Tesla has been working on FSD Unsupervised for quite a while—the hands-off, eyes-off version of FSD. That’ll be the same version of FSD that can get you from Point A to Point B without any user intervention and no requirement for keeping your eyes on the road or your hands on the wheel.
June 2025 is Tesla’s date for the next step in vehicle autonomy and the public introduction of Unsupervised FSD - which was announced at Tesla’s Q4 2024 Earnings Call - so let’s take a closer look at what’s coming.
Launch Date for Robotaxi Fleet
Tesla’s launch of Unsupervised FSD will be in Austin, Texas, but it’ll be limited to its Robotaxi fleet. Vehicle owners won’t be able to access Unsupervised FSD themselves or join the autonomous fleet initially. Tesla announced that its launch in Austin would be for a paid Robotaxi service, much like Waymo’s. Tesla will use it to refine the Robotaxi experience and Unsupervised FSD.
They’ll be working on the whole experience - start to finish - from summoning the robotaxi from the app, to how it arrives, how your trip progresses, where it drops you off, and how you pay. That’s an extensive set of systems - some of which may already be in place, as we’ve seen through Tesla’s Robotaxi app mock-ups.
Tesla is taking strict control of the initial deployments of FSD Unsupervised - and for good reason. A single minor incident or accident could spiral into a rapid regulatory issue. Tesla is gently dipping its toes into full autonomy, and once they’re sure that Unsupervised FSD is far safer than an average human driver they can expand it to Tesla owners.
Tesla will also be rolling out Unsupervised FSD in California - and other regions of the US as they gain regulatory approval. Tesla’s FSD is a generalized solution - it doesn't need high-precision or HD mapping and local preparation before being rolled out - instead, Tesla’s biggest hold-backs are safety and improving their software.
As Tesla approaches the launch of the Robotaxi network, it makes us realize how many steps there really are to the puzzle. Tesla will need to have procedures in place on how to deal with issues such as a vehicle getting stuck, someone hitting an emergency button, or even an accident. Tesla will also need to launch its vehicle hubs that will be responsive for cleaning and charging the vehicles.
People go to manual driving to check their phone so that they don’t strike out/get beeped at - and then go back to FSD.
While June 2025 may seem rather aggressive to launch the autonomous service, it’s typical for Tesla to be overly optimistic and aggressive with deadlines, but it gives us a better indication of when they plan to launch Unsupervised FSD. Even if they miss the June launch, we’ll hopefully see the network begin this year, which will be a massive boost for Tesla and its shareholders.
When Can I Join the Robotaxi Fleet?
Tesla will be allowing owners to enroll their own vehicles in cities that are allowing Robotaxi - so if you live in Austin or other cities that have an approved Tesla Robotaxi network, you could get paid to add your vehicle to the Robotaxi fleet.
During the earnings call, Tesla announced that owners could add their vehicles to the Robotaxi fleet in 2026, although they weren’t more specific than that. This will be at least six months after the Robotaxi network launches.
Elon mentioned during the earnings call that Tesla needs to be supremely confident that the probability of injury or accident is extremely low before they allow FSD Unsupervised on customer vehicles. That’s rather interesting - because he didn’t mention liability - a question that often comes up for autonomous vehicles.
One of the points mentioned by both Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI, as well as Elon was that if there is even a single minor incident - it’ll be headline news globally, even though an average of 40,000 drivers die a year in regular traffic accidents - the majority of which don’t even make local news.
We’ll have to wait and see in 2026 for what really happens for liability and insurance - because true autonomy will hinge on who is liable for what happens in an accident - the vehicle/software manufacturer or the owner of the vehicle.
FSD Unsupervised for Owners
FSD(U) - as we’re calling it - won’t be available for users initially while Tesla tests it with its fleets. Once Tesla gets enough testing done to ensure safety is at the level that it needs - they’ll begin rolling out FSD(U) to owners. Since Tesla expects to let owners add their vehicles to the Robotaxi fleet in 2026, we expect FSD(U) for vehicle owners to arrive sometime after this date.
Tesla will have more control of a vehicle while it’s being managed by its fleet, so it makes sense for FSD(U) for Tesla owners to arrive later in 2026 or even 2027.
Tesla is aiming for a safety level that is significantly higher than the average human driver - one magnitude higher. Right now, according to the Q4 Vehicle Safety Report, the average driver has an incident on average every 700,000 miles, while a Tesla has one on average every 1.08 million miles. On FSD or Autopilot, that number goes up significantly - to 5.94 million miles. Tesla is aiming to bring that number closer to 7 million miles before they significantly expand FSD(U) - the one-order of magnitude mark.
And it sounds like Elon will be happy to enable it - because he said the following at the earnings call: “People go to manual driving to check their phone so that they don’t strike out/get beeped at - and then go back to FSD.”
