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 tops American-Made Index for sixth-consecutive year
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.
🇺🇸 The Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y have been put atop the American-Made Index from https://t.co/PXZ0g1pPb6, meaning they are the most American vehicles you can possibly buy.
This is the SIXTH-STRAIGHT year a Tesla has been listed as the most American-made vehicle: pic.twitter.com/HyraOmaxSL
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 23, 2026
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.
Elon Musk
Tesla finally clarifies fatal Texas crash, confirms driver manually overrode acceleration
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.”
Yup. In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area. They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash.
— Ashok Elluswamy (@aelluswamy) June 22, 2026
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.
Investor's Corner
SpaceX makes $20 billion move to optimize its balance sheet
SpaceX announced today that it commenced its first-ever public bond offering, marking a significant step in the newly public company’s capital markets strategy.
The company announced an offering of senior unsecured notes expected to raise at least $20 billion.
The move comes just a short time after SpaceX completed one of the largest initial public offerings in history. In mid-June, the company priced shares at $135 and raised more than $85 billion, propelling founder Elon Musk’s net worth past the trillion-dollar mark and giving the firm substantial liquidity.
🚨 SpaceX has announced its inaugural offering of senior unsecured notes.
The net proceeds will be used to repay outstanding loans under its bridge loan facility in full.
This inaugural debt offering represents a financing milestone for SpaceX, which previously depended… pic.twitter.com/pcOZuVbTRv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 22, 2026
According to the company’s SEC filing, the net proceeds from the notes will be used primarily to repay in full the outstanding borrowings under its existing bridge loan facility, cover related fees and expenses, and fund general corporate purposes. The offering is being conducted under Rule 144A, as well as Regulation S, targeting qualified institutional buyers and non-U.S. investors. Notes will be unsecured obligations ranking equally with other unsubordinated debt.
The $20 billion bridge loan was used to refinance approximately $17.5 billion in higher-cost “junk” debt tied to X and xAI. SpaceX had merged with xAI in February 2026 in an all-stock deal. The bridge facility, which matures in September 2027, had represented the bulk of SpaceX’s long-term debt.
SpaceX officially acquires xAI, merging rockets with AI expertise
In connection with the bond launch, SpaceX disclosed it held approximately $100.8 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of June 19. Investor calls began on the announcement date, with pricing and launch expected shortly thereafter. Rating agencies have assigned investment-grade ratings to the proposed bonds, reflecting confidence in SpaceX’s dominant position in commercial launches and the growth trajectory of its Starlink internet offering.
The debt raise also allows SpaceX to optimize its balance sheet by replacing short-term, higher-cost bridge financing with longer-date, lower-cost fixed-income securities. This provides greater financial flexibility to support capital-intensive initiatives, including the development of Starship, the expansion of the Starlink constellation, and the integration of AI capabilities following the xAI combination.
SpaceX shares (NASDAQ: SPCX) fell sharply on the news, dropping over 16 percent overall on the market on Monday. The stock had surged initially after debuting but pulled back amid profit-taking and broader market dynamics.
Overall, the bond offering underscores SpaceX’s transition to a mature public company with access to diverse funding sources. It positions the firm to pursue its long-term vision of multiplanetary expansion and AI infrastructure, while maintaining a disciplined approach to its capital structure in a high-growth but capital-heavy industry.