Tesla's FSD v15 early version deployed on Robotaxi fleet

Tesla has commenced testing of early versions of its next-generation Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, version 15 (v15), on public roads. The announcement was made during the company's second-quarter earnings call. Modified Model Y vehicles operating within the Robotaxi service are the first to run on development builds of FSD v15.

Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's Head of AI, stated that the Robotaxi program is progressing well, achieving an impeccable safety record over 380,000 unsupervised miles across two states and six cities. He confirmed that the v15 builds currently in operation incorporate approximately 40% of the planned improvements compared to the previous v14 version. Despite being an early release, it has already demonstrated progress in safety metrics and capabilities.

FSD v15 is slated to feature seven major improvements and is expected to be released to the public later this year or early next year. The software's model parameter size will increase tenfold compared to the current FSD, signaling a substantial leap in the autonomous driving system's performance and decision-making abilities. This version has also been confirmed to support the company's newer Hardware 4 (HW4) platform.

Concerns remain for owners of vehicles equipped with older Hardware 3 (HW3) systems. Tesla has indicated that HW3 cannot support full unsupervised driving and will likely not receive the FSD v15 update. For these older vehicles, the FSD v14 Lite version, currently being rolled out, may be their last significant update unless Tesla offers future hardware upgrade solutions.

The deployment of FSD v15 early versions on the Robotaxi fleet suggests Tesla may accelerate the expansion of its Robotaxi service. This aligns with prior company statements about waiting for v15's readiness before a broader commercial rollout to more cities.