Tesla HW3 to HW4 upgrade

In this video, I discuss selling my 2019 M3 and buying a Used Tesla 22 MY. We also cover Elon Musk's mention of the 2024 Q4 Earnings call HW3 to HW4. Is FSD worth $8K on an older Tesla running HW3? In my opinion, NO! The reason is you can buy used Teslas with Full FSD for under $24. We also have no timeline on when this change is supposed to happen.
Key Points:
Cars equipped with Hardware 3 (HW3) will not achieve full autonomous Full Self-Driving (FSD) capability (this is not surprising).
HW3 vehicles will lag behind those with Hardware 4 (HW4) in terms of software updates/rollouts.
Only owners who purchased the full FSD package on a HW3 vehicle will be eligible for the HW4 upgrade; monthly subscribers will not qualify.
NOTES:
The FSD Package is based on the VIN or car, not on the user's account. Therefore, if you purchased a used car that includes FSD, you are eligible, even if you are the second owner who never paid for it.
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[@adam.mclean]

I have a 2019 Model X long range with HW3 FSD, and I love FSD so much I don’t even have the words.

[@FSDdriver]

I love FSD as well but I am very critical of it and I’m not a Tesla cheerleader like most of the people who do FSD videos. I’m in the Midwest we have all 4 seasons and our roads suck compared to CA. We find the truth on my channel.

[@adam.mclean]

@ I’m in South Dakota, it’s 7° outside right now, equal weight distribution on all my tires makes all the difference in the world for traction control. EVs are awesome! I like your channel!

[@FSDdriver]

Yeah I was in a 2019 RWD and that handled the snow extremely well

[@RicViperskylogs]

I have the HD3 with the Rizen chip Smooth as butter.

[@FSDdriver]

I wish I had Ryzen Chip! I thought this one had it when i took order online because it was a 2022 but earlier than the chip update.

[@harrywagensveld2464]

I bought a used model Y that had FSD and really hope that I'm included in the HW4 update. There was a premium on the price of the car because of FSD.

[@FSDdriver]

You will be sir. FSD is vin bound not account bound. As long as the car has FSD paid for by anyone you will get the upgrade… when is another question.

[@janecloud7233]

I have a 2019 model3 dual motor and purchased FSD when I ordered it. I use Fsd everyday and have been stuck on V12.5.4.2 for a few months. Would love to get the upgrade to HW4 but would like to get 12.6 3 in mean time. Hopefully they will send out 12.6.3 soon. I have driven on FSD for over 111,000 miles.

[@FSDdriver]

Oh yes many miles on fsd here as well

[@kottuning3294]

Make sure your option is set to Advanced on the sw update screen. Also, its probably a good idea to do a full reboot of the vehicle. Pretty much everyone is on 12.6 now, all the new 12.5.4.2 sw versions are going to EU and the ROW. 12.6 is MUCH better on the highway, and smoother in general but on city streets it's a bit more timid, at least on .2. Very happy he's going to update our HW3 cars, I was just about to sell my MSP and take a massive loss just for stupid AI4.

[@FSDdriver]

I sold my 2019 M3 with FSD and bought a new used Tesla 2022 MY with monthly FSD and still don't have an update. Even my wifes model y 2022 doesn't have it. All three cars stuck on 12.5.4.2

[@jjtrailriders5682]

Great commentary, as if I was listening to my thoughts…..

[@VincentCS34F]

I was watching this and then realized you were driving on my old route to work! For the record I have a MS 90D 2016 (currently HW3) with FSD purchased outright as well as a 2015 MS 70D that is a HW1 for life car but at least has the classic unlimited supercharging. Both of them still have the free mcu data for life so I had the MCU1s upgraded to MCU2s as well. Im looking forward to the improvements. I've felt it improve from HW 2.5 to HW3 and ill be waiting for my HW4 as promised Elon. I Knew the HW3 wasnt going to cut it. Dont get me wrong, its great and i really enjoy it.. but yeah i called BS on that from the start. I bought the FSD knowing that his timelines were a joke. For me it was just worth it for the price since i keep my cars until the wheels fall off. I knew id get my moneys worth out of a hilariously lofty goal like "rObIOTaXI ready s00n" lol. That being said i saw it go from super shitty/ okay at times on hw 2.5 to later the car being able to completely handle my 51 mile commute with no issue from my driveway to the gate at work a vast majority of the time.

