News
Tesla gives update for early FSD adopters with legacy Model S, Model X vehicles
Longtime Tesla FSD adopters with legacy vehicles recently received an update from the electric car maker. The update sheds some light on what is waiting for customers who purchased FSD and are still driving legacy Model S and Model X vehicles today.
Tesla functions like a tech company, so it is no surprise that it has moved very fast over the years. This means that constant improvements to its vehicles’ hardware are being implemented as soon as they are ready. This also means, however, that the latest updates to systems like FSD (Supervised) or Autopilot are mostly focused on vehicles that represent the majority of the company’s fleet.
This was highlighted by Elon Musk in a recent post on X, when he noted that while Tesla’s Hardware 4 will ultimately be better, all training that the company is doing right now is for Hardware 3 vehicles. Hardware 4 is just running on emulation mode.
Within Tesla’s pursuit of autonomous driving lies a group of Model S and Model X owners who bought into FSD even before the Model 3 was ramped. These owners were promised that their vehicles would have the necessary hardware to be self-driving one day, but they have not received much of Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD improvements to date. Granted, Tesla has launched a hardware upgrade program for legacy vehicles, but they are paid options that some owners have refused.
It was then no surprise that amidst the excitement for FSD (Supervised), some legacy Model S and Model X owners have expressed their frustration at being left out again. Among these is Anthony Spina, who noted in a post on X, that “all of us legacy S/X owners still haven’t received V12 yet, with no official communication stating whether or not we even will. MCU1 FSD S/X owners have been living in the dark on this for years, and now MCU2 owners are beginning to be lumped into this group as well, at least it would seem on the surface.”
Thanks @Speenuh and others who have posted on @X about this. While we normally prioritize our paid FSD customers to the extent possible, there is a group of S/X customers (~3% of total FSD eligible vehicles) who have a different hardware which the @Tesla_AI team is working to… https://t.co/W3l3SYlVZu— Rohan Patel (@rohanspatel) March 31, 2024
In a response on X, Tesla Vice President of Public Policy and Business Development Rohan Patel explained that the electric vehicle maker is putting a lot of efforts into releasing systems like FSD (Supervised) to older vehicles. The executive noted that Tesla cannot give a timeline as to when FSD would be released to older vehicles, but the company’s AI team is working on it.
“Thanks @Speenuh and others who have posted on @X about this. While we normally prioritize our paid FSD customers to the extent possible, there is a group of S/X customers (~3% of total FSD eligible vehicles) who have a different hardware which the @Tesla_AI team is working to validate. We have a rigorous safety validation cycle for every software update, and we are working as hard as possible to ship the latest builds to all customers. We don’t want to give false precision on timing until the validation can be completed, but want you to know we are focused on trying to solve this. Many of you have been with us on the FSD journey from the start and it’s super appreciated,” Patel wrote.
We ? get it and understand and sincerely appreciate the patience. Our software engineers and validation teams really are doing all they can to try and solve even on Easter Sunday.— Rohan Patel (@rohanspatel) March 31, 2024
In a follow-up post, the Tesla executive also noted that the company understands the frustration of its legacy customers. “We 100% get it and understand and sincerely appreciate the patience. Our software engineers and validation teams really are doing all they can to try and solve even on Easter Sunday,” the executive noted.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.cDon ‘t give us a heads up.
News
Tesla (TSLA) receives “Buy” rating and $551 PT from Canaccord Genuity
He also maintained a “Buy” rating for TSLA stock over the company’s improving long-term outlook, which is driven by autonomy and robotics.
Canaccord Genuity analyst George Gianarikas raised his Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) price target from $482 to $551. He also maintained a “Buy” rating for TSLA stock over the company’s improving long-term outlook, which is driven by autonomy and robotics.
The analyst’s updated note
Gianarikas lowered his 4Q25 delivery estimates but pointed to several positive factors in the Tesla story. He noted that EV adoption in emerging markets is gaining pace, and progress in FSD and the Robotaxi rollout in 2026 represent major upside drivers. Further progress in the Optimus program next year could also add more momentum for the electric vehicle maker.
“Overall, yes, 4Q25 delivery expectations are being revised lower. However, the reset in the US EV market is laying the groundwork for a more durable and attractive long-term demand environment.
“At the same time, EV penetration in emerging markets is accelerating, reinforcing Tesla’s potential multi‑year growth runway beyond the US. Global progress in FSD and the anticipated rollout of a larger robotaxi fleet in 2026 are increasingly important components of the Tesla equity story and could provide sentiment tailwinds,” the analyst wrote.
Tesla’s busy 2026
The upcoming year would be a busy one for Tesla, considering the company’s plans and targets. The autonomous two-seat Cybercab has been confirmed to start production sometime in Q2 2026, as per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting.
Apart from this, Tesla is also expected to unveil the next-generation Roadster on April 1, 2026. Tesla is also expected to start high-volume production of the Tesla Semi in Nevada next year.
