Tesla FSD Beta 11.4.1 Rolls Out to Public Testers: Here's What to Expect

Tesla has released FSD Beta 11.4.1 to public testers

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Tesla has officially released the FSD Beta 11.4.1 update to some public testers, marking an exciting milestone in developing its autonomous driving technology.

The Public Release of FSD Beta 11.4.1

Following a release to Tesla employees, version 11.4.1 has been rolled out to a select group of public testers, also known as the OG testers. This version boasts major architectural enhancements and builds upon the features introduced in version 11.4.

Version 11.4 spent about three weeks in the testing phase with Tesla employees before the updated version 11.4.1 was released. The beta 11.4.1 update was initially provided to employees and quickly expanded to include OG testers, which is roughly 1,000 testers, or about 0.25% of all Tesla owners who have FSD Beta.

Rollout Strategy for FSD Beta 11.4.1

If no significant issues are found with the current 11.4.1 version, we can expect to see this beta version expand to more Tesla owners. The rollout is likely to begin gradually before expanding in large waves, potentially up to 10-20% of users at a time, following a similar pattern to the rollout of the 11.3.6 version.

Eligibility for FSD Beta 11.4.1

Currently, only Tesla owners on an existing FSD Beta or those on update 2023.6 or earlier are likely to be eligible to receive this update. The next beta update may be based on 2023.12, which should allow more Tesla owners to be eligible for the update. Typically, Tesla does not roll back software, so owners already on update 2023.12 will likely not be able to receive this beta. However, with update 2023.16 just around the corner, it could be a cat and mouse game.

FSD Beta 11.4.1 - A Step Closer to Version 12

The FSD Beta 11.4.1 update is a testament to Tesla's commitment to improving driver safety and autonomy. It introduces better control and smoothness in driving by enhancing the geometry, curvature, position, type, and topology of lanes, lines, road edges, and restricted spaces. Perception of city lanes, forks, merges, and turns has significantly improved due to a bigger and cleaner training set and an updated lane guidance module.

The system's perception and detection capabilities have been boosted, with lane-guidance inputs added to the Occupancy Network to improve long-range roadway feature detection. This, along with improvements in motorbike recall and vehicle detection precision, adds more robustness to variances in vision frame rate.

Elon Musk has stated that the architectural improvements in FSD Beta 11.4.1 are so substantial that it should arguably be version 12. However, the company has reserved that designation for when Full Self-Driving is fully AI, from video input to control output.

The public release of FSD Beta 11.4.1 represents a major milestone for Tesla. This update offers significant enhancements to the driving experience and brings Tesla one step closer to achieving its goal of full AI driving capabilities.

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Tesla Improves Wrap Services: Switches to Vinyl, Cuts Prices Drastically, Adds New Colors and Expands Availability

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After canceling the in-house wrap program for the Cybertruck last month, Tesla has reintroduced the program with a lot of changes. Let’s take a look at the original program, then we’ll dive into what’s changed.

Tesla began the wrap program for the Model 3 and Model Y in the fall of 2023. With the arrival of the Cybertruck, Tesla launched Matte Black and Satin White options for the Cybertruck and later added 11 more colors.

Tesla initially offered high-quality PPF (Paint Protection Film) wraps, which protect the paint in addition to changing the color of the vehicle. PPF is thicker than traditional vinyl wraps, but the material costs more and is more time-consuming to apply.

Tesla’s updated program switches away from PPF wraps and now offers traditional vinyl wraps at a cheaper price. This makes Tesla’s wrap service more comparable to third-party installers.

Correction: We initially reported that the new wrap program offered PPF rather than vinyl and that the program was only available for new deliveries.

New Wrap Prices

First things first - the price of the wraps has dropped considerably, mostly due to the change away from PPF. While these prices are still a little more expensive than what you could find at a third-party location, you have the advantage of getting it directly from Tesla.

Tesla initially offered 11 wrap colors, but that selection has now been reduced to eight per vehicle. Interestingly, the color options vary by model—Model 3 and Model Y owners have their own distinct palette. The Cybertruck also boasts its own unique set of colors, though unfortunately, the popular Satin White option is absent from its catalog.

Of course, the ever-popular Matte Black is still available, along with a fairly unique set of other vivid colors.

New Locations

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When the wrap program launched, it was limited to just three locations in California and one location in Texas. That meant that unless you were taking delivery at West Covina, Oceanside, Costa Mesa, or Santa Clara, you’d be unable to get a first-party wrap done by Tesla.

Under the new program, Tesla is offering wraps out of all the original locations and adding Seattle, Washington. What initially seemed like Tesla scaling back its wrap service has turned out to be them making it more affordable and efficient. While the switch to vinyl may disappoint some owners, in reality, a lot of owners probably didn’t know the difference between PPF and vinyl, making Tesla’s service seem disproportionally more expensive.

No Longer New Purchases Only

While the original wrap program was constrained to new vehicle purchases—you can now have Tesla wrap a vehicle that’s already been delivered. Paint damage and scuffs can impact the installation of wraps and require additional time to smooth out the vehicle surface, and most third-party installers charge additional fees to prepare the surface.

Tesla doesn’t appear to be charging any additional surface prep fees at this time and is able to install on any Model 3, Model Y, or Cybertruck that’s been delivered after 2023.

Either way, with cheaper wrap options, Tesla is now directly competing against third-party wrap shops. While it’s still a bit more expensive than you’d find elsewhere, it also comes with a level of care and precision from technicians intimately familiar with your vehicle.

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Tesla Increases Price of Model S; Starts Offering Free Lifetime Supercharging

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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.

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