Older Tesla models can't support full self-driving, Musk admits
What's the story
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that cars manufactured roughly between the model years of 2019 and 2023 will never be able to achieve unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD). This is due to their outdated internal computer systems, known as Hardware 3. Musk made the revelation during a recent earnings call, noting that "Hardware 3 simply does not have the capability to achieve unsupervised FSD."
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Stark difference between Hardware 3 and 4
Musk further explained the limitations of Hardware 3 by comparing it with its successor, Hardware 4. He said that the former has only one-eighth of the memory bandwidth of the latter, a key element needed for unsupervised FSD. This stark difference in capabilities is why older Tesla models can't be upgraded to achieve full autonomy through an over-the-air software update.
Unfulfilled promises
Tesla will have to set up 'small factories' for upgrades
Back in 2016, Tesla had promised that all its vehicles would be fully autonomous. However, this promise now seems unfulfilled for owners of older models with Hardware 3. To achieve full autonomy, these customers will have to upgrade their cars' internal computer systems and cameras to the newer Hardware 4 version. This major upgrade will require setting up "small factories in major metropolitan areas," Musk said, as doing it at service centers would be too inefficient.
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Tesla's revenue beats analysts' estimates
Despite the hardware limitations and upgrade requirements, Tesla reported a total first-quarter revenue of $22.38 billion. This is a 16% increase from last year and beats analysts' estimates.