Elon Musk: HW3 Tesla Cars Locked Out of FSD Upgrade
Elon Musk reveals that millions of Tesla vehicles on HW3 won't receive unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD). Discover what this means for Tesla owners and the future of autonomous driving.
Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that approximately 4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Hardware 3 (HW3) will not be able to access unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities. This announcement came during the Q1 2026 earnings call, leaving many owners who paid for FSD disappointed. Musk explained that HW3 lacks the necessary memory bandwidth—only one-eighth of what Hardware 4 offers—to support this advanced feature.
What This Means for Tesla Owners
For those who invested in FSD, Tesla is proposing a discounted trade-in for vehicles that can be upgraded to Hardware 4. However, this upgrade isn't just a simple software patch; it requires replacing the car's computer and cameras. To facilitate this transition efficiently, Tesla plans to establish microfactories in major cities, as traditional service centers would slow down the process significantly.
- •Key points from Musk's announcement:
- •HW3 cars cannot achieve unsupervised FSD.
- •Upgrades will involve significant hardware changes.
- •Tesla aims to convert all HW3 vehicles to Hardware 4 eventually.
This decision raises questions about the future of Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions and the value of FSD for current HW3 owners.