According to Elon Tesla may release FSD Beta 10.12 with several key improvements this week.
The last major beta, version 10.11 started
going out in early March, but most testers didn't receive it until v10.11.2, which
was released in April.
We hope this beta will go out a little quicker than the previous one, but it's certainly shaping up to be an
exciting release.
Updated Vehicle Models
FSD Beta 10.12 will contain new, more
detailed vehicle models, at least for its sedan model, but it may include updated models for all the
various vehicle types.
The current sedan visualization is fairly abstract. It doesn't have wheels or many details. The visualization is
modeled after Tesla's key fob for the Model S.
FSD Beta can recognize far more things than it can display on the screen. However, the visualizations are an
important way of how the vehicle communicates with us on what it sees and understands. So with Beta 10.12 Tesla
is including a more detailed sedan model that has wheels and doors.
Although FSD Beta has been able to detect open doors for a while now, the model will now visually show us if any
nearby cars have open doors by highlighting the door in yellow.
Improvements to Unprotected Left Turns
Unprotected left turns have been a key focus over several betas and we're apparently going to see further
improvements in 10.12.
Crossing over multiple lanes when turning left can be intimidating, even for some human drivers. Tesla has
been making continuous improvements to make unprotected left turns more efficient and human-like.
For example, the car will now sometimes start inching slowly, anticipating the last vehicle to pass so that it
can complete the turn promptly and be out of the way of any further traffic.
According to Elon, FSD Beta 10.12 will specifically improve "tricky" unprotected left turns.
Chuck Cook on YouTube does a fantastic job covering some of these left turns. Below you can see how the latest
FSD Beta does taking a left turn onto a primary street with a divider.
Heavy Traffic
In Beta 10.12, we're also expecting to see improvements in heavy traffic. I haven't seen too many issues with the
beta in traffic, except that sometimes the car has a tough time differentiating between a parked vehicle and a
vehicle that's just waiting.
I've encountered situations where the beta tries to go around a car that is stopped due to a traffic light or
traffic and the beta waits for just a few seconds before trying to go around the vehicle.
Hopefully, this is one of the areas that Elon is talking about when he refers to improvements in heavy traffic.
Single Stack
Elon also mentions that Tesla is making good progress on single stack. Single stack refers to a single set of
technologies that will be used for both highway and street driving.
FSD beta is great, but once you get on the highway, you're right back in the old production version.
FSD Beta is far from perfect, but driving on city streets is a completed task and the beta actually does quite
well trying to figure things out.
When we start looking at Autopilot on the highway and some of the issues it still has, like bouncing between lane
markings or a sudden attempt to center itself in a lane that has become wider, those issues are practically
non-existent in city driving.
So while single stack won't be included in beta 10.12, it's good to know that Tesla continues to make progress.
When Tesla is finally able to complete their single stack software we should see huge improvements in highway
Autopilot use.
Release Date
The last FSD beta started going out more than a month ago, so a lot of users are definitely itching for an
update. Elon said earlier this week that beta 10.12 is "probably" going to wide release this week.
The beta could be in QA testing now, but it unlikely that it has been passed on to employees yet as release notes
usually get leaked when that happens.
Hopefully, some of us will be greeted by that sweet notification this weekend, prompting us to install the latest
beta.
Update: Elon tweeted today, Friday, May 6th that there have been "many upgrades to core code, so taking longer to debug issues. Probably Wed/Thurs release." So it looks like we're still a week out from a public release of beta 10.12.
Based On New Build
Lately, FSD betas have been a little behind the times. The latest beta is 2022.4.5.21,
which is roughly two major versions behind. That means that FSD Beta testers still don't have seat heaters in
the launcher, Dog Mode in the Tesla app, browser improvements, vehicle preconditioning improvements and more.
Most non-FSD Teslas are now on a 2022.12 release and 2022.16 is expected shortly.
While it's unlikely that the beta 10.12 will be based on a brand new upcoming build like 2022.16, it's almost
certainly going to be based on 2022.12, which
will please a lot of testers.
It appears that Tesla is as cautious as ever with beta releases. Lately, it has taken several revisions of a beta
before Tesla releases it to everyone.
Tesla says they're now at 100k beta testers in the US and Canada, so they're right to be cautious, but it's not
easy waiting.
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Tesla is rolling out a fairly big update for its iOS and early-access-only Robotaxi app, delivering a suite of improvements that address user feedback from the initial launch last month. The update improves the user experience with increased flexibility, more information, and overall design polish.
The most prominent feature in this update is that Tesla now allows you to adjust your pickup location. Once a Robotaxi arrives at your pickup location, you have 15 minutes to start the ride. The app will now display the remaining time your Robotaxi will wait for you, counting down from 15:00. The wait time is also shown in the iOS Live Activity if your phone is on the lock screen.
How Adjustable Pickups Work
We previously speculated that Tesla had predetermined pickup locations, as the pickup location wasn’t always where the user was. Now, with the ability to adjust the pickup location, we can clearly see that Tesla has specific locations where users can be picked up.
