Tesla may be forced to return money or equip cars with new computers. Because even in brand new cars, the chipset cannot handle FSD, which costs DKK 58,000 in Denmark.
Danes pay as much as DKK 58,000 to get so-called FSD – or fully self-driving properties – in their Teslas. But now it turns out that the software equipment does not work in a number of new cars.
The cars are simply equipped with a chipset that cannot handle the advanced software. Even if many Danes have paid a small fortune in the hope that the equipment will one day work.
This is confirmed by Tesla's managing director Elon Musk.
– There is a certain risk that HW3 will not reach the security level that allows unattended FSD, says the director.
Tesla has been charging customers DKK 58,300 for the fully self-contained (FSD) functionality option, but now the company may not be able to guarantee that this will work on older hardware.
READ ALSO: Swedish police want to copy Denmark's tall speed bumps
But now it turns out that this year Tesla has been selling cars with the HW3 computer and older cameras – including in countries like Denmark – even though the newer HW4 hardware started to be delivered in some models this year.
This newer version has both faster processing power and higher resolution cameras, which may be necessary to achieve fully self-contained functionality.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted during the company's recent earnings call that HW3 hardware may not be able to fully support FSD.
– We are not 100 percent sure. HW4 has several times the capacity of HW3. It's easier to get things working on HW4 and it takes a lot of effort to push it into HW3.
– There is a certain chance that HW3 will not reach the security level that allows unattended FSD, Musk let it.
The conversion of a car with HW3 to HW4 can also be technically challenging and very expensive for Tesla if the company wants to meet its caps on FSD.
Alternatively, Tesla may be forced to refund customers the DKK 58,000 that many have paid for the fully self-sufficient system. Musk has previously stated that HW3 owners will be compensated in some way, however.
– We will take care of those who have HW3. Do the right thing for your customers, and the customers will do the right thing for you, writes Musk on Twitter – the current X.
The new HW4 hardware offers improvements such as cameras with over twice the resolution and better performance in the dark, as well as a processor with 3-5 times higher calculation speed.
Tesla does not specify what hardware is installed in each car, but customers in Europe began receiving the HW4 system in the spring of 2024. However, this year Tesla has also sold models from previous inventory with older hardware.
Guide: How to check if your Tesla has the HW4 computer
If your car was produced in 2024 and has root camera lenses at the front, it is likely that the car is equipped with HW4.
In addition, the side cameras should also have messy lenses. An alternative method is to examine the car's display for information about the hardware version, but this information can be difficult to find.
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
