Tesla offered an early access program back in 2018 that allowed Tesla owners to sign up to receive early builds of Tesla software updates. Tesla used these vehicles to test software builds before they went out to the general public. Unfortunately, the program was phased out in 2019 as Tesla grew and sold more vehicles.
Today, Tesla allows employees to sign up for their “Wave 1” program to receive and help test early builds of software. While Tesla owners had to sign an NDA to not disclose new software features, restricting early software builds to just employees helps Tesla keep even tighter control of unreleased features.
Tesla also leverages influencers to help test new FSD builds once they pass internal testing. This lets YouTubers and other influencers show off the capabilities of new FSD features and keep owners excited. Influencers often receive new FSD builds several weeks ahead of the public and sometimes receive versions that aren’t released to the public, however, these builds are limited to FSD updates and do not include new features found in major software updates.
This updated early access program seems to focus specifically on FSD, rather than general software features, similar to how Tesla’s influencer early access program works today.
Tesla included the image above in the app, which seems to confirm that this program will focus on FSD/Autopilot features and not include new major updates like 2025.14.
There are a couple of possibilities on how Tesla might roll this out. The program could be offered to users in regions where FSD is already available, allowing newer builds to be tested more quickly. Alternatively, it could target regions that are expected to receive FSD Unsupervised first, such as Austin, Texas. However, the former seems more likely, especially considering Elon Musk’s recent comments during the latest earnings call about needing to meet a minimum safety threshold before deploying FSD Unsupervised to customer vehicles.
Early Access Program Terms
The decompile also provided an image of the early access program privacy policy, which appears to enable Tesla to pull even more data from opted-in users. It seems the early access volunteers will provide vehicle-specific and VIN-associated data, rather than the current anonymous data that is provided under Controls > Software > DataSharing.
This data will contain personal identifiers, including unique vehicle identifiers, account information, GPS data, interior and exterior camera recordings, and likely (but unmentioned) microphone recordings. Tesla could also pull information from the mobile app or contact you for additional details about specific events that it records while a user is enrolled in the early access program.
The details for the early access program's privacy policy.
@Tesla_App_iOS on X
What You’ll Get
This is an exciting development—it’s the first time in a while that non-influencers can get early access to Tesla’s FSD builds. For FSD enthusiasts, it’s a great chance to experience upcoming features firsthand. Just keep in mind that early builds tend to be less stable than public releases, and extra attention is required.
One thing to keep in mind is that newer builds aren’t always better. Early access testers spent a while on a less stable build of FSD V12.4 as Tesla tried to iron out bugs, but ultimately, Tesla decided to pull FSD v12.4 and focus on v12.5, which eventually made a public release. FSD v12.4 was the first to introduce hands-free driver monitoring but struggled with lane keeping and lane selection.
However, if you consider yourself an FSD enthusiast and are ready to keep a vigilant eye on FSD, this new program could be a great chance to gain access to early FSD builds.
It’s still unclear how Tesla will select users for the program—or whether eligibility will depend on region or vehicle hardware—but we’ll share all the details as soon as they become available.
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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.
— 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.
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
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.
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.
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