For years, Hardware 3 supported Tesla’s developing FSD software and the company’s broader ambition to operate vehicles without a driver. As newer releases increasingly targeted HW4, owners wanted to know when a promised upgrade might arrive. In mid-2025, the issue combined engineering constraints with the practical question of fulfilling customer expectations without installing another short-lived intermediate system.

Where HW3 stood

Introduced in 2019, HW3 powered much of the FSD Beta programme. More complex neural networks and driving software increased the demands on the computer. The original comparison discussed HW3 running the v12.6 generation while newer HW4 vehicles had reached v13.2.9. That was a snapshot from the period, rather than a current universal version limit. Differences in driving behaviour also depended on software, conditions and configuration, not the computer name alone.

The upgrade commitment

In the results discussion associated with Tesla’s fourth quarter of 2024, held in January 2025, Musk acknowledged the need to upgrade HW3 computers for customers who had bought FSD and described the work as difficult. The original article’s reference to Q4 2025 was inconsistent with its 2025 publication date. The commitment discussed here concerned FSD purchasers; it was not a published installation programme for every HW3 owner.

For monthly subscribers or owners who had not purchased FSD, a paid upgrade was discussed as a possibility, drawing a comparison with earlier hardware transitions. That did not establish a price, eligibility rule or booking process for a new retrofit.

When might it happen?

There was no official installation date at publication. One explanation considered was that Tesla wanted a clearer understanding of the computing requirements before committing to a large retrofit programme. Waiting could avoid an intermediate design quickly being overtaken by another chip. References to AI5 timing were forecasts from that period, not a guaranteed component or delivery schedule.

Why a retrofit would not be a simple HW4 swap

The article identified several practical differences between the platforms:

  • Different physical dimensions.
  • Different cooling and power requirements.
  • Incompatible connectors.

A dedicated replacement computer would therefore be a different proposition from installing the standard HW4 unit in every older car. Suggestions that it might use a modified or reduced-power AI5 design were hypotheses, not a specification released by Tesla.

What about the cameras?

The reported expectation was that existing HW3 cameras would remain. The article compared newer cameras with the older generation using the following broad characteristics:

  • A cited resolution comparison of five megapixels against approximately 1.2 megapixels, dependent on the camera and configuration.
  • Potential improvements in low-light performance and dynamic range.
  • Different or wider fields of view, depending on the camera position and vehicle.

HW3 vs HW4 Tesla

FSD’s use of higher-resolution inputs raised further questions about how software for the two platforms would differ. A report that camera replacement was not planned did not prove that every future capability would work with the old sensors. Software improvements can help make better use of hardware, but they are not evidence of unlimited capability.

Would infotainment be upgraded too?

Many HW3 vehicles also have Intel Atom-based infotainment, while newer cars use AMD Ryzen. The infotainment computer and FSD computer perform different roles. Tesla had not announced that an FSD retrofit would include an infotainment replacement. A combined package was discussed only as a possibility, not an available option.

What owners could reasonably expect

For European and Italian owners who had bought FSD, the public upgrade statements were important, but the applicable commitments and any eventual programme still needed clear terms. Hardware design, software capability, regulatory approval and market availability are separate questions. At publication, there was no basis for promising an unsupervised feature or an installation date in Italy.

Owners could also encounter limited FSD-transfer promotions on a replacement car, but their value depended on the terms and the wider cost of changing vehicles. Waiting for a retrofit and buying another car were different decisions; neither should be based on an assumed timetable that Tesla had not announced.

💶 REFERRAL PROGRAM 🚘

The referral offer described at publication: €500 off a new Tesla. This is a historical offer, subject to the terms applicable at the time.

Follow the referral link and complete the normal vehicle-ordering process. If the link does not open, copy it into your browser. Eligibility and benefits depend on the terms available when ordering.

https://www.Teslhub.com/Sconto

👏 Under the offer described at publication, eligible orders could receive €500 off a new Tesla.

The original instructions also directed readers to the link in our profile under “Buy a Tesla – €500 off” and to “Buy a Tesla” in the website menu. The wording and offer may have changed since publication.

🌐 STAY UP TO DATE 📢

Follow these channels to keep up with the latest news.

Join Teslhub Members, our Telegram community, to chat, ask questions and share Tesla experiences with us and other members. You can also find us on WhatsApp!

We look forward to seeing you in the next article or on our social channels.

See you soon!

Giorgio Rebecchi

Editor

Giorgio Rebecchi
Read more from this author →