Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk podcast. This is a show where we. Discuss the critical. Crossroads that shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neurolink. I'm your host, Will Walden. Tesla has delayed the launch of Full Self Driving version 12.4 again, pushing the target to next Monday, October 7th, according to Elon Musk. Now, this marks the second delay in less than a week. Musk had originally claimed the new version would roll out wide release this weekend.
Then he updated the timeline to early next week, and now he's narrowed it down to Monday. He attributed the latest slip to final testing, describing it as a cautious move to ensure quality of the delay reopens. Questions about how ready the software actually is, especially given how central FSD is to test those entire business now. Musk has been promising major changes in V 12.4, which he now refers to as V 14.
Due to a versioning change that drops the point releases and test, the software will now jump directly from 12.3 to version 14. It's not just cosmetic though. Musk said the new version introduces A unified stack where both city and Hwy. driving run on the same neural network. Tesla's previous system used separate stacks, one for Autopilot on highways and another for FSD beta in urban
environments. Merging them means Tesla is finally aligning its vision only approach under a single AI model now. That shift carries more weight than it sounds, though. By combining the two systems, Tesla is aiming for a simpler, more scalable architecture, one that learns holistically from more diverse driving data. It also eliminates the reliance on separate behaviors for different driving conditions, which has been a persistent complaint among drivers testing earlier builds.
If the new stack performs as attended, Tesla can train and deploy improvements faster across all Rd. types now. Musk also claimed version 14 brings what he called more polite driving behavior and includes fewer aggressive lane changes, smoother merges, and a noticeable reduction in jerky steering corrections that have plagued past versions.
He said V14 has been very carefully tested, including real world use in the Bay Area. That detail matters because Tesla often gets criticized for pushing updates too fast with insufficient real world validation. Another key change in V14 is the expanded use of temporary suspension. Drivers who repeatedly ignore attention prompts or misuse FSD will now lose access to the
software for one week now. Tesla has used these suspensions before, but V14 adds more tracking of driver engagement and introduces A clearer, more automated enforcement policy. This comes as regulators continue to pressure Tesla on safety metrics and accountability and hands free driving scenarios. And the regulatory pressure hasn't ease, though. Earlier this year, Tesla had to recall over 2 million vehicles to address FSD behavior, including concerns about intersections and stop sign
compliance. And the company addressed the issue through an over the air update. But the scrutiny hasn't stopped, of course, because it's Tesla. And the, you know, the government doesn't really like when Tesla does things bad. The regulators don't really like it because it's people's lives on the line. Now. This next release carries more weight though. Not just technically though, but
also politically. Tesla is racing to prove the system works well enough to justify the $12,000 price tag. Musk keeps pushing the idea that FSD will soon require no driver intervention whatsoever. Hands off the wheel, Maybe you could take a nap. Yet each mis released target erodes confidence in that timeline. Meanwhile, customers continue to pay upfront for a feature that remains in beta nearly four years after launch. Now, let me ask you a question and I want an honest answer from
you. If you were to buy something and don't think about Tesla, think about anything else. So if you're a Tesla fan, you're a Tesla fan. I get it. You are here for the long run. You're here because you believe in their mission. But if you bought anything for $12,000 and it didn't work right, wouldn't you be a little bit upset? Wouldn't you want a refund or at least like an, an explanation or something? I just want to let you know that
a lot of people think like that. They want their money back or they want to return the FSD or they don't want their car anymore because they've been lied to. They think they've been lied to. Let me know what you think in the comments of your podcast platform. I really want to know what you think. I really do care about what you think about these things. You know, it's been nearly four years after launch. They paid $12,000 for this thing.
Now let's go back to the versioning though, because 12.4 to 14, it's strategic to test the software. Branding has grown confusing. Like, who wants who knows what 12.1 is compared to 12.3? Nobody knows what that means. Different build numbers for different user groups too.
They've done that now. This consolidation simplifies the narrative, especially for investors and regulators who are trying to track the progress as also sets the stage for wider deployment of vehicles with Tesla's new hardware 4 Point O suite, which has seen limited rollout so far. Now, Elon Musk didn't provide a detailed change log though, but he said that the update is worth the wait. That line echoes past FSD releases that also came with big promises and not so much on the delivery.
Like they get a little bit better every time. Incremental change is also good. But you know, maybe they should have stuck with the old versioning nomenclature there. 12.1 to 12.2 to 12.3 to 12.4 as opposed to 12.3 to 14. But if 14 delivers on the unified stack and smooth the driving behavior, Tesla can begin from V14 and move forward. Tesla has more credibility if this actually works and they're getting closer. The true autonomy now. Watch out for Monday. That's when they want to launch
this. That's a target. Elon may change this again. Tesla has been known to miss dozens of self-imposed deadlines for FSD over the past few years. So if you're a Tesla owner, just wait until the update actually lands in your car. And let me know what you think. If you're a Tesla owner, Tesla driver, let me know. Let me know in the comments. I want to know what you think
when V 14 drops. I want to know how you feel about it. I want to know if it's less jerky, smoother transitions between lanes. Want to know all about it? Hey, thank you so much for listening today. I really do appreciate your support. If you could take a second and hit the subscribe or the follow button on whatever podcast platform that you're listening on right now, I greatly appreciate it. It helps out the show tremendously and you'll never miss an episode.
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