Tesla Launches FSD V12.6 for HW3 Vehicles With Update 2024.45.25.10

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True to their word, Tesla has finally launched FSD V12.6 on the 30th of December, squeaking in under the promised timeline before the end of the year. FSD V12.6 for HW3 vehicles is software update 2024.45.25.10, and the release notes reveal several interesting things about the update, but it was mostly what we expected — which is a good thing.

We expected FSD V12.6 to include End to End for highway driving, improved city streets behavior and potentially some features from FSD V13, and that’s exactly what happened.

According to Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI, Tesla has also pulled in some improvements from V13 into this V12.6 release. This release has started rolling out to some Model S and Model X vehicles, but not the Model 3 and Model Y. Ashok says that it should become available for those models within a week.

FSD V12.6

V12.6 is supposed to be a big update for Hardware 3 vehicles and is part of Tesla’s commitment to continuing to support older vehicles. Let’s break down the release notes and talk about what’s new and what came from FSD V13.

End-to-End on Highway

The new end-to-end highway stack has finally arrived for HW3 vehicles. The new highway stack should mean better decision-making on the freeway. Up until now, HW3 vehicles have been using FSD V11’s stack for highway driving.

When End-to-End was introduced on city streets, it brought drastic improvements in how FSD was handled between V11.4.9 and V12.3.6. HW3 owners will hopefully see similar improvements in how the vehicle behaves on the highway.

Improved City Streets Behavior

As part of the update, Tesla has honed in on some of the issues with behavior on city streets, which should address the false green light braking and other issues that have been prevalent in current FSD V12 builds. That’ll be a big improvement, as it has become one of the sticking points for V12.

Speed Profiles

The updated speed profiles, including Hurry Mode, have now arrived. For now, the speed profiles are restricted to roads with a 50mph (80km/h) minimum speed limit, which was the same limit HW4 vehicles saw on FSD V12.5. Here is the breakdown of the new speed profiles:

Chill will drive in slower lanes, with minimal lane changes, and more strictly adhere to the speed limit. The minimal lane changes button has been removed, so if you want to have minimal lane changes, switch your profile to chill.

Standard is the new Average. It will drive at a normal speed, keeping pace and adjusting in accordance with traffic. It will dynamically adjust based on how fast traffic is moving based on Max Speed, and will make lane changes to stay at or around the speed of traffic.

Hurry replaces Assertive and will drive faster while also making more frequent lane changes to stay at or above the speed limit. It is fairly aggressive with its lane changes and looks for opportunities to get ahead or cut through the flow of traffic. 

Earlier & More Natural Lane Change Decisions

This is going to be one of the most noticeable changes for HW3 users. FSD has always struggled with lane selection, especially in advance of an upcoming turn or exit. Tesla has put in a lot of work in previous FSD V12 versions - namely V12.5 and its offshoots, and these improvements should translate over to FSD V12.6 just as well.

We’re hoping to see considerably improved performance on V12.6 due to this particular set of changes.

Redesigned Controller (FSD V13)

The redesigned controller is a big change - and actually was brought down from FSD V13. The controller is what tracks your own vehicle, as well as other vehicles and objects around the vehicle. Smoother and more accurate tracking for the controller means that FSD will be able to make better decisions, resulting in higher confidence and smoother driving.

Cybertruck’s FSD V13.2 build did not receive this feature, so that’s a win for HW3 owners.

Max Speed Update

Autospeed is now gone, and is now replaced with Max Speed Offset. Tesla recommends the Max Speed Offset be set to 40%. You’ll instead be able to use the FSD Driver Profiles to better control vehicle speed. Chill will keep you at or below the speed limit, while Average will keep you around the speed limit. Hurry does what it sounds like and will speed up, if possible, up to that Max Speed Offset.

The minimum and maximum offsets are 40%, so if the limit is 50mph, your FSD speed limit will be up to 70 mph, while at -40%, it could travel as slow as 30 mph.

When Does It Arrive?

The update was available to employees early yesterday, and it later went out in an extremely limited fashion to some non-employees last night. Right now, it’s also limited to Model S and Model X vehicles with HW3. We should hopefully see a roll out to additional Model S/X cars in the coming days, but Ashok has already stated that it’ll be about a week before it’s available for other models.

That means that the majority of Model 3/Y owners with HW3 will likely have to wait at least a couple of weeks before receiving the update. We’re looking forward to seeing the first few drives and reviews of FSD V12.6.

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Tesla FSD in Europe: June Update

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The road to bringing FSD to Europe has been a long and complex one and filled with regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles. Elon Musk, as well as other members of Tesla’s AI team, have previously voiced their grievances with the regulatory approval process on X.

However, it appears that there is finally some progress in getting things moving with recent changes to upcoming autonomy regulations, but the process still seems slow.

