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The walls are closing on Tesla’s claim that millions of its vehicles with Hardware 3 (HW3) computers will be capable of unsupervised self-driving.

Tesla needs to come clean before the word “fraud” comes out.

Making a mistake is not a fraud. If Tesla really thought that it could deliver unsupervised self-driving to vehicles equipped with HW3 and, at one point, it figured out that it couldn’t, it’s not fraud even though it used that as a selling point for millions of vehicles for years.

However, the moment Tesla figures out that it can’t, it needs to stop selling its Full Self-Driving package to HW3 vehicle owners and come clean to owners about what their vehicle will and will not be able to do, like a robotaxi service.

Has the moment come?

Delivering self-driving on Tesla HW3/self-driving computer

In 2016, Elon Musk announced that all future Tesla vehicles would come equipped with the necessary hardware for self-driving capabilities, even specifying “level 5 self-driving,” which implies the ability to operate autonomously under any conditions. However, shortly after, Musk acknowledged that Tesla might require more onboard computing power than initially thought, leading to the introduction of Hardware 3 (HW3), which Tesla also called its “self-driving computer”.

Musk assured that HW3 would enable full self-driving (FSD) capabilities, promising retrofits for earlier models that had purchased the FSD package. When I bought my own Tesla Model 3 in 2018, it was equipped with the original computer, but since I had purchased the FSD package, Tesla upgraded my car with the new “self-driving computer” in 2019.

Following this, Tesla introduced Hardware 4 (HW4), a more advanced onboard computer system, but did not offer retrofits for older models with HW3, maintaining that HW3 was sufficient for achieving self-driving through software updates.

Musk said that it wouldn’t be “economically feasible” to retrofit HW3 vehicles with HW4, which not only includes a more powerful computer but also better cameras.

Initially, Musk claimed that FSD improvements would first be optimized for HW3, suggesting that HW4 might lag behind by at least “six months”. However, Tesla reversed this approach with the release of FSD version 12.5, which was first deployed to HW4 vehicles. Musk explained that optimizing the software for the less powerful HW3 would take additional time.

This has raised a significant red flag hinting at the limitations of HW3 in handling the latest software advancements towards unsupervised self-driving, a capability Tesla promised to HW3 owners since 2016.

The concern is especially significant within the context that Tesla still has a lot of work to do to deliver its unsupervised self-driving capabilities.

Tesla has always gone out of its way not to release any data regarding its FSD program. Therefore, we have to rely on crowdsourced data, which shows Tesla is currently at about 122 miles between critical disengagement:

According to most experts, Tesla needs a ~1,000x increase in miles between disengagement to deliver on its unsupervised self-driving promises. As you can see, this data shows that Tesla achieved a ~2x improvement over the last 3 years.

On top of this situation, CEO Elon Musk got people even more worried during the launch of the Robotaxi last week.

While discussing his claim that “all Tesla vehicles will be capable of self-driving,” someone in the crowd asked him about the Cybertruck, which Musk quickly answered with a “yes.”

However, when someone asked him about HW3 vehicles, instead of simply responding “yes”, Musk said “Let’s not get nuanced here” and then quickly asked for the next slide:

Now, still at the Robotaxi event last week, some have been pointing to this interaction with Tesla executives Franz von Holzhausen and Lars Moravy saying again that robotaxi-level self-driving is coming to “all cars” after being asked more specifically about HW3 as evidence that Tesla believes it’s still possible to deliver FSD unsupervised on HW3:

With all due respect to von Holzhausen and Moravy, they wouldn’t be the best people to ask. The former is in charge of design and the latter of vehicle engineering, which you would think the FSD program would fall under, but no.

Ashok Elluswamy leads the program at Tesla and reports directly to CEO Elon Musk.

That’s evidenced by some mistakes made even in this short interaction like Moravy saying that Tesla announced its self-driving effort in 2014 when it was in 2016 and him asking if a 2018 Model 3 has HW4, which has never been available on early Model 3 vehicles.

Speaking of the Robotaxi event, Musk said that the new Robotaxi is equipped with a new hardware suite, especially a new on board computer called AI5. He didn’t elaborate on the capacity of the new computer. The vehicle also has a bumper camera, which only the Cybertruck has and no other Tesla vehicle on the road today. The onboard compute power is one thing, but it’s also not the only potential bottleneck for Tesla with older hardware.

