Tesla has been on the cutting edge of electric vehicles since the introduction of the Model S in 2013. There have been numerous improvements made to the base models over the last decade. However, the most exciting is in the process of rolling out. FSD Hardware 4.0, or HW4, has been hotly anticipated by Tesla owners since the company hinted at it.
With the hardware set to debut in Europe this year, it’s time to take a closer look at what FSD Hardware 4.0 is, what it can do, and what it means for current Tesla owners.
Let’s do a deep dive into what Tesla is offering up for European and American markets, as future Tesla vehicles are likely to include the latest hardware.
What Is FSD Hardware 4.0?
For those in the audience not keeping up to date with Tesla’s jargon, FSD is short for Full Self-Driving capability. Revision 4.0 of the hardware is just now rolling out to all markets. It looks to improve the autonomous driving functions in the vehicle at large. There are some drawbacks to this, however.
Previously, Tesla would install FSD 3.0 into vehicles with FSD 2.0. There is no such provision for FSD 4.0, as it is larger and uses a completely different interface. What this effectively means for current Tesla owners is that getting access to the new self-driving features will require the purchase of a brand-new vehicle.
The FSD hardware enables Tesla vehicles to use self-driving features. Improved processing in FSD 4.0 means it should be able to handle even faster processing of neural networks. This should lead to a Tesla equipped with FSD 4.0 to handle making quick and correct decisions while navigating the roads.
Entering the European Market
FSD Hardware 4.0, or HW4, has been a hot topic of conversation for some time. The rumor mill initially started swirling in regard to the wider deployment of the long-awaited Cybertruck. However, 2023 will only see a handful of Cybertrucks on the road. The vehicle is going into full-scale production next year.
As the next generation of power for one of the most popular EV brands on the market, it stands to reason that all eyes have been on the future of the FSD 4.0. What is known about the deployment of the FSD Hardware 4.0 comes from a certificate issued in January of this year. The Dutch vehicle authority RDW issued a new certificate for the Model S and the Model X.
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The actual certificate details a number of changes, chief among them being the inclusion of FSD Hardware 4.0. Details on when the latest revision to the Model S and Model X will hit American roads aren’t known just yet.
The EU has more stringent requirements for approving new features for vehicles. As such, they very well may be in production for American drivers. FSD Hardware 4.0 isn’t the only noteworthy addition to the Model S and Model X.
New owners will be able to opt for a ceramic brake package. This option boosts the overall top speed of the Model S to an impressive 200 miles per hour.
What This Means for Current Owners
Tesla owners have experienced a wide range of support for their vehicles. The previous generation of self-driving hardware was part of a retrofitted kit. Tesla users could opt for the cost of the FSD hardware, as well as the cost of installation to get up to date.
The same won’t apply to FSD 4.0, which is a shame. The actual dimensions of the board are a significant increase in size. Even on a component level, there simply isn’t space in older Teslas to accommodate the larger motherboard. New owners can expect an array of new features, like higher resolution radar, more cameras, and a greatly improved autopilot feature.
Where Is FSD Hardware 4.0 for the Model 3 or Model Y?
You may find yourself curious as to when the more popular models will receive this upgrade. Currently, the rollout of FSD Hardware 4.0 will be anchored to the higher-cost Model S and Model X. Out of the current range of vehicles that Tesla sells, these are lower-volume and have a substantially higher price.
Since they are lower volume, it greatly reduces the overhead needed to compensate for any potential recalls. The Model 3 and Model Y will no doubt receive the latest tech, but it is likely a ways off.
There is also no indication if some of the newer upgrades not centered around autonomous driving are coming to the more popular Teslas. Given their sterling reputation and popularity, it can be assumed there is something else in the pipeline.
A Brief Overview of the Capabilities of the FSD Hardware 4.0
Tesla’s autonomous driving platform is the FSD, as previously discussed. Tesla is far from the only EV manufacturer developing their own autonomous driving platform. As such, efforts have also been seen by Volvo and Mercedes-Benz in recent years. HW4 brings more processing power to the fore, with 20 cores present on the central processor.
The increase in power brings with it more capabilities as far as handling quick decisions goes. Autonomous driving isn’t quite at the point to replace a human being behind the wheel, but this shows promise. Full details aren’t known as to whether the FSD Hardware 4.0 will raise the SAE level of the Tesla line.
The FSD Hardware 4.0 still houses the same components powering the infotainment system. Users can expect the same 256GB of storage, as well as the combined AMD CPU and GPU. 16GB of RAM is present on the board, making for a mid-range gaming PC jammed into an EV.
Tesla stands to benefit from having a more robust autonomous driving system, and the new motherboard design allows for less overall cost. This could result in savings passing on to customers further down the line, as Tesla stands to save millions just on the hardware, despite the increase in specs.
The Final Word of the Tesla FSD Hardware 4.0
Tesla is notoriously selective about when it releases details. Despite concrete proof being out there in regard to the newest features of the Tesla Model S and X, there is no concrete release date. Tesla operates in an atypical fashion compared to a company like Ford or Mercedes-Benz. As such, it is a simple matter of waiting for the trickle of news to come around.
It may even be the case that Tesla is doing things in a similar fashion to the previous FSD Hardware 3.0. The rollout of the previous hardware generation was a silent affair. Production switched over to the then-current hardware revision without a word uttered. New owners benefitted from this, though, as they just got the latest and greatest without any additional costs to their EV purchase.
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