And it’s pretty true - it would be much safer if people didn’t do that. Now, getting FSD(U) on our vehicles is just a matter of time. So let’s watch Tesla cut red tape in 2025!
Launch Phases
Tesla will need to beat regulatory hurdles that will eventually challenge their rapid deployment. Tesla hopes to be able to deploy FSD Unsupervised with its Robotaxi fleets throughout the United States by the end of 2025, with it coming to Canada in 2026.
Tesla will be starting with Austin, Texas, where they’ve already obtained regulatory approval, and then move to other cities within the United States in the following months.
Currently, Tesla’s primary use of Unsupervised FSD is happening at Fremont, with vehicles driving themselves from the production line to the delivery lot and in downtown LA, where they’ve been testing with safety drivers to get employees around town. And at the factory - it's happening daily, and reliability - with thousands of vehicles moving from the line to the lot every day.
We imagine Tesla will launch FSD(U) in several phases, potentially looking something like this:
Test FSD(U) internally (being done now)
Launch the Robotaxi network in small areas for refinement
Expand and improve the network
Allow non-Tesla-owned vehicles (owners allowed to join)
Offer Unsupervised FSD to Tesla owners where Tesla will have less control over the vehicle
As many of you are, we’re really excited to see Tesla’s Robotaxis in the wild for the first time. Like everything else Tesla, expects the release of FSD(U) to be small and gradually grow. It may consist of only employees in Austin at first, or it may include a safety driver, or even be limited to a very small region. While some may be disappointed at first, remember how Tesla rolls out features. Iterations and improvements will come consistently and fast.
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Tesla’s Dan W Priestley attended the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California, and provided an update on Tesla’s Semi truck program. The presentation covered several key developments on the status of Tesla’s Nevada Semi Factory, refinements to the Semi, and Tesla’s plans for charging and ramping production through 2026.
Let’s dig in and take a look at everything that was captured by the Out of Spec team at ACT Expo. The original video is embedded below if you’d like to watch it.
Semi Factory & Production Ramp
Priestley reaffirmed the timelines mentioned during Tesla’s Q4 2024 Earnings Call that Tesla will scale Semi production in 2026. To achieve this, Tesla has been actively building and expanding the Gigafactory Nevada site, specifically to support the production of the Tesla Semi. The dedicated Semi facility will have a targeted annual capacity of 50,000 Semi trucks.
Following the beginning of production, Tesla will utilize the initial trucks to integrate into its own logistics operations. This will serve as both a final real-world testing ground as well as an opportunity for Tesla to gather data internally. Tesla plans to begin subsequent customer deliveries throughout 2026 as the ramp-up continues.
Reuters also reported that Tesla is hiring over 1,000 new employees at the Semi Factory to begin the rapid ramping of the program.
Semi has already amassed 7.9 million miles with Tesla’s current testing and operational fleets, providing some real-world data and testing. Feedback for the truck has been exceptionally successful, with many drivers praising the Semi’s performance and comfort.
New Tesla Semi Features
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Tesla keynote without showing off some new things. The Semi will be available in 500-mile and 300-mile range configurations, now featuring updated mirror designs and a drop-down glass section to improve visibility and allow easier interaction with external elements—such as control panels at ports, for example.
New Electric Power Take-Off (e-PTO)
The Tesla Semi will also feature a new capability called Electric Power Take-Off, or e-PTO system. Similar to the PTO systems found on other vehicles, this will allow the Semi’s high-voltage battery to power auxiliary equipment at variable voltages. That includes being able to power things like climate-controlled reefer trailers, potentially replacing the noisy and polluting diesel generators traditionally used for this purpose.
Charging and Batteries
Out of Spec BITS/YouTube
Tesla is also working on an updated battery pack design for the final production design of the Semi. This new pack is designed to be more cost-effective to manufacture. The battery pack itself is slightly smaller than before, but the truck maintains the same level of range through efficiencies. Dan also confirmed during his keynote that the battery cells for the Semi will be sourced domestically inside the United States, helping to alleviate potential burdens due to tariffs.
On the charging front, Tesla is using MCS - the Megawatt Charging System - capable of 1.2MW - and designed specifically for Semi. The system uses the same V4 charging hardware found at Supercharger sites but focuses on that larger power output. Alongside a smaller physical footprint, Tesla will be able to configure these V4 cabinets for either dedicated Semi charging or for shared power scenarios with regular Superchargers. Tesla is also working on an integrated overnight charging product, but Tesla isn’t ready to talk about it yet.
46 Semi Charger Sites Coming
The 46 new MCS sites coming soon.
Out of Spec BITS/YouTube
Finally, Tesla has made substantial investments in a public charging network for the Semi. There are currently 46 sites in progress throughout the United States, and plans for significant expansion throughout 2026 and 2027. These sites are strategically located alongside major truck routes and within industrial areas to support long-haul and regional operations. Tesla is aiming to offer the lowest possible energy costs to operators to help incentivize adoption.
