Rumors of Hardware 3’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Despite the focus on newer hardware, Tesla’s AI team is still working hard to improve Full Self-Driving (FSD) on HW3 vehicles.
With FSD V12.6.1 rolling out to HW3 Model Ys, it’s clear Tesla hasn’t forgotten about its older hardware.
Reverse Feature Confirmed for HW3
In a recent post on X, Elon Musk confirmed that reverse functionality is coming to HW3 vehicles soon.
He joked that the feature probably
“stresses out the AI model quite a bit.”
Currently, FSD’s path planner thinks it can reverse, often putting the car in situations where reversing is necessary, like during a three-point turn.
Right now, the system can’t actually shift into reverse, so it stalls and needs the driver to step in.
But, Tesla rolled out features like Unpark, Reverse, and starting FSD from park with FSD V13 on HW4 vehicles.
If HW3 gets reverse functionality, it could open the door to these same features, making FSD feel even more like a human driver.
Cybertruck’s FSD Still Missing Key Features
The Cybertruck, running FSD V13.2, is also missing reverse functionality. While it can AutoPark, it still can’t Unpark, Park, or use Actually Smart Summon.
Tesla’s official Cybertruck account even chimed in on Elon’s post, comparing the missing feature to
“an itch that can’t be scratched.”
Hopefully, the Cybertruck will get these updates soon too.
HW3 Still Has a Future
The fact that Elon Musk and Tesla’s VP of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, continue to acknowledge improvements for HW3 is a positive sign.
While HW4 is the focus for future advancements, Tesla hasn’t ruled out a potential hardware retrofit for HW3 vehicles if unsupervised FSD can’t be achieved.
So, it’s way too early to count HW3 out.
What’s Next for FSD?
The big question now is: Will the reverse feature push HW3 to FSD V13, or will we see FSD V12.7 next? Only time will tell.
But one thing’s for sure, Tesla isn’t done with HW3 just yet.
Your Thoughts?
What do you think about Tesla’s continued support for HW3? Let us know in the comments!