
Elon Musk on Hardware 3:
- Tesla is already producing vehicles with AI4 computers. FSD Supervised updates today are also distributed to AI4 vehicles.
- During the Q4 2024 earnings call, Elon Musk noted that Tesla would eventually be providing a free HW3 to AI4 upgrade for customers who purchased FSD with their vehicles.
- “I think the honest answer is that we’re going to have to upgrade people’s Hardware 3 computers for those that have bought Full Self-Driving, and that is the honest answer, and that’s going to be painful and difficult, but we’ll get it done,” Musk admitted.


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News
Tesla looks to upgrade Matrix Headlights with new features
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Tesla is looking to upgrade its Matrix Headlights, a unique and high-tech feature that is available on several of its vehicles. The headlights aim to maximize visibility for Tesla drivers while being considerate of oncoming traffic.
The Matrix Headlights Tesla offers utilize dimming of individual light pixels to ensure that visibility stays high for those behind the wheel, while also being considerate of other cars by decreasing the brightness in areas where other cars are traveling.
Here’s what they look like in action:
- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
As you can see, the Matrix headlight system intentionally dims the area where oncoming cars would be impacted by high beams. This keeps visibility at a maximum for everyone on the road, including those who could be hit with bright lights in their eyes.
There are still a handful of complaints from owners, however, but Tesla appears to be looking to resolve these with the coming updates in a Software Version that is currently labeled 2026.2.xxx. The coding was spotted by X user BERKANT:
🚨 Tesla is quietly upgrading Matrix headlights.
Software https://t.co/pXEklQiXSq reveals a hidden feature:
matrix_two_stage_reflection_dip
This is a major step beyond current adaptive high beams.
What it means:
• The car detects highly reflective objects
Road signs,… pic.twitter.com/m5UpQJFA2n— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 24, 2026
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Finally, the new system will prevent the high beams from glaring back at the driver. The system is made to dim when it recognizes oncoming cars, but not necessarily objects that could produce glaring issues back at the driver.
Tesla’s revolutionary Matrix headlights are coming to the U.S.
This upgrade is software-focused, so there will not need to be any physical changes or upgrades made to Tesla vehicles that utilize the Matrix headlights currently.
Elon Musk
xAI’s Grok approved for Pentagon classified systems: report
Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations.
Elon Musk’s xAI has signed an agreement with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to allow Grok to be used in classified military systems.
Previously, Anthropic’s Claude had been the only AI system approved for the most sensitive military work, but a dispute over usage safeguards has reportedly prompted the Pentagon to broaden its options, as noted in a report from Axios.
Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations.
The publication reported that xAI agreed to the Pentagon’s requirement that its technology be usable for “all lawful purposes,” a standard Anthropic has reportedly resisted due to alleged ethical restrictions tied to mass surveillance and autonomous weapons use.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in what sources expect to be a tense meeting, with the publication hinting that the Pentagon could designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk” if the company does not lift its safeguards.
Axios stated that replacing Claude fully might be technically challenging even if xAI or other alternative AI systems take its place. That being said, other AI systems are already in use by the DoD.
Grok already operates in the Pentagon’s unclassified systems alongside Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Google is reportedly close to an agreement that will result in Gemini being used for classified use, while OpenAI’s progress toward classified deployment is described as slower but still feasible.
The publication noted that the Pentagon continues talks with several AI companies as it prepares for potential changes in classified AI sourcing.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk denies Starlink’s price cuts are due to Amazon Kuiper
“This has nothing to do with Kuiper, we’re just trying to make Starlink more affordable to a broader audience,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Elon Musk has pushed back on claims that Starlink’s recent price reductions are tied to Amazon’s Kuiper project.
In a post on X, Musk responded directly to a report suggesting that Starlink was cutting prices and offering free hardware to partners ahead of a planned IPO and increased competition from Kuiper.
“This has nothing to do with Kuiper, we’re just trying to make Starlink more affordable to a broader audience,” Musk wrote in a post on X. “The lower the cost, the more Starlink can be used by people who don’t have much money, especially in the developing world.”
The speculation originated from a post summarizing a report from The Information, which ran with the headline “SpaceX’s Starlink Makes Land Grab as Amazon Threat Looms.” The report stated that SpaceX is aggressively cutting prices and giving free hardware to distribution partners, which was interpreted as a reaction to Amazon’s Kuiper’s upcoming rollout and possible IPO.
In a way, Musk’s comments could be quite accurate considering Starlink’s current scale. The constellation currently has more than 9,700 satellites in operation today, making it by far the largest satellite broadband network in operation. It has also managed to grow its user base to 10 million active customers across more than 150 countries worldwide.
Amazon’s Kuiper, by comparison, has launched approximately 211 satellites to date, as per data from SatelliteMap.Space, some of which were launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Starlink surpassed that number in early January 2020, during the early buildout of its first-generation network.
Lower pricing also aligns with Starlink’s broader expansion strategy. SpaceX continues to deploy satellites at a rapid pace using Falcon 9, and future launches aboard Starship are expected to significantly accelerate the constellation’s growth. A larger network improves capacity and global coverage, which can support a broader customer base.
In that context, price reductions can be viewed as a way to match expanding supply with growing demand. Musk’s companies have historically used aggressive pricing strategies to drive adoption at scale, particularly when vertical integration allows costs to decline over time.