This was one of the best updates to the Tesla Semi we’ve received since its initial unveiling. It seems that the Semi will receive a big portion of Tesla’s attention in 2026, while Robotaxi and FSD Unsupervised take the stage this year.
The Tesla Semi has the potential to transform transportation even more dramatically than EVs already have, serving as a testament to Tesla’s mission to electrify the world.
Sentry Mode is an invaluable tool for owners - capable of keeping the vehicle safe and secure even when you’re not around. This is especially true in recent times, with the misguided and unfortunate incidents surrounding Tesla ownership, including damage to Tesla vehicles, showrooms, and Superchargers.
B-pillar Camera Recording and Dashcam Viewer
With the 2025 Spring Update on 2025.14, Tesla is expanding Sentry Mode’s functionality for certain vehicles with some much-needed changes. Sentry Mode and Dashcam can now record footage from the vehicle’s B-pillar cameras. These cameras are located on the side pillars of the vehicle, between the front and rear doors.
This adds two crucially needed viewpoints, making Tesla’s Sentry Mode a truly 360-degree security system. These cameras also provide the best angles for capturing license plates when parked, so they will be greatly appreciated by owners in the event of an incident.
These vehicles are also receiving an improved Dashcam Viewer, which now displays the six camera feeds along the bottom and a new grid view. It also allows users to jump back or forward in the video in 15-second increments.
However, to the disappointment of many owners, not all vehicles are receiving these updates due to the additional processing power needed.
Limited to Hardware 4 Vehicles, Ryzen Isn’t Enough
We have confirmed that Tesla is only adding the additional camera recording and improved Dashcam Viewer on hardware 4 (HW4 / AI4) vehicles. The newer hardware presumably has the additional processing power and bandwidth needed to handle recording and saving the two additional video streams during Sentry Mode and Dashcam.
For the time being, owners of HW3 vehicles are not receiving this feature. This includes all vehicles with HW3, even those with AMD Ryzen infotainment systems. If you’re not sure whether your vehicle has HW3 or HW4, you can refer to our FSD hardware guide.
While there’s no doubt that recording two additional camera streams would be more computationally intensive, we hope that Tesla adds the improved Dashcam Viewer to HW3 vehicles in a future update.
Cybertruck Also Missing Improved Sentry Mode
Surprisingly, and most confusing for many - is the fact that the Cybertruck is also not receiving the improved Dashcam Viewer and B-pillar camera recording with this update. This struck us as odd, especially since the Cybertruck is currently the only vehicle with the improved, more efficient version of Sentry Mode.
Every Cybertruck is equipped with HW4 and AMD Ryzen infotainment units, so this clearly isn’t a hardware restriction. It’s possible the more efficient Sentry Mode is playing a role here due to the infrastructure changes. However, we expect Tesla to address this in a future update and eventually release these features for the Cybertruck as well.
Given the Cybertruck’s high visibility and its status as a frequent target for both positive and negative attention, many owners hoped that the Cybertruck would be one of the vehicles to receive this feature.
Adaptive Headlights
Tesla finally started rolling out its adaptive headlights in North America. While the new Model Y already came with the feature when it was released last month, other vehicles with matrix headlights are now receiving the feature in the Spring Update.
All vehicles with matrix headlights are receiving this feature, which includes the new and old Model 3, first-gen Model Y, and the new Model S and Model X.
If you’re not sure if your vehicle includes matrix headlights, check out our guide. What’s interesting here is that older vehicles that were retrofitted with matrix headlights due to an accident or user replacement are also receiving the adaptive headlights feature.
Legacy Model S & Model X
As with most updates, the older legacy Model S and Model X are not receiving all the features included in this update. Unfortunately, some of the features, which include the Blind Spot Camera on the instrument cluster, Save Trunk Height Based on Location and Keep Accessory Power On are limited to the new Model S and X.
Legacy S and X models will receive the Alternative Trip Plans feature, Avoid Highways (Requires Intel MCU) and the Keyboard Languages feature.
These vehicles are also receiving all the features in the Minor Updates section except for the visualization showing how far the door is opened, which is exclusive to the Cybertruck. These additions include improved music search results, contact photos in the phone app, automatic connecting to hotspots, the ability to show third-party chargers, view Supercharger amenities, and various improvements to music services.
While many users will be disappointed not to receive the B-pillar camera recording and Dashcam Viewer improvements, it’s important to remember that Tesla typically does a great job at bringing features to older vehicles, at least with the Model 3 and Model Y. If a feature isn’t added, it’s usually due to a hardware limitation.
![Tesla Semi Keynote: New Features, 46 Charging Sites, Upgraded Battery & More [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/semi/semi-new-features.jpg/c7df4e0d32f8cb0beee080ad201e943b/semi-new-features.jpg)
