It is a brutal admission. For several years, Elon Musk has explained that Tesla vehicles already have everything you need to become autonomous when the update is deployed. He just turned back.
Hardware 3 will not support autonomous driving
Because it is the big promise of the billionaire since 2016. In A blog post since deleted, Tesla then claimed that all her new vehicles had the necessary equipment for one day, behaving on his own. He then referred to his Hardware 2 technology, which was quickly replaced by Hardware 2.5. In 2019, the manufacturer began to deliver his cars with the Hardware 3 system, demonstrating that the previous versions were not enough to facilitate the sole autonomous conduct.
Drivers wishing to acquire the Full Self-Driving (FSD), a Tesla advanced driving assistance system launched in 2020, should absolutely have Hardware 3. A condition that has greatly pushed significant sums To update their on -board computer. If the company recently launched Hardware 4, it assured that cars equipped with Hardware 3 would not need updating to benefit from autonomous driving.
Elon Musk has just admitted that it was false during a conference call with its shareholders relating to Tesla’s financial assessment. “” The truth is that we will have to upgrade the hardware 3 computer of people who bought the full self-driving “, He regretted, adding that it will be” absolutely painful and difficult ».

Critical period for Tesla
Tesla is therefore wrong since 2016. And the repercussions of this declaration could prove to be very harmful for the manufacturer. One of his clients, forced to update his equipment to acquire the FSD, has already brought the case before the court. Denouncing his ” false advertising He won the case.
It is however a pivotal moment for Tesla. In the fourth quarter, the company saw its net profit tumbled by 70 %, a historic first. In question, in particular, increased competition from Chinese manufacturers who offer electric vehicles with much more affordable costs. This pushes Elon Musk’s business to adapt its strategy.
In this context, a less expensive Tesla vehicle should be launched this year. The firm also operates a major transformation, by massively focusing on artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies.
- Elon Musk admitted that drivers with a Tesla vehicle equipped with hardware 3 should modify it to benefit from autonomous driving.
- It is a bitter admission, the company explaining since 2016 that the Tesla had already equipped the equipment necessary for autonomous driving.
- This declaration comes at a pivotal moment for the manufacturer, who saw his net profit tumble down in the fourth quarter.