Tesla All Hands Meeting: The future of the Model 2, FSD and Superchargers

By Nuno Cristovao

This week Tesla held an all hands meeting where everyone at the company was invited and Elon Musk took the time to address several important and interesting topics.

Elon Musk all hands meeting

FSD

Elon talked about the FSD beta. He reiterated that version 10 will be released this coming Friday and that it is quite profound. He also said that “The Button” will be released two weeks later in version 10.1.

We have all heard two weeks used numerous times before. Elon is either putting some pressure on the team to get the public beta released or Tesla is getting very close and he feels confident they’ll be able to meet that timeline. Two weeks or not, it seems like we’re getting closer to a public release of the FSD Beta.

Model 2

Elon went on to talk about Tesla’s upcoming $25,000 car. He said that Tesla is considering not having a steering wheel or pedals in the car and may just roll the dice on FSD.

While I believe Tesla’s is making some major breakthroughs in self driving right now, I’m not quite sure if Tesla will be at level 5 autonomous driving by the time their lower cost model is released. There’s a huge difference between level 3, where a driver must pay attention and be ready to take over, to level 5 where the car can drive itself without human intervention in any weather conditions. There's a long tail of issues to be solved that will take a long time.

If Tesla could achieve level 5 autonomy by the time they release the “Model 2,” there are likely big changes coming to that vehicle interior. Changes that go far beyond removing a steering wheel and pedals.

As soon as a car can drive itself safer than a human is capable of, the entire interior of the vehicle is going to change. The criteria of what people want in a car is going to be completely different. Instead of looking for a vehicle with great acceleration, we’ll be looking for vehicles with large, cinema-like screens for entertainment, a fold out desk and reclinable seats. Maybe even a seat that folds down into a bed. There will also be no reason to look out the front of the vehicle. Instead we’ll likely want to face the other passengers, much like a train.

For these reasons, I don’t think Tesla’s $25,000 car will exclude a steering wheel and pedals. At least not just a steering wheel and pedals. If it did, then it may be completely outdated by the time it's released. When Tesla releases a new vehicle that is only capable of autonomous driving, it’ll be a completely different type of car.

Speaking of the “Model 2”, Elon was clear that they will not call the car the Model 2. There are some interesting theories of what the car may be called. It could be called the Model C, for compact. Another theory is that they may name it the Model A, for autonomous. It will also help Tesla spell out the S3xy Cars acronym. Everyone so far believed the ATV that Tesla unveiled during the Cybertruck reveal would be the “A” vehicle, but having Tesla’s $25,000 car called the Model A seems to make a lot of sense.

Superchargers

Moving on to the next topic Elon mentioned during the all hands meeting, Elon said that Tesla will be opening up their Superchargers very soon. Starting as soon as next month in Europe where CCS adapters are already standard in all new EVs. Tesla will use the Tesla app to allow other vehicles to charge at Tesla chargers.

Cybertruck

According to details about the meeting, the Cybertruck has been moved further back than initially thought. Tesla updated it’s release to 2022 several weeks ago, but the media took this to mean early 2022. It appears to actually be slated to start production in late 2022 with volume production beginning in 2023. So we’re still a little more than a year out from seeing the first Cybertrucks on the road.

Mars, Growth and Robo-van

Some other tidbits from the meeting are that Elon expects Tesla to grow by 10x, however no timeframe was mentioned. I imagine we’re not looking more than 5-10 years out, but without a timeline it’s hard to take any real meaning from this statement.

Elon also mentioned that he would maybe go to Mars. Maybe in 10 years. Again, not surprising. It’s obviously a passion of his and he would like to experience it in person.

Another topic that was talked about that we don’t have a lot of information on, but I believe is really interesting is a “Robo-van”. Apparently the idea is for it to be used for individuals with disabilities, but I could see a huge use-case for this type of vehicle, especially when FSD is achieved. As I talked about earlier, once we have FSD, we’ll want very different things in a vehicle. If a van could be like a mini-RV, that could fill a lot of needs.

Ordering a New Tesla?

Consider using our referral code (nuno84363) to help support our site. Order today and get 3 months free of FSD.

Tesla Expected to Release 'Actually Smart Summon' and 'Tap to Park' Updates Next Month

By Not a Tesla App Staff
Smart summon in April update
Smart summon in April update

Elon Musk announced that Tesla will finally reintroduce Smart Summon and Autopark to its vehicles. According to the CEO, these features are scheduled for release in April. Tesla removed ultrasonic sensors (USS) from their vehicles in 2022, and with it removed several features, including Autopark, Smart Summon and Park Assist. However, since then, they’ve added High Fidelity Park Assist, a feature that recreates the surrounding environment in 3D. Although, it’s currently only available to vehicles without USS, that’s expected to change in the near future, and could also come bundled in with the new Autopark feature.

This update in April is not only expected bring these features back to vehicles without ultrasonic sensors, but Tesla is also expected to release drastically improved versions of these features, known as Actually Smart Summon and Tap to Park.

Major improvements coming for Summon & Banish (Autopark) next month - Elon Musk

Improved Autopark

Greentheonly, who regularly decompiles Tesla firmware, has indicated that Tesla's latest software, version 2024.8, already contains the code necessary for these new features, but they need to be remotely activated by Tesla. Additionally, Green says the new Autopark system will offer users the choice between parallel and perpendicular parking options. The new Autopark is expected to let drivers visually select a parking spot, exit the vehicle, and let it park itself.

New ‘Tap to Park’ Feature

With the introduction of High Fidelity Park Assist, Tesla laid the groundwork for more sophisticated features like "Tap to Park."

Tap to Park builds on the original concept of Park Seek, a feature discussed by Tesla in October 2022 that aimed to automate the parking spot search process. While the initial vision for Park Seek suggested a vehicle could autonomously search for parking, "Tap to Park" simplifies this idea.

With the deployment of FSD Beta v12.3 going to more users this weekend, the company continues to leverage AI to reduce code in favor of neural networks trained with real-world driving data.

Just last week, Musk posted on X: "Really cool stuff coming both this month and next." Since that post, FSD beta version 12.3 has started going to more users, and now it seems two other long overdue and highly anticipated updates are coming with Actually Smart Summon and Tap to Park. Still no word on auto wiper improvements.

Tesla Expands FSD Beta v12.3; Autopilot Director Confirms Ability to Reverse is Coming Soon

By Kevin Armstrong
FSD Beta v12 is living up to hype
FSD Beta v12 is living up to hype

Tesla's latest Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta v12 is reaching users after an extended rollout over the weekend. This update is not just another iteration; it represents a leap in self-driving technology, primarily due to its integration of end-to-end neural networks for vehicle control. So far, it seems to be living up to the hype.

A Neural Network Driven Approach

At the core of FSD v12 is a shift from traditional programming to neural network-based decision-making. This allows the vehicle to process raw camera footage and vehicle kinematics directly into driving actions, mimicking human cognitive processes more closely than ever before. Ashok Elluswamy, Director of Autopilot Software at Tesla, highlighted the monumental effort to surpass the capabilities of the previous v11, setting a new standard for FSD's future.

Ability to Reverse Is Coming

The release has garnered widespread acclaim, with tech leaders like Michael Dell praising its capabilities and likening the car to human-like driving proficiency. Many in the Tesla community have been posting their weekend drivers, including Chuck Cook, who was amazed during one point of his drive, referring to a move as “Robo-taxi navigation.” Cook believed he was in too tight of a spot to pull a U-turn, but his Tesla pulled it off. Elluswamy commented: “Reverse coming soon when the Actually Smart Summon and the FSD models merge together over the next few releases.”

There were numerous examples of v12.3 navigating complex driving scenarios easily, showcasing significant improvements over earlier versions.

“Reverse coming soon when the Actually Smart Summon and the FSD models merge together over the next few releases.” - Ashok Elluswamy

Next-Level Capabilities on the Horizon

Elon Musk has teased that v12.4 will introduce even more advanced features, emphasizing the continuous improvement in training compute constraints. In fact, he was so thrilled with the next update that he said it could be called version 13. He posted that “V12.4 is another big jump in capabilities. Our constraint in training compute is much improved.”

Update 2023.44.30.25

FSD 12.3
Installed on 4% of vehicles
21 Installs today
Last updated: Mar 19, 6:50 am

Tesla’s FSD trajectory seems to be hitting a new level, as it appears to be headed toward approval of use on roadways in Europe. While it is taking longer than initially believed, the dream of autonomous driving seems to be getting closer to reality.

Latest Tesla Update

Confirmed by Elon

Take a look at features that Elon Musk has said will be coming soon.

More Tesla News

Subscribe

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Sponsors

Find out how to become a sponsor and have your site listed here.

Although we share official Tesla release notes, we are not affiliated with Tesla Motors. We are Tesla fans and supporters.

Latest Tesla Update

Confirmed by Elon

Take a look at features that Elon Musk has said will be coming soon.

Subscribe

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.