Waiting on the Dutch

Elon commented on X recently, stating that Tesla is waiting for approval from Dutch authorities and then the EU to start rolling out FSD in Europe. Tesla is focusing on acquiring approvals from the Dutch transportation authority, which will provide them with the platform they need to gain broader acceptance in Europe. Outside of the Netherlands, Tesla is also conducting testing in Norway, which provides a couple of avenues for them to obtain national-level approval.

The frustration has been ongoing, with multiple committee meetings bringing up autonomy regulation but always pulling back at the last second before approving anything. The last meeting on Regulation 157, which governs Automated Lane Keeping Systems, concluded with authorities from the UK and Spain requesting additional time to analyze the data before reaching a conclusion.

Tesla, as well as Elon, have motioned several times for owners to reach out to their elected representatives to move the process forward, as it seems that Tesla’s own efforts are being stymied. 

This can seem odd, especially since Tesla has previously demoed FSD working exceptionally smoothly on European roads - and just did it again in Rome when they shared the video below on X.

FSD Supervised testing in Rome, Italy

Pending regulatory approval pic.twitter.com/TXh3uQIfrx

— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) June 12, 2025

DCAS Phase 3

While the approval process has been slow, Kees Roelandschap pointed out that there may be a different regulatory step that could allow FSD to gain a foothold in Europe.

According to Kees, the European Commission is now taking a new approach to approving ADAS systems under the new DCAS Phase 3 regulations. The Commission is now seeking data from systems currently operational in the United States that can perform System-Initiated Maneuvers and don’t require hands-on intervention for every request.

This is key because those are two of the core functionalities that make FSD so usable, and it also means that there may not be a need to wait years for proper regulations to be written from scratch. Now, the Commission will be looking at real-world data based on existing, deployed technology, which could speed up the process immensely.

What This Means

This new, data-driven regulatory approach could be the path for Tesla to reach its previous target of September for European FSD. While the cogs of bureaucracy are ever slow, sometimes all it takes is a little data to have them turn a bit faster in this case.

Alongside specific countries granting approval for limited field testing with employees, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for FSD in Europe, and hopes are that a release will occur by the end of 2025. With Europe now looking to North America for how FSD is performing, Tesla’s Robotaxi results could also play a role.

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Tesla Launches 'TeslaVision' Contest With Big Prizes — See Last Year’s Winner [VIDEO]

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Tesla’s marketing has always been relatively unconventional, relying on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. The passion of the owner’s community is always massive, but it is especially high now with the launch of the Robotaxi network just around the corner.

Tesla is now tapping into that spring of fan creativity and announced the TeslaVision video contest, with some seriously impressive prizes up for grabs.

Announcing the TeslaVision fan video showcase

Tesla owners & supporters have always been able to see our products & mission for what they truly are.

Your word of mouth has made Tesla what it is today.

The OGs will remember that in 2017, we held our first video contest. 8 years… pic.twitter.com/6pPpkqmqOH

— Tesla (@Tesla) June 10, 2025

The Contest

The core of the contest is simple. Create a video that shows how your Tesla gives you more in life. Tesla is looking for submissions that highlight themes of freedom, safety, fun, and convenience.

Prizes

The prizes definitely make this contest worth entering if you’re good with a camera and have some basic video editing abilities.

For North America, the prizes include a brand new Model Y AWD Long Range, alongside an all-expenses-paid trip to Austin for a tour of Giga Texas. The grand prize winner will also be able to custom order their Model Y, allowing them to select their preferred wheels and color.

The two runners-up won’t get a Model Y, but they’ll also enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Giga Texas for a tour of the factory.

The travel and tour include lodging in Austin for 2 nights, as well as economy-class round-trip tickets from anywhere in North America. Tesla will also provide a vehicle for use during the trip.

Hopefully, these winners will also have the opportunity to experience the Robotaxi network while they’re in Austin, as it’s expected to be opened to the public later this month.

Project Loveday

For long-time followers of Tesla, this contest may feel familiar. The contest is a direct throwback to the 2017 Project Loveday contest, which was inspired by a letter to Tesla from a 10-year-old aspiring marketer. That contest was won by MKBHD, with his submission below:

How to Enter

If you’re ready to start filming, here are the key pieces of information you’ll need to know:

• Video must be 90 seconds or less

• Video must be uploaded to YouTube with a public URL

• Make a post on X and Instagram tagging “@Tesla” and include the words “TeslaVision contest” in the post.

• Provide links to both social media posts in your submission to Tesla’s form

• Provide your personal details in the form

• You have until July 17th, 2025, or until Tesla receives 10,000 entries, whichever comes first.

You can find the official submission form and all region-specific details on Tesla's website.

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