Tesla HW3 FSD update announced: What's new and what can we expect?

Owners of Tesla-vehicles with HW3 hardware can look forward to a new Full Self-Driving (FSD)-update. Tesla has confirmed that the version FSD 12.6 will be rolled out before the end of 2024. While HW3 vehicles were previously excluded from some of the latest functions, this update brings important improvements and possibly features from the HW4 version.

FSD 12.6: What's behind the update?

Tesla has officially announced that the FSD version 12.6 has been developed specifically for HW3 vehicles. This version is said to contain important updates and improvements that will make the driving experience smoother and more intuitive.

Expected features of FSD 12.6:

Improved lane change decisions: More natural and smoother movements without sudden steering movements.
New speed profiles:
- Chill mode: Minimal lane changes, relaxed driving style.
- Standard mode: Balanced speed and lane changes.
- Hurry mode: More aggressive driving style with more frequent lane changes.
End-to-end highway stack: FSD functions for city and highway driving integrated into one seamless system.
Audio Data Capture: Vehicles will soon be able to recognize sirens from emergency vehicles, and later also horns or human voices.

These improvements are intended in particular to eliminate the well-known "jerky braking" and unnatural movements in earlier versions.

HW3 vs. HW4: What are the differences?

Although the new features for HW3 sound impressive, this hardware remains limited compared to HW4. HW4 offers:

Higher camera resolution and 36 FPS (frames per second).
Larger models for artificial intelligence.
Functions such as reversing, dynamic routing and FSD start from parking mode.

Some of these features could be implemented in a slimmed-down form in FSD 12.6 but the full potential of FSD V13 will continue to be reserved for HW4 vehicles only.

Why a separate update for HW3?

Elon Musk has emphasized several times that Tesla HW3 vehicles will be upgraded when necessary to support newer features. The upcoming update is therefore a temporary solution that offers HW3 owners significant improvements until hardware upgrades are available.

FSD 12.6 as a bridge to FSD 13:

Tesla May have adapted features from FSD V13 to make them run on HW3. These include:

Dynamic routing around roadblocks.
Improved reward predictions for collisions.
Cleaning detection for cameras.

Conclusion: A step in the right direction for HW3 owners

The FSD 12.6 update brings much-needed improvements for HW3 vehicles and could close the gap to HW4 to some extent. While the full implementation of FSD V13 is still a long way off Tesla, that it is not neglecting its existing customers. The update is due to be rolled out before the end of the year - a reason for all HW3 owners to rejoice.

Keywords
Tesla, Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Accessories, Tesla Store, Shop4Tesla, Tesla News, FSD, Full Self-Driving, Tesla HW3, Tesla HW4, Autonomous Driving, FSD 12.6

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