Tesla introduces Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Australia, granting 30-day test drives to fresh purchasers

Tesla Launches Full Self-Driving in Australia, First Right-Hand Drive Country

In a significant move, Tesla has launched Full Self-Driving (FSD) in Australia, making it the first right-hand drive country to have the advanced driver assistance system. This marks a milestone in Tesla's global expansion of its autonomous driving technology.

While no specific countries have been officially announced for future availability of FSD, Tesla Australia's country director, Thom Drew, has assured that regulatory blockers have been addressed and validation testing for FSD (Supervised) in Australia is almost completed.

For Australian Tesla owners, the cost of FSD is AUD $10,100, while Enhanced Autopilot, which includes lane changes, overtaking, auto-park, and on-ramp to off-ramp highway navigation, is available for AUD $5,100. Notably, customers buying new Teslas will receive a 30-day free trial of FSD.

Tesla has been actively testing FSD (Supervised) in Europe as well. However, the cautious approach to the Australian launch is due to the challenges of adapting the technology for right-hand drive countries, including handling different types of road markings, signage, and driving rules.

The launch in Australia is the first time the technology is available outside of the US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, China, and Australia, where it was previously limited. Tesla has promised to provide FSD to vehicles with older hardware, but has not shared a timeline for this update.

Interestingly, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles with the latest Hardware 4 system will receive FSD (Supervised) first in Australia. Only a select few people outside the company will be initially invited to the Early Access Program for FSD (Supervised) in Australia.

Tesla has shared a video of a car navigating autonomously in Melbourne and Sydney, offering a glimpse into the future of autonomous driving in Australia. The company has also committed to providing a free hardware upgrade for Hardware 3 owners who pay for FSD outright.

With this launch, Tesla continues to push the boundaries of autonomous driving technology, bringing a safer, more efficient, and convenient driving experience to Australian roads.

Tesla introduces Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Australia, granting 30-day test drives to fresh purchasers