Rather than allowing users to drop a pin anywhere on the map, the new feature works by having the user drag the map to their desired area. The app then presents a list of nearby, predetermined locations to choose from. Once a user selects a spot from this curated list, they hit “Confirm.” The pickup site can also be changed while the vehicle is en route.
This specific implementation raises an interesting question: Why limit users to predetermined spots? The answer likely lies in how Tesla utilizes fleet data to improve its service.
Here is the new Tesla Robotaxi pickup location adjustment feature.
While the app is still only available on iOS through Apple’s TestFlight program, invited users can download and update the app.
Tesla included these release notes in update 25.7.0 of the Robotaxi app:
You can now adjust pickup location
Display the remaining wait time at pickup in the app and Live Activity
Design improvements
Bug fixes and stability improvements
Nic Cruz Patane
Why Predetermined Pick Up Spots?
The use of predetermined pickup points is less of a limitation and more of a feature. These curated locations are almost certainly spots that Tesla’s fleet data has identified as optimal and safe for an autonomous vehicle to perform a pickup or drop-off.
This suggests that Tesla is methodically “mapping” its service area not just for calibration and validation of FSD builds but also to help perform the first and last 50-foot interactions that are critical to a safe and smooth ride-hailing experience.
An optimal pickup point likely has several key characteristics identified by the fleet, including:
A safe and clear pull-away area away from traffic
Good visibility for cameras, free of obstructions
Easy entry and exit paths for an autonomous vehicle
This change to pick-up locations reveals how Tesla’s Robotaxi Network is more than just Unsupervised FSD. There are a lot of moving parts, many of which Tesla recently implemented, and others that likely still need to be implemented, such as automated charging.
Frequent Updates
This latest update delivers a much-needed feature for adjusting pickup locations, but it also gives us a view into exactly what Tesla is doing with all the data it is collecting with its validation vehicles rolling around Austin, alongside its Robotaxi fleet.
Tesla is quickly iterating on its app and presumably the vehicle’s software to build a reliable and predictable network, using data to perfect every aspect of the experience, from the moment you hail the ride to the moment you step out of the car.
The massive legislative effort titled the "Big Beautiful Bill" is taking direct aim at what has become one of Tesla’s most critical and profitable revenue streams: the sale of US regulatory credits. The bill could eliminate billions of dollars from Tesla’s bottom line each year and will slow down the transition to electric vehicles in the US.
The financial stakes for Tesla are absolutely immense. In 2024, Tesla generated $2.76 billion from selling these credits. This high-margin revenue was the sole reason Tesla posted a profit in Q1 2025; without the $595 million from regulatory credits, Tesla’s reported $409 million in profit would have been a $189 million loss.
How the ZEV Credit System Works
Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) credits are part of state-level programs, led by California, designed to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. Each year, automakers are required to hold a certain number of ZEV credits, with the amount based on their total vehicle sales within that state. Under this system, automakers that fail to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles must either pay a significant fine or purchase credits from a company that exceeds the mandate.
Automakers who fail to sell enough EVs to meet their quota have a deficit and face two choices: pay a hefty fine to the state government for each missing credit (for example, $5,000 per credit in California) or buy credits from a company with a surplus.
As an all-EV company, Tesla generates a massive surplus of these credits. It can then turn around and sell them to legacy automakers at prices cheaper than the fine, creating a win-win scenario: the legacy automaker avoids a larger penalty, and Tesla gains a lucrative, near-pure-profit revenue stream.
This new bill will dismantle this by eliminating the financial penalties for non-compliance, which would effectively make Tesla’s credits worthless. While the ZEV program is a state law, the Big Beautiful Bill will fully eliminate the penalties at a federal level.
A Multi-Billion Dollar Impact
The removal of US ZEGV credits would be a severe blow to Tesla’s financials. One JPMorgan analyst estimated that the move could reduce Tesla’s earnings by over 50%, representing a potential annual loss of $2 billion. While Tesla also earns similar credits in Europe and China, analysts suggest that 80-90% of its credit revenue in Q1 2025 came from US programs.
Why the Program Exists
While the impact on Tesla would be direct and immediate, the credit system has a wider purpose. It creates a strong financial incentive for legacy automakers to develop and accelerate their zero-emission vehicle programs, whether it’s hydrogen, electric, or another alternative.
Eliminating the need for these credits would remove that financial pressure. This could allow traditional automakers to slow their EV transition in the US without the fear of a financial penalty, potentially leading to fewer EV choices for consumers and a slower path to vehicle electrification in the country.
Big, But Not Beautiful
On Sunday Morning TV, Elon Musk was asked his thoughts on the Big Beautiful Bill. They were pretty simple. A bill could be big, or it could be beautiful - I don’t know if it can be both, Musk stated.
Elon Musk in new interview: "I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit and undermines the work the DOGE team is doing. I think a bill could be big, or it could be beautiful—I don't know if it can be both." pic.twitter.com/DnyjHN7xCY
The bill poses a threat to Tesla’s bottom line and to the adoption of EVs in the US market, where automakers will no longer have a financial incentive to transition to cleaner vehicles, a market they’ve regularly struggled in when competing against Tesla.
Tesla will have to work carefully in the future to cut expenses to remain profitable after the elimination of these regulatory credits.