Another important piece of evidence pointing to Tesla not being able to deliver unsupervised self-driving on HW3 vehicles is the fact that it doesn’t have any compute redundancy anymore.

Electrek spoke with a well-known Tesla hacker called ‘green‘ who often reveals information about Tesla through his deep dives into the automaker’s software. He actually released the first HW3 images back in 2019.

Green reports that starting in late 2023, Tesla started to use both nodes for its FSD program on HW3 – running some new neural nets on the extra node. Originally, the idea was to have one for redundancy, which is necessary for higher levels of autonomy like levels 4 and 5, but arguably also level 3.

Now, green says that if one of the nodes fails, FSD doesn’t drive anymore. It can still produce FSD visualizations, but that’s about it. That alone basically kisses goodbye to robotaxi-level self-driving on HW3.

It’s also worth noting that shortly after green noticed this change happened, Tesla started to shift its priority from releasing new software on HW4 first rather than HW3.

Tesla is reducing its liability

Tesla has been trying to actively reduce its legal liability regarding HW3 by encouraging people who bought FSD to upgrade to newer vehicles.

For years Tesla owners have been asking Tesla to allow them to freely transfer their FSD package to a new vehicle. It makes sense. Tesla hasn’t delivered the product they have paid for. It’s the bare minimum to allow them to transfer it to a new car.

After years of refusing, Musk eventually agreed to FSD transfer last year, but he called it a “one-time amnesty” and said to take advantage of it.

That turned out not to be true. Tesla brought back the FSD transfer twice more since – with last quarter Musk saying “one more time”. And then, sure enough, Tesla brought it back for a fourth time this quarter.

This fake incentive to upgrade your older car with FSD to a newer one now because it’s the “last time” has a positive effect on Tesla’s liability regarding HW3.

When Tesla resales those used HW3 vehicles with FSD, they use their new language called “(Supervised) Full Self-Driving”, which opens the door for Tesla to say that they are only selling you self-driving that needs to be “supervised” by a driver.

But interestingly, for HW2 vehicle owners who never purchased FSD, Tesla is still selling them a $1,000 HW3 computer upgrade and $2,000 FSD software package ($2,000 if you have Enhanced Autopilot) with still the old language in the upgrade page:

That’s where Tesla would be adding liability as it would be “upgrading” a car to a 5-year-old computer that is already lagging behind on updates to its newer 2-year-old computer (HW4).

Electrek’s Take

Let’s be honest. Tech is rarely supported with software updates after 5-7 years. Tesla Hardware 3 is entering that zone. It is becoming obsolete and normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but Tesla sold a Full Self-Driving capability package for up to $15,000 based on this hardware that it never delivered.

At the minimum, it will have to reimburse that, but owners can even argue that they bought the car because Elon Musk told them it would become self-driving over time and become an “appreciating asset.”

This could quickly become a very large liability for Tesla, and the way it handles it is also important.

Musk said that retrofits are not economically feasible from HW3 to HW4. It’s true that it would be quite expensive and also likely create an insurmountable amount of work for Tesla’s already overworked service teams. The HW4 computer doesn’t have the same power harness or camera harnesses as the HW3, and it doesn’t share a form factor that fits in the exact same spot.

Also, the cameras have been upgraded with HW4, which raises the question, “Is the computing power the only problem, or does the camera also need to improve?”

If it’s just the computing power, Tesla could potentially design a new computer that could be more easily retrofitted in HW3 cars, but even then, that’s something that needs to be disclosed.

As I said, if Tesla knows that it can’t deliver unsupervised self-driving on HW3, it needs to let owners know right now and stop selling the software package to HW3 owners without a clear plan to make things right. Otherwise, this quickly becomes fraudulent.

The fact that Elon and Tesla have been wrong so many times about self-driving is already not a great confidence builder for them delivering on HW4 vehicles or even on the new AI5 (Robotaxi), but if they are also actively misleading owners, then Tesla becomes untrustworthy.

I am seriously concerned that Tesla is going to rely on the “corporate puffery” defense to frame Elon’s promises as “mere puff”.

After I first brought up the potential of Tesla reaching the limits of HW3 earlier this year, many Elon superfans started to make claims that Tesla and Elon never promised robotaxi-level self-driving capabilities on HW3 cars, which is plain ridiculous.

Tesla could also blame regulators as this is the new language that you have to agree with when buying what is now called “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)”:

The currently enabled Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous. Full autonomy will be dependent on achieving reliability far in excess of human drivers as demonstrated by billions of miles of experