Tesla FSD Australia & New Zealand: Rollout confirmed, starting with HW

The years-long waiting mode ends: Tesla FSD Australia and New Zealand are on the verge of the official launch. Tesla's country manager Thom Drew confirms that there are "no regulatory blockers" anymore. Now the ball is completely in Tesla's court – and the plan is clear: First HW4 vehicles, then gradually HW3.

A quick overview:

Authorities' approval: present, "no regulatory blockers"
Final validation check is ongoing – release is in Tesla's hands
Rollout starts with HW4 (AI4), HW3 follows "in phases"
Timeline roughly matches the original target (Q2 2025 for RHD markets)

What exactly is confirmed?

Thom Drew (Country Director AU/NZ) wrote on LinkedIn, Tesla has worked with local authorities – result: FSD (Supervised) is allowed to start. Currently, Tesla is "going through the final validation stages". Thus, the biggest unknown – the regulatory side – has been cleared.

This is how the rollout works: HW4 first

Tesla copies the China pattern:

Phase 1: Vehicles with HW4/AI4 receive FSD first.
Phase 2: Older HW3/AI3 models will be gradually integrated.

This strategy minimizes risks: The more powerful hardware 4 processes the latest FSD networks more stably. Once the software is broadly validated, Tesla will follow up with the HW3 fleet.

What does this mean for HW3 owners?

Waiting is worthwhile: A clear plan is better than none.
Tesla has promised a free HW3→HW? upgrade for FSD buyers – details and timing are still open.
Watch out for possible FSD transfer windows if Tesla opens them for Australia/New Zealand.

Timing and context

Tesla mentioned in September 2024 Q2/2025 as the target for right-hand drive markets – so we are only slightly behind this window. In parallel, major FSD leaps (Robotaxi version → Consumer branch) were announced. The interlinking of these software lines could explain why Tesla is bundling the release.

And Europe?

We are a German shop – hence the note: This release concerns Australia & New Zealand. In the EU, UNECE requirements still apply, which Tesla still has to meet. For you in Europe, the news is still exciting: The more markets run with real FSD data, the more stable and mature the upcoming EU builds will be.

Conclusion

Tesla FSD Australia and New Zealand are on the brink of launch: Regulation done, validation ongoing, HW4 first. For HW3, it takes a bit longer, but the course is set. Now it's time to wait, load the update – and finally experience what FSD (Supervised) can do "Down Under".