Apart from vehicle launches, Tesla has expressed its intentions to significantly ramp the rollout of FSD to several regions worldwide, such as Europe. Plans are also underway to launch more Robotaxi networks in several more key areas across the United States.
News
Waymo sues Santa Monica over order to halt overnight charging sessions
In its complaint, Waymo argued that its self-driving cars’ operations do not constitute a public nuisance, and compliance with the city’s order would cause the company irreparable harm.
Waymo has filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Monica in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking to block an order that requires the company to cease overnight charging at two facilities.
In its complaint, Waymo argued that its self-driving cars’ operations do not constitute a public nuisance, and compliance with the city’s order would cause the company irreparable harm.
Nuisance claims
As noted in a report from the Los Angeles Times, Waymo’s two charging sites at Euclid Street and Broadway have operated for about a year, supporting the company’s growing fleet with round-the-clock activity. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in residents in the area reportedly being unable to sleep due to incessant beeping from self-driving taxis that are moving in and out of the charging stations around the clock.
Frustrated residents have protested against the Waymos by blocking the vehicles’ paths, placing cones, and “stacking” cars to create backups. This has also resulted in multiple calls to the police.
Last month, the city issued an order to Waymo and its charging partner, Voltera, to cease overnight operations at the charging locations, stating that the self-driving vehicles’ activities at night were a public nuisance. A December 15 meeting yielded no agreement on mitigations like software rerouting. Waymo proposed changes, but the city reportedly insisted that nothing would satisfy the irate residents.
“We are disappointed that the City has chosen an adversarial path over a collaborative one. The City’s position has been to insist that no actions taken or proposed by Waymo would satisfy the complaining neighbors and therefore must be deemed insufficient,” a Waymo spokesperson stated.
Waymo pushes back
In its legal complaint, Waymo stated that its “activities at the Broadway Facilities do not constitute a public nuisance.” The company also noted that it “faces imminent and irreparable harm to its operations, employees, and customers” from the city’s order. The suit also stated that the city was fully aware that the Voltera charging sites would be operating around the clock to support Waymo’s self-driving taxis.
The company highlighted over one million trips in Santa Monica since launch, with more than 50,000 rides starting or ending there in November alone. Waymo also criticized the city for adopting a contentious strategy against businesses.
“The City of Santa Monica’s recent actions are inconsistent with its stated goal of attracting investment. At a time when the City faces a serious fiscal crisis, officials are choosing to obstruct properly permitted investment rather than fostering a ‘ready for business’ environment,” Waymo stated.
News
Tesla FSD v14.2.2 is getting rave reviews from drivers
So far, early testers have reported buttery-smooth drives with confident performance, even at night or on twisty roads.
Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.2.2 is receiving positive reviews from owners, with several drivers praising the build’s lack of hesitation during lane changes and its smoother decision-making, among others.
The update, which started rolling out on Monday, also adds features like dynamic arrival pin adjustment. So far, early testers have reported buttery-smooth drives with confident performance, even at night or on twisty roads.
Owners highlight major improvements
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD user @BLKMDL3 shared a detailed 10-hour impression of FSD v14.2.2, noting that the system exhibited “zero lane change hesitation” and “extremely refined” lane choices. He praised Mad Max mode’s performance, stellar parking in locations including ticket dispensers, and impressive canyon runs even in dark conditions.
Fellow FSD user Dan Burkland reported an hour of FSD v14.2.2’s nighttime driving with “zero hesitations” and “buttery smooth” confidence reminiscent of Robotaxi rides in areas such as Austin, Texas. Veteran FSD user Whole Mars Catalog also demonstrated voice navigation via Grok, while Tesla owner Devin Olsen completed a nearly two-hour drive with FSD v14.2.2 in heavy traffic and rain with strong performance.
Closer to unsupervised
FSD has been receiving rave reviews, even from Tesla’s competitors. Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng, for one, offered fresh praise for FSD v14.2 after visiting Silicon Valley. Following extended test drives of Tesla vehicles running the latest FSD software, He stated that the system has made major strides, reinforcing his view that Tesla’s approach to autonomy is indeed the proper path towards autonomy.
According to He, Tesla’s FSD has evolved from a smooth Level 2 advanced driver assistance system into what he described as a “near-Level 4” experience in terms of capabilities. While acknowledging that areas of improvement are still present, the Xpeng CEO stated that FSD’s current iteration significantly surpasses last year’s capabilities. He also reiterated his belief that Tesla’s strategy of using the same autonomous software and hardware architecture across private vehicles and robotaxis is the right long-term approach, as it would allow users to bypass intermediate autonomy stages and move closer to Level 4 functionality.
Tesla (TSLA) receives “Buy” rating and $551 PT from Canaccord Genuity
Waymo sues Santa Monica over order to halt overnight charging sessions
