Tesla HW4 users will fully benefit from the upgrade, while HW3 users—limited by computing power—may miss up to 40% of new features due to lack of support for ray tracing algorithms.
On July 20 (local time), Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on social media platform X that the company will migrate core technologies validated in its Robotaxi project in Austin, Texas to the general version of Full Self-Driving (FSD), enabling a “major performance upgrade” to the FSD system.
Notably, the implementation of this upgraded FSD technology in major markets like Europe and China still awaits approval from local regulators, and the specific launch timeline has yet to be announced.
This technology integration is not a simple feature overlay. Instead, it draws from extensive real-world experience gained during the closed testing phase of the Austin Robotaxi program. Three core technology modules developed through this process will be fully integrated into the general FSD system, including:
- Complex Intersection Navigation Logic: Enhances decision-making efficiency in scenarios with multi-directional traffic flow;
- Extreme Weather Response Strategies: Improves sensor reliability in conditions such as heavy rain and fog;
- Real-time High-Precision Map Verification: Boosts positioning accuracy and path planning fault tolerance;
Reportedly, Tesla HW4 users will be able to enjoy the full scope of this upgrade, which supports 4K visual processing and multi-modal fusion inference. In contrast, HW3 users are constrained by limited computing power and cannot run the new ray tracing algorithm, potentially resulting in up to a 40% reduction in functionality.
Additionally, Musk emphasized that the engineering team has established a validation mechanism to ensure the Austin improvements do not negatively impact FSD performance in other regions.
Currently, Tesla’s Robotaxi service is undergoing small-scale, invite-only testing in Austin. Users can summon an autonomous Model Y via the app, with the average rate of operational errors reported to be below 0.1%.
Musk revealed that Tesla plans to secure regulatory approval in California within the next 1–2 months, enabling expansion to the San Francisco Bay Area, followed by cities like New York and Los Angeles. The long-term vision is to establish a global fleet of one million autonomous vehicles by 2030.
Leveraging the real-world Robotaxi experience to enhance FSD is expected to be a key step in rapidly building out this million-vehicle fleet.
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