Latest news with #TeslaAustralia
The Advertiser
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Is Tesla's sales slump in Australia over?
Tesla Australia has posted its strongest month of deliveries so far this year, and its first month without a year-on-year decline. According to figures shared by Tesla to the Electric Vehicle Council, the US electric vehicle (EV) brand delivered 3897 vehicles in May 2025, up 9.25 per cent on May 2024. However, following successive year-on-year declines, Tesla sales are still down a significant 48.1 per cent year-to-date. The arrival of the updated 'Juniper' Model Y led to sales of Tesla's mid-size SUV soaring by 122.5 per cent last month compared to May 2024, with a total of 3580 examples delivered. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. It was the brand's biggest month of deliveries since June 2024, when 4683 Teslas found new homes, and its mid-size SUV's strongest performance since March 2024 when it notched up 4379 deliveries. But sales of the Model 3 sedan, despite receiving a similarly extensive update last year, have slumped 83.8 per cent year-on-year to 317 units. Year-to-date, the Model Y is still down 27.4 per cent and sitting at 6974 deliveries, while the Model 3 is down by a whopping 70.7 per cent and sitting at 2583 deliveries. The EV Council is the exclusive source of Tesla and Polestar sales data in Australia after the auto brands quit the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) last year. The FCAI is responsible for the monthly VFACTS sales report, with May's results set to be published tomorrow. We'll be able to see, then, how close rival brands like BYD have gotten to Tesla. Some rival brands like Deepal and Xpeng, however, don't yet report to VFACTS or the EV Council. Despite its recent sales slump, the Model Y will likely maintain its stranglehold on the title of Australia's top-selling EV – an impressive feat given its ever-growing contingent of rivals – while the Model 3 could hold onto second spot. Here's a breakdown of Tesla's inconsistent monthly sales volumes this year. Another electric car brand Polestar, which also reports to the EV Council, posted a 66.4 per cent year-on-year increase in May. The launch of the Polestar 3 large SUV (28 deliveries) and Polestar 4 mid-size SUV (133) have helped offset the slumping Polestar 2 fastback (82, down 43.8 per cent). Overall, the brand is up 40.6 per cent so far this year, compared to January-May 2024. Content originally sourced from: Tesla Australia has posted its strongest month of deliveries so far this year, and its first month without a year-on-year decline. According to figures shared by Tesla to the Electric Vehicle Council, the US electric vehicle (EV) brand delivered 3897 vehicles in May 2025, up 9.25 per cent on May 2024. However, following successive year-on-year declines, Tesla sales are still down a significant 48.1 per cent year-to-date. The arrival of the updated 'Juniper' Model Y led to sales of Tesla's mid-size SUV soaring by 122.5 per cent last month compared to May 2024, with a total of 3580 examples delivered. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. It was the brand's biggest month of deliveries since June 2024, when 4683 Teslas found new homes, and its mid-size SUV's strongest performance since March 2024 when it notched up 4379 deliveries. But sales of the Model 3 sedan, despite receiving a similarly extensive update last year, have slumped 83.8 per cent year-on-year to 317 units. Year-to-date, the Model Y is still down 27.4 per cent and sitting at 6974 deliveries, while the Model 3 is down by a whopping 70.7 per cent and sitting at 2583 deliveries. The EV Council is the exclusive source of Tesla and Polestar sales data in Australia after the auto brands quit the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) last year. The FCAI is responsible for the monthly VFACTS sales report, with May's results set to be published tomorrow. We'll be able to see, then, how close rival brands like BYD have gotten to Tesla. Some rival brands like Deepal and Xpeng, however, don't yet report to VFACTS or the EV Council. Despite its recent sales slump, the Model Y will likely maintain its stranglehold on the title of Australia's top-selling EV – an impressive feat given its ever-growing contingent of rivals – while the Model 3 could hold onto second spot. Here's a breakdown of Tesla's inconsistent monthly sales volumes this year. Another electric car brand Polestar, which also reports to the EV Council, posted a 66.4 per cent year-on-year increase in May. The launch of the Polestar 3 large SUV (28 deliveries) and Polestar 4 mid-size SUV (133) have helped offset the slumping Polestar 2 fastback (82, down 43.8 per cent). Overall, the brand is up 40.6 per cent so far this year, compared to January-May 2024. Content originally sourced from: Tesla Australia has posted its strongest month of deliveries so far this year, and its first month without a year-on-year decline. According to figures shared by Tesla to the Electric Vehicle Council, the US electric vehicle (EV) brand delivered 3897 vehicles in May 2025, up 9.25 per cent on May 2024. However, following successive year-on-year declines, Tesla sales are still down a significant 48.1 per cent year-to-date. The arrival of the updated 'Juniper' Model Y led to sales of Tesla's mid-size SUV soaring by 122.5 per cent last month compared to May 2024, with a total of 3580 examples delivered. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. It was the brand's biggest month of deliveries since June 2024, when 4683 Teslas found new homes, and its mid-size SUV's strongest performance since March 2024 when it notched up 4379 deliveries. But sales of the Model 3 sedan, despite receiving a similarly extensive update last year, have slumped 83.8 per cent year-on-year to 317 units. Year-to-date, the Model Y is still down 27.4 per cent and sitting at 6974 deliveries, while the Model 3 is down by a whopping 70.7 per cent and sitting at 2583 deliveries. The EV Council is the exclusive source of Tesla and Polestar sales data in Australia after the auto brands quit the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) last year. The FCAI is responsible for the monthly VFACTS sales report, with May's results set to be published tomorrow. We'll be able to see, then, how close rival brands like BYD have gotten to Tesla. Some rival brands like Deepal and Xpeng, however, don't yet report to VFACTS or the EV Council. Despite its recent sales slump, the Model Y will likely maintain its stranglehold on the title of Australia's top-selling EV – an impressive feat given its ever-growing contingent of rivals – while the Model 3 could hold onto second spot. Here's a breakdown of Tesla's inconsistent monthly sales volumes this year. Another electric car brand Polestar, which also reports to the EV Council, posted a 66.4 per cent year-on-year increase in May. The launch of the Polestar 3 large SUV (28 deliveries) and Polestar 4 mid-size SUV (133) have helped offset the slumping Polestar 2 fastback (82, down 43.8 per cent). Overall, the brand is up 40.6 per cent so far this year, compared to January-May 2024. Content originally sourced from: Tesla Australia has posted its strongest month of deliveries so far this year, and its first month without a year-on-year decline. According to figures shared by Tesla to the Electric Vehicle Council, the US electric vehicle (EV) brand delivered 3897 vehicles in May 2025, up 9.25 per cent on May 2024. However, following successive year-on-year declines, Tesla sales are still down a significant 48.1 per cent year-to-date. The arrival of the updated 'Juniper' Model Y led to sales of Tesla's mid-size SUV soaring by 122.5 per cent last month compared to May 2024, with a total of 3580 examples delivered. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. It was the brand's biggest month of deliveries since June 2024, when 4683 Teslas found new homes, and its mid-size SUV's strongest performance since March 2024 when it notched up 4379 deliveries. But sales of the Model 3 sedan, despite receiving a similarly extensive update last year, have slumped 83.8 per cent year-on-year to 317 units. Year-to-date, the Model Y is still down 27.4 per cent and sitting at 6974 deliveries, while the Model 3 is down by a whopping 70.7 per cent and sitting at 2583 deliveries. The EV Council is the exclusive source of Tesla and Polestar sales data in Australia after the auto brands quit the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) last year. The FCAI is responsible for the monthly VFACTS sales report, with May's results set to be published tomorrow. We'll be able to see, then, how close rival brands like BYD have gotten to Tesla. Some rival brands like Deepal and Xpeng, however, don't yet report to VFACTS or the EV Council. Despite its recent sales slump, the Model Y will likely maintain its stranglehold on the title of Australia's top-selling EV – an impressive feat given its ever-growing contingent of rivals – while the Model 3 could hold onto second spot. Here's a breakdown of Tesla's inconsistent monthly sales volumes this year. Another electric car brand Polestar, which also reports to the EV Council, posted a 66.4 per cent year-on-year increase in May. The launch of the Polestar 3 large SUV (28 deliveries) and Polestar 4 mid-size SUV (133) have helped offset the slumping Polestar 2 fastback (82, down 43.8 per cent). Overall, the brand is up 40.6 per cent so far this year, compared to January-May 2024. Content originally sourced from:
Forbes
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Tesla Cybertruck Banned In UK But Slated To Launch In Australia
The Cybertruck is headed Down Under. Photo by Tesla In February, we brought you a story about the Tesla Cybertruck being banned, seized and impounded by British police in the U.K. due to its lack of a conformity certificate, its sharp edges, it being too big and too heavy for British roads, its illegal light bar, and its supercar-like acceleration. Britain's National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Jennifer Hominy said of the Tesla, 'The Cybertruck is an over-6000 lb piece of steel that has no business going a quarter mile in under 11 seconds.' Since Elon Musk's controversial foray into U.S. politics, and the subsequent backlash from the motoring public, all Tesla models, including the Cybertruck are suffering falling sales. Owners of the edgy, poorly built truck are now finding it hard to sell or trade-in their vehicles as resale values fall through the floor. But it's not all bad news. There is a ray of light for Tesla on the horizon, and it comes, strangely enough, from Down Under. That's right, the Cybertruck is being seriously considered to go on sale in Australia. According to ' a local site, Tesla Australia has been briefed on the Australian Design Rule (ADR) changes required to launch the Cybertruck in Australia, as the controversial truck prepares to debut there. Country Director for Tesla Australia, Thom Drew, says the Cybertruck was 'never off the table' for a local launch – despite the vehicle reservation system being stripped from the Tesla Australia site – and instead says demand in the USA pushed back any global rollout. But while Mr Drew stopped short of confirming a local launch, he says it has 'always been on the radar,' suggesting a debut Down Under is close. Generally considered as a one million car sales per year market, the Australian car market is one of the most progressive and open in the world, with virtually every car brand on sale except Acura, Citroen, Chrysler, Dodge and Infiniti. By contrast, Australia was one of the first markets to open up to Chinese brands such as BYD, Geely, Chery, GWM, MG, Zeekr, Deepal, JAC, XPeng, NIO, Leapmotor and Haval and has remained arguably the world's best test bed for Chinese cars. The local Tesla team have sought a briefing on how to get the Cybertruck to comply with ADR regulations, following a 12-month Australian roadshow with a US-spec left-hand-drive truck. As far as design regulations stipulate, the truck apparently does not require much modification to meet local design standards. 'There are small changes to bumper widths, some external lighting requirements, and obviously left to right-hand drive, and just a few engineering changes like that, but fundamentally it'd be the same vehicle.' These changes could add between $5,000 to $10,000 to the price of a truck. Drew adds, 'I can't tell you a timeline, or if or when, but just locally, we're advocating for it as much as we can.' If it is launched, and that would be in early 2026 at the earliest, it will be the first version of the Cybertuck to debut with right-hand-drive anywhere in the world.
The Advertiser
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Tesla ‘Full Self-Driving' Australian testing officially confirmed
Electric vehicle maker Tesla has confirmed it is now testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous technology in Australia, revealing the news via the X social media platform owned by its CEO Elon Musk. The post by Tesla AI, shared by Tesla Australia and New Zealand, showed what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 sedan using FSD to perform an infamous Melbourne 'hook turn' as it drives through the Victorian capital's central business district using the system. A human driver is clearly seen, as is the central display showing the surroundings of the vehicle as it navigates city traffic, including other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and of course trams, in a journey lasting longer than the sped-up video's nearly two-minute length. Tesla first began testing its FSD system locally in January 2023 – or earlier – but the automaker's Australian division had not officially confirmed testing on local roads until now. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The FSD technology cannot legally be used by the public on Australian roads and is currently not available to Tesla owners even if their vehicle has the capability. Some Australian customers have paid as much as $10,100 to have access to the Tesla FSD Beta technology in their vehicle via a software update once it has been legally approved for testing on public roads. Tesla owners in Australia – as well as Belgium and Germany – were among the first outside the US to be able to reserve the system in their cars. Local release timing for FSD has not been revealed, but following the automaker's acknowledgement of local testing the system could be introduced more broadly here this year. Tesla's FSD system was first offered to selected owners in the US in October 2020, before it was rolled out to all North American Tesla customers in November 2022. In January 2025, the Artificial Intelligence division of Tesla posted a clip on social media showing Model Ys and Model 3s driving out of the Fremont factory where they're built into dock lanes awaiting shipment. The tech was anticipated to be in right-hand drive Tesla vehicles – including those sold in Australia – in 2023. However, the timing was postponed and Mr Musk's latest comments suggest a launch in the first half of 2025. Mr Musk claimed FSD capability was built-in to every Tesla produced since 2016, however, he was forced to backtrack on that claim earlier this year, when he admitted that millions of vehicles will need hardware upgrades to use the tech. The system is different to the EV brand's Autopilot system, which is not offered in Australia but is fitted to Teslas in the US made from 2014. It includes functions now also offered by other automakers as part of their ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) tech suites. They include Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which functions in the same way as adaptive cruise control but uses cameras, as well as Auto Lane Change, which is also know as lane centering in cars from other brands. An Enhanced Autopilot system includes Dumb Summon, which moves a vehicle on or out of a tight parking space by using the key fob. It also adds Actually Smart Summon, which according to Tesla can "navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, maneuvering around objects as necessary to come find you in a car park". Tesla is looking to rebound from its first annual sales decline in 2024, after an even more difficult start to 2025 which saw bigger sales slumps and calls from employees for Musk to step down as CEO. An updated Model Y hit Australian showrooms this month, while the automaker also recently increased the range of the entry-level Model 3 sedan via another battery upgrade. Content originally sourced from: Electric vehicle maker Tesla has confirmed it is now testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous technology in Australia, revealing the news via the X social media platform owned by its CEO Elon Musk. The post by Tesla AI, shared by Tesla Australia and New Zealand, showed what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 sedan using FSD to perform an infamous Melbourne 'hook turn' as it drives through the Victorian capital's central business district using the system. A human driver is clearly seen, as is the central display showing the surroundings of the vehicle as it navigates city traffic, including other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and of course trams, in a journey lasting longer than the sped-up video's nearly two-minute length. Tesla first began testing its FSD system locally in January 2023 – or earlier – but the automaker's Australian division had not officially confirmed testing on local roads until now. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The FSD technology cannot legally be used by the public on Australian roads and is currently not available to Tesla owners even if their vehicle has the capability. Some Australian customers have paid as much as $10,100 to have access to the Tesla FSD Beta technology in their vehicle via a software update once it has been legally approved for testing on public roads. Tesla owners in Australia – as well as Belgium and Germany – were among the first outside the US to be able to reserve the system in their cars. Local release timing for FSD has not been revealed, but following the automaker's acknowledgement of local testing the system could be introduced more broadly here this year. Tesla's FSD system was first offered to selected owners in the US in October 2020, before it was rolled out to all North American Tesla customers in November 2022. In January 2025, the Artificial Intelligence division of Tesla posted a clip on social media showing Model Ys and Model 3s driving out of the Fremont factory where they're built into dock lanes awaiting shipment. The tech was anticipated to be in right-hand drive Tesla vehicles – including those sold in Australia – in 2023. However, the timing was postponed and Mr Musk's latest comments suggest a launch in the first half of 2025. Mr Musk claimed FSD capability was built-in to every Tesla produced since 2016, however, he was forced to backtrack on that claim earlier this year, when he admitted that millions of vehicles will need hardware upgrades to use the tech. The system is different to the EV brand's Autopilot system, which is not offered in Australia but is fitted to Teslas in the US made from 2014. It includes functions now also offered by other automakers as part of their ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) tech suites. They include Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which functions in the same way as adaptive cruise control but uses cameras, as well as Auto Lane Change, which is also know as lane centering in cars from other brands. An Enhanced Autopilot system includes Dumb Summon, which moves a vehicle on or out of a tight parking space by using the key fob. It also adds Actually Smart Summon, which according to Tesla can "navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, maneuvering around objects as necessary to come find you in a car park". Tesla is looking to rebound from its first annual sales decline in 2024, after an even more difficult start to 2025 which saw bigger sales slumps and calls from employees for Musk to step down as CEO. An updated Model Y hit Australian showrooms this month, while the automaker also recently increased the range of the entry-level Model 3 sedan via another battery upgrade. Content originally sourced from: Electric vehicle maker Tesla has confirmed it is now testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous technology in Australia, revealing the news via the X social media platform owned by its CEO Elon Musk. The post by Tesla AI, shared by Tesla Australia and New Zealand, showed what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 sedan using FSD to perform an infamous Melbourne 'hook turn' as it drives through the Victorian capital's central business district using the system. A human driver is clearly seen, as is the central display showing the surroundings of the vehicle as it navigates city traffic, including other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and of course trams, in a journey lasting longer than the sped-up video's nearly two-minute length. Tesla first began testing its FSD system locally in January 2023 – or earlier – but the automaker's Australian division had not officially confirmed testing on local roads until now. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The FSD technology cannot legally be used by the public on Australian roads and is currently not available to Tesla owners even if their vehicle has the capability. Some Australian customers have paid as much as $10,100 to have access to the Tesla FSD Beta technology in their vehicle via a software update once it has been legally approved for testing on public roads. Tesla owners in Australia – as well as Belgium and Germany – were among the first outside the US to be able to reserve the system in their cars. Local release timing for FSD has not been revealed, but following the automaker's acknowledgement of local testing the system could be introduced more broadly here this year. Tesla's FSD system was first offered to selected owners in the US in October 2020, before it was rolled out to all North American Tesla customers in November 2022. In January 2025, the Artificial Intelligence division of Tesla posted a clip on social media showing Model Ys and Model 3s driving out of the Fremont factory where they're built into dock lanes awaiting shipment. The tech was anticipated to be in right-hand drive Tesla vehicles – including those sold in Australia – in 2023. However, the timing was postponed and Mr Musk's latest comments suggest a launch in the first half of 2025. Mr Musk claimed FSD capability was built-in to every Tesla produced since 2016, however, he was forced to backtrack on that claim earlier this year, when he admitted that millions of vehicles will need hardware upgrades to use the tech. The system is different to the EV brand's Autopilot system, which is not offered in Australia but is fitted to Teslas in the US made from 2014. It includes functions now also offered by other automakers as part of their ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) tech suites. They include Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which functions in the same way as adaptive cruise control but uses cameras, as well as Auto Lane Change, which is also know as lane centering in cars from other brands. An Enhanced Autopilot system includes Dumb Summon, which moves a vehicle on or out of a tight parking space by using the key fob. It also adds Actually Smart Summon, which according to Tesla can "navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, maneuvering around objects as necessary to come find you in a car park". Tesla is looking to rebound from its first annual sales decline in 2024, after an even more difficult start to 2025 which saw bigger sales slumps and calls from employees for Musk to step down as CEO. An updated Model Y hit Australian showrooms this month, while the automaker also recently increased the range of the entry-level Model 3 sedan via another battery upgrade. Content originally sourced from: Electric vehicle maker Tesla has confirmed it is now testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous technology in Australia, revealing the news via the X social media platform owned by its CEO Elon Musk. The post by Tesla AI, shared by Tesla Australia and New Zealand, showed what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 sedan using FSD to perform an infamous Melbourne 'hook turn' as it drives through the Victorian capital's central business district using the system. A human driver is clearly seen, as is the central display showing the surroundings of the vehicle as it navigates city traffic, including other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and of course trams, in a journey lasting longer than the sped-up video's nearly two-minute length. Tesla first began testing its FSD system locally in January 2023 – or earlier – but the automaker's Australian division had not officially confirmed testing on local roads until now. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The FSD technology cannot legally be used by the public on Australian roads and is currently not available to Tesla owners even if their vehicle has the capability. Some Australian customers have paid as much as $10,100 to have access to the Tesla FSD Beta technology in their vehicle via a software update once it has been legally approved for testing on public roads. Tesla owners in Australia – as well as Belgium and Germany – were among the first outside the US to be able to reserve the system in their cars. Local release timing for FSD has not been revealed, but following the automaker's acknowledgement of local testing the system could be introduced more broadly here this year. Tesla's FSD system was first offered to selected owners in the US in October 2020, before it was rolled out to all North American Tesla customers in November 2022. In January 2025, the Artificial Intelligence division of Tesla posted a clip on social media showing Model Ys and Model 3s driving out of the Fremont factory where they're built into dock lanes awaiting shipment. The tech was anticipated to be in right-hand drive Tesla vehicles – including those sold in Australia – in 2023. However, the timing was postponed and Mr Musk's latest comments suggest a launch in the first half of 2025. Mr Musk claimed FSD capability was built-in to every Tesla produced since 2016, however, he was forced to backtrack on that claim earlier this year, when he admitted that millions of vehicles will need hardware upgrades to use the tech. The system is different to the EV brand's Autopilot system, which is not offered in Australia but is fitted to Teslas in the US made from 2014. It includes functions now also offered by other automakers as part of their ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) tech suites. They include Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which functions in the same way as adaptive cruise control but uses cameras, as well as Auto Lane Change, which is also know as lane centering in cars from other brands. An Enhanced Autopilot system includes Dumb Summon, which moves a vehicle on or out of a tight parking space by using the key fob. It also adds Actually Smart Summon, which according to Tesla can "navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, maneuvering around objects as necessary to come find you in a car park". Tesla is looking to rebound from its first annual sales decline in 2024, after an even more difficult start to 2025 which saw bigger sales slumps and calls from employees for Musk to step down as CEO. An updated Model Y hit Australian showrooms this month, while the automaker also recently increased the range of the entry-level Model 3 sedan via another battery upgrade. Content originally sourced from:
West Australian
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Tesla ‘Full Self-Driving' Australian testing officially confirmed
Electric vehicle maker Tesla has confirmed it is now testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous technology in Australia, revealing the news owned by its CEO Elon Musk. The post by Tesla AI, shared by Tesla Australia and New Zealand, showed what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 sedan using FSD to perform an infamous Melbourne 'hook turn' as it drives through the Victorian capital's central business district using the system. A human driver is clearly seen, as is the central display showing the surroundings of the vehicle as it navigates city traffic, including other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and of course trams, in a journey lasting longer than the sped-up video's nearly two-minute length. Tesla first began testing its FSD system locally in January 2023 – or earlier – but the automaker's Australian division had not officially confirmed testing on local roads until now. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now . The FSD technology cannot legally be used by the public on Australian roads and is currently not available to Tesla owners even if their vehicle has the capability. Some Australian customers have paid as much as $10,100 to have access to the Tesla FSD Beta technology in their vehicle via a software update once it has been legally approved for testing on public roads. Tesla owners in Australia – as well as Belgium and Germany – were among the first outside the US to be able to reserve the system in their cars. Local release timing for FSD has not been revealed, but following the automaker's acknowledgement of local testing the system could be introduced more broadly here this year. Tesla's FSD system was first offered to selected owners in the US in October 2020, before it was rolled out to all North American Tesla customers in November 2022. In January 2025, the Artificial Intelligence division of Tesla posted a clip on social media showing Model Ys and Model 3s driving out of the Fremont factory where they're built into dock lanes awaiting shipment. The tech was anticipated to be in right-hand drive Tesla vehicles – including those sold in Australia – in 2023. However, the timing was postponed and Mr Musk's latest comments suggest a launch in the first half of 2025. Mr Musk claimed FSD capability was built-in to every Tesla produced since 2016, however, he was forced to backtrack on that claim earlier this year, when he admitted that millions of vehicles will need hardware upgrades to use the tech. The system is different to the EV brand's Autopilot system, which is not offered in Australia but is fitted to Teslas in the US made from 2014. It includes functions now also offered by other automakers as part of their ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) tech suites. They include Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which functions in the same way as adaptive cruise control but uses cameras, as well as Auto Lane Change, which is also know as lane centering in cars from other brands. An Enhanced Autopilot system includes Dumb Summon, which moves a vehicle on or out of a tight parking space by using the key fob. It also adds Actually Smart Summon, which according to Tesla can 'navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, maneuvering around objects as necessary to come find you in a car park'. Tesla is looking to rebound from its first annual sales decline in 2024 , after an even more difficult start to 2025 which saw bigger sales slumps and calls from employees for Musk to step down as CEO . An updated Model Y hit Australian showrooms this month, while the automaker also recently increased the range of the entry-level Model 3 sedan via another battery upgrade .
7NEWS
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Tesla ‘Full Self-Driving' Australian testing officially confirmed
Electric vehicle maker Tesla has confirmed it is now testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) semi-autonomous technology in Australia, revealing the news owned by its CEO Elon Musk. The post by Tesla AI, shared by Tesla Australia and New Zealand, showed what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 sedan using FSD to perform an infamous Melbourne 'hook turn' as it drives through the Victorian capital's central business district using the system. A human driver is clearly seen, as is the central display showing the surroundings of the vehicle as it navigates city traffic, including other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and of course trams, in a journey lasting longer than the sped-up video's nearly two-minute length. Tesla first began testing its FSD system locally in January 2023 – or earlier – but the automaker's Australian division had not officially confirmed testing on local roads until now. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The FSD technology cannot legally be used by the public on Australian roads and is currently not available to Tesla owners even if their vehicle has the capability. Some Australian customers have paid as much as $10,100 to have access to the Tesla FSD Beta technology in their vehicle via a software update once it has been legally approved for testing on public roads. Tesla owners in Australia – as well as Belgium and Germany – were among the first outside the US to be able to reserve the system in their cars. Local release timing for FSD has not been revealed, but following the automaker's acknowledgement of local testing the system could be introduced more broadly here this year. Tesla's FSD system was first offered to selected owners in the US in October 2020, before it was rolled out to all North American Tesla customers in November 2022. In January 2025, the Artificial Intelligence division of Tesla posted a clip on social media showing Model Ys and Model 3s driving out of the Fremont factory where they're built into dock lanes awaiting shipment. The tech was anticipated to be in right-hand drive Tesla vehicles – including those sold in Australia – in 2023. However, the timing was postponed and Mr Musk's latest comments suggest a launch in the first half of 2025. Mr Musk claimed FSD capability was built-in to every Tesla produced since 2016, however, he was forced to backtrack on that claim earlier this year, when he admitted that millions of vehicles will need hardware upgrades to use the tech. The system is different to the EV brand's Autopilot system, which is not offered in Australia but is fitted to Teslas in the US made from 2014. It includes functions now also offered by other automakers as part of their ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) tech suites. They include Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which functions in the same way as adaptive cruise control but uses cameras, as well as Auto Lane Change, which is also know as lane centering in cars from other brands. An Enhanced Autopilot system includes Dumb Summon, which moves a vehicle on or out of a tight parking space by using the key fob. It also adds Actually Smart Summon, which according to Tesla can 'navigate more complex environments and parking spaces, maneuvering around objects as necessary to come find you in a car park'. Tesla is looking to rebound from its first annual sales decline in 2024, after an even more difficult start to 2025 which saw bigger sales slumps and calls from employees for Musk to step down as CEO.
