Elon Musk has provided a much-anticipated update on version 11 of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.
In a recent tweet, Musk stated that the development of version 11 has been a significant challenge due to a major overhaul of the neural networks used in the system and the replacement of several C++ components with additional neural networks.
Musk states that he hopes to ship FSD v11.3 by the end of this week. Even if this date doesn't slip, we're likely looking at a very small amount of users getting this early version. In typical Tesla fashion, Tesla will slowly ramp up the number of users testing the latest update.
Musk previously commented on FSD Beta v11 on January 20th, saying he was reviewing it for a possible release the following week. When the release of FSD v11 didn't happen, it left many wondering what the delay was or when we could expect the update.
This isn't the first time FSD v11 has been delayed. Musk expected v11 to start rolling out in about two weeks on January 11th when he tweeted:
Looks like V11.3 will be ready for wide release in about 2 weeks. Many major improvements.
Despite the difficulties, Musk remains confident that Tesla will be able to ship version 11.3 by the end of the week, offering Tesla fans and investors a glimpse of the major progress being made towards full autonomy.
Full Self-Driving Beta Version 11
Version 11 will be one of Tesla’s biggest software FSD releases to date. Tesla started testing FSD v11 to select employees around Thanksgiving of 2022. The biggest improvement that owners are excited about is the merger of highway and city driving, which is expected to bring numerous improvements to highway driving.
In recent years, Tesla has made significant investments in the development of its Full Self-Driving software, and hopefully the release of version 11.3 later this week will provide additional safety features and significant improvements to Tesla’s autonomy capabilities.
Hardware 4.0 and Retrofits
Musk and Tesla recently talked a little bit about its upcoming upgrades to FSD hardware. They didn't reveal specifics but said that the Cybertruck will include it. It's not clear whether the Cybertruck will be the first vehicle to include the new FSD hardware or not. Rumors claim hardware 4.0 will contain upgraded 5MP cameras, an HD radar, and provide additional commute power.
With previous hardware upgrades, Tesla has offered retrofits for older vehicles, however, Elon Musk said retrofitting vehicles equipped with hardware 3.0 the latest FSD hardware will not be economically feasible. Musk goes on to say that hardware 3.0 will still be capable of being safer than a human.
For the first time in quite a while, Tesla has increased the price of one of its vehicle offerings. The Model S Long Range and the Model S Plaid have both received a hefty price increase. However, not all is bad - as Tesla also added a new benefit for buyers.
Price Increase
The price increase for the Model S is $5,000 - currently only in the United States. This price increase will likely impact other markets, including Canada, in the coming days.
The Model S Long Range now starts at $79,990, while the Model S Plaid now starts at $94,990. The Model S and Model X now have the same starting price. Interestingly, that’s also the same pricing point for the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast Trimotor non-Foundation Series.
The vehicle configuration does not appear to have changed, so the new pricing is simply an increase rather than the addition or removal of features. Tesla previously cut the price of the Model S and Model X by 15% in 2023, so this could simply be an adjustment to ensure that the vehicle pricing stays in line with inflation and other factors.
Free Lifetime Supercharging
For those on the fence about ordering a Model S, Tesla has brought back Free Lifetime Supercharging when you order a new Model S on or after December 13, 2024. As always, Free Lifetime Supercharging is restricted to the buyer’s Tesla account and to that specific vehicle. It cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another owner after ownership transfer. It’s worth noting, that it also doesn’t exclude the owner from receiving Supercharger idle fees or congestion fees. There is currently no end date for this promotion.
There are currently no changes to the Model X, neither a price increase nor the addition of Lifetime Superchargering. However, when Tesla makes changes to one of their premium vehicles, it usually affects the other one as well. So be on the lookout for potential changes to the Model X offering in the coming days.
We’ve seen Tesla value Lifetime Supercharging at $5,000, so this falls in line with the price increase we’re seeing. It’s possible that Tesla will begin to bring back Lifetime Supercharging as a perk for buying into their more premium Model S and Model X cars, or this could be another temporary promotion to get buyers who are on the fence to go ahead and make their purchase while this promotion lasts.
Tesla recently showed off a demo of Optimus, its humanoid robot, walking around in moderately challenging terrain—not on a flat surface but on dirt and slopes. These things can be difficult for a humanoid robot, especially during the training cycle.
Most interestingly, Milan Kovac, VP of Engineering for Optimus, clarified what it takes to get Optimus to this stage. Let’s break down what he said.
Optimus is Blind
Optimus is getting seriously good at walking now - it can keep its balance over uneven ground - even while walking blind. Tesla is currently using just the sensors, all powered by a neural net running on the embedded computer.
Essentially, Tesla is building Optimus from the ground up, relying on as much additional data as possible while it trains vision. This is similar to how they train FSD on vehicles, using LiDAR rigs to validate the vision system’s accuracy. While Optimus doesn’t have LiDAR, it relies on all those other sensors on board, many of which will likely become simplified as vision takes over as the primary sensor.
Today, Optimus is walking blind, but it’s able to react almost instantly to changes in the terrain underneath it, even if it falls or slips.
What’s Next?
Next up, Tesla AI will be adding vision to Optimus - helping complete the neural net. Remember, Optimus runs on the same overall AI stack as FSD - in fact, Optimus uses an FSD computer and an offshoot of the FSD stack for vision-based tasks.
Milan mentions they’re planning on adding vision to help the robot plan ahead and improve its walking gait. While the zombie shuffle is iconic and a little bit amusing, getting humanoid robots to walk like humans is actually difficult.
There’s plenty more, too - including better responsiveness to velocity and direction commands and learning to fall and stand back up. Falling while protecting yourself to minimize damage is something natural to humans - but not exactly natural to something like a robot. Training it to do so is essential in keeping the robot, the environment around it, and the people it is interacting with safe.
We’re excited to see what’s coming with Optimus next because it is already getting started in some fashion in Tesla’s factories.
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