After promising to release Version 9.0 of the Tesla Software that is the brain behind the wheel – or beneath it, rather – for Model 3, Model X and Model S in September, we are yet to see the public release drop to Tesla EV owners. Apparently, the software is still being beta-tested by early access users. Recent leaks have shown us what features to expect, but for now we’ll have to continue speculating on when the final version will actually come.
Most of the focus was taken away by Model 3 production and delivery numbers as Tesla pushed hard to meet its own guidance of 50,000 to 55,000 Model 3s produced for the third quarter. The latest report suggests that Tesla has produced around 53,000 Model 3 electric cars between July 1 and Sep 30 this year.
Now that Q3 is over and done with, Tesla will hopefully focus on the software update and other considerations that are equally important. Among these is the Autopilot 3.0 hardware, the new, upgraded computer that is expected to be released next year with the in-house AI chip that Tesla has been testing.
The Tesla Software v9.0 update will bring several features that will eventually make it into the FSD package, but hardware 3.0 will be required for any semblance of Level 4 or even Level 3 autonomy. Version 10 is likely to have the works, but that could be two years or more away. For now, the software update will simply have incremental improvements and minor feature additions for Enhanced Autopilot, or EAP, as Tesla calls it.
Here’s a quick reference chart to show you various levels of autonomy in cars:
