Tesla is preparing to bring its Full Self-Driving v14 Lite software to Hardware 3-equipped Model S and Model X vehicles, addressing a long-standing gap for owners of the older EVs. The update is expected to roll out soon, according to comments from Tesla AI chief Ashok Elluswamy.
Model S and X FSD Update Nears Rollout
As vehicles have become increasingly dependent on technology, the amount of software they use has also grown. Because software evolves alongside newer hardware, maintaining backward compatibility with older systems can require significant development work and, in some cases, may not be possible.
That issue has affected some owners of the Tesla Model S and Model X, the automaker’s previous flagship vehicles. Older versions have lagged behind in receiving some of Tesla’s latest software updates, including developments to its Full Self-Driving safety suite.
Full Self-Driving is one of Tesla’s most sought-after features and among its fastest-evolving technologies. Tesla’s focus on autonomous driving has made keeping older hardware compatible with newer FSD software an ongoing challenge.
Teslarati reports that Full Self-Driving v14 Lite will finally reach Model S and Model X vehicles equipped with Hardware 3.
During the Cybercab launch, Tesla AI chief Ashok Elluswamy told Ryan McCaffrey that the Model S and X FSD update was supposed to have already rolled out. Elluswamy said he expects a full rollout very soon.
The delay was limited to pre-facelift Model S and Model X vehicles. Recent runout models equipped with Hardware 4 were not affected and could immediately run the new software.
What Is Full Self-Driving v14 Lite?
Full Self-Driving v14 Lite is a condensed version of Tesla’s software designed for older vehicles using Hardware 3 because that hardware cannot run the complete v14 AI model.
Tesla describes the process as distillation. The resulting v14 Lite software is capable only of Level 2 supervised driving.
Tesla also says Hardware 3 vehicles cannot operate unsupervised Full Self-Driving because of bandwidth and memory limitations.
Hardware 3 Update Expands Beyond the U.S.
The release of v14 Lite has already affected Hardware 3 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Adoption in international markets is taking longer because of ongoing regulations and regional approvals.
Some owners who have already installed v14 Lite are reporting major improvements compared with the older software version.
The upcoming rollout to Hardware 3-equipped Model S and Model X vehicles represents Tesla’s latest effort to bring its evolving Full Self-Driving software to older flagship models while retaining the hardware limitations that define what those vehicles can support.