[@FSDdriver]

So I started FSD journey on 2.5 and then 3.0. I also tried it on others when the visualizations sucked. Its clearly improved but I've experience lots of one step forward 2 steps back in certain areas. With this being said I also knew timelines are way fake. Autonomous driving is still 10 years away in my opinion and hardware 4 will not even cut it. Honestly though I don't see myself going to another brand, teslas are amazing cars just bummed that they are not modular designs when it comes to chips and boards

[@Shabobidhuffy]

It makes even more sense just to buy the new car …if you drive a model 3 performance. This is the only Tesla with significant physical changes to the car. 4dU rear motor. All the other models and all the other trims are literally just the same thing. Slightly different headlights , slight tweaks, and hardware 4. But the heart and soul of an electric vehicle , the battery and motors, are basically the same thing it’s been for the last 5 years. The exception is the new model3 performance “Highland / Ludacris”. 4DU motor. More power 💪🏼

[@FSDdriver]

I feel like Tesla had a 10 year lead, now they don’t even compete with Chinese auto makers in battery tech

[@Shabobidhuffy]

@ maybe. But that model 3 performance…. Only 4,000lbs , 620HP ish , $47k with rebate ? Idk. Nothing even remotely comparable. For $90k you can get the plaid at 1100HP and 4,700lbs. 1/4 mile times don’t lie . Dollar for dollar, teslas still smoke every thing else gas or electric.

[@raisoreo]

Hi, so the estimate of the optional purchases of FSD for HW3 Model Ys and Model 3s are perhaps between 200,000 and 300,000 vehicles which is a lot of cars (and disgruntled folks) Tesla left behind. Cheers!

[@FSDdriver]

They will probably try to offer something to appease them. But I doubt it.

[@chris83us]

​@@FSDdriverYes, the free upgrade to hardware 4 😅

[@nvrcuva]

What is wrong with your Tesla? Still stranded in the world of 12.5.4???? Everyone else HW3 is enjoying 12.6 aka baby V13.

[@FSDdriver]

I'm I’m not a Tesla cheerleader, so they won’t provide my car with any software updates. They want me to fail because I'm a truth-teller. I even went as far as buying a different tesla and still nothing.

[@Drucio1]

I hope they mean the cameras too… the difference from my 2024 vs 2023 HW4 to HW3 model Y have a huuuuge difference in its performance

[@FSDdriver]

Not really sure about what the performance difference actually looks like on paper. Would love to see some real world numbers of them

[@NewYorksFinest1]

I have the 2025 model 3 rwd. 13.2.2. software v2 my 1st ev so I have no idea what hardware im on

[@FSDdriver]

2025 model will have HW4 and Ryzen processor. You should be good to go if you wanna pay monthly to month for FSD. Do the math of how long you will own the car to make it make sense if your going to buy it out right, if it’s a lease DO NOT pay for it outright just do month to month as you’ll lose FSD if you turn it in.

[@NewYorksFinest1]

@FSDdriver oops. I already bought out my lease. Fsd expires end of next month

[@FSDdriver]

If you’re in hw4 you’ll be fine with getting updates just pay month to month.

[@TimEckel]

I've tried baby v13 FSD but I'm not a subscriber. The reason for me is that a flat 99/month may be acceptable for someone who drives long distances every day. But I drive just occasionally and sort distances (we both work from home). So it's priced for someone who drives maybe 15k miles per year and we only drive 5k. So it's only worth maybe $20/month in my opinion, especially when it's beta software or running HW3 which doesn't give as many features as HW4.

[@lor8ancg]

you describe the exact vapourwareness of FSD...aside from the fluffers who flood youtube with idiotic, well crafted to avoid bad weather, "best thing since sliced bread" commentary to make money via referrals..the reality is as grim as Musk (a puffer who can't be trusted for what he says) finally admitted what they have always tried to hide, there is very limited uptake of FSD.. The value of FSD, at the outrageous price they charge, is not the average round town driver, it is only for high milers like me (70Kms/year 80% highway) and on HW3 FSD 12.5.4 FSD is garbage, in my significant experience with FSD it is a fair weather nice sun friend, it is garbage at country night (no street lights, etc.) and dangerous garbage in bad weather and these failures have been know to Tesla for years..and rather than fundamental improvements that show us their ASS. i don't think i've ever had a run to work 115KMs at 5:00 am without multiple disengagements or at times FSD deaths (the red wheel takeover immediately warning)..it's like FSD is programmed by the same kids who Musk has now syced on US government employees, ..don;t drive, live in Cali, play computer games..lack of adult supervision

[@FSDdriver]

You actually bring up a new way of charging for FSD per mile. Imagine if you could just pay $20 a month but your only allowed so many miles of inference.

[@tylerhu603]

I’m on FSD 12.6.3 and I have to tell you. It’s not much better, way too timid on lane changes and the worst part is that it starts moving on red lights. However, I thought 12.6.2 was pretty good.

[@FSDdriver]

I can't wait to test it or myself. I'm going to run it through its passes

[@LightStylePro]

10-years away? Robocab is being launched this June in Austin TX. If you test v12.6.1 on your 2022 Model Y, you’ll know that this version is 10x better than v12.5.4.2. Why haven’t you been able to get this new software update?

[@FSDdriver]

Dude, I see people all the time with FSD13 who still can't do simple tasks or need some intervention. 1 intervention is 1 too many interventions when you don't have wheels or pedals.

[@stankaye1]

I bought a 2018 S dual motor. I upgraded to HW 3 to test FSD. So I’m full HW 4. My cost to buy FSD is 2,000. Should i do it to get the HW 4 upgrade ?

[@FSDdriver]

You can't upgrade to HW4 there is no offer for This yet and no time line from Tesla for this. You also need to own FSD outright to qualify, there is no path as of today to HW4 for monthly subscription users

[@JurOz1980]

If hw3 is not good enough for fsd we should sue tesla. I’ve bought this car because of the future update with fsd

[@FSDdriver]

I also bought my car because of FSD. While I owned FSD outright I bought 2 Teslas with monthly FSD thinking I would continue to get updates. Now I have a car that's 2 years old in manufacturing and I get nothing.

[@JurOz1980]

@ thats suck, i’m sorry. As a shareholder i hope they are going to do better

[@wondamaner]

It will be much more cost effective for Tesla to just replace the HW3 vehicles of owners purchasing FSD rather than spend money to design a way to replace HW3 with HW4. There is just no reason to design such a system that will be used one time. The issue will be that they will have to stop allowing FSD sales on HW2.5 and HW3 cars that have not purchased it. They can create a new product that is not FSD that has the FSD features on top of EAP perhaps. It's just really going to be a huge distraction to business and create a lot of "pain for customers" if cars have to spend a week in the shop. The HW2.5 to HW3 upgrade was doable in a days time because it was all connector and peripheral compatible. HW4 is going to require way too much work. Paying for all that design, the hardware changes, the time to train people, and to then carry it all out will just be the cost of a new car in total.

[@FSDdriver]

After elon said that he was glad there was not a high take rate of FSD on HW3 cars it made me really think about the bubble we are in on 𝕏 and on KZbin. We are probably like the .5% of people using FSD. Right after he said that I looked at my app and today I can still buy FSD outright for $8K. So clearly FSD is worthless. I also sold a M3 FSD car a few weeks ago and the Tesla Service Center agent told me FSD is basically of Zero value on a trade it but tesla will say it is when they resale the car. I've heard from multiple dealers in my area who said their dealerships used to think FSD would adjust the price on used Teslas, but since getting burned by them sitting for a long time and not able to sell them due to the one feature they no longer care if the Car has it or not they just treat it like any other vehicle.

[@lor8ancg]

a correction Musk outed hisself as a "puffer" to avoid some legal liability..which means believe him at your own peril...WABSer at a Mars level...full FSD has been touted every year for the last what 10 years.. lack of buying FSD is what i had always stated..too expensive for too little utility..FSD would be useful to hyper milers but not average drive around town.. and FSD is pretty much garbage except in perfect weather..in part because how hard Musk and his youtube fluffer army touts it...those numbers suck that is why they won't publish. Tesla needs to fire Musk as CEO and bring in a real CEO...FSD (autonomous) will not occur with just vision and i believe HW5 allows for radar, which i suspect will come in robotaxi

[@FSDdriver]

HW4 is not going to work, so all these people who are telling others to sell your HW3 and upgrade to get V13 are just salesman at this point. They going to say the same thing in 1 to 2 more years as well and the cycle will continue. Everyday that this version is on my car FSD is going to get less and less attention from friends and family that i drive because of how bad its gotten over the last few updates. 12.3.6 was solid in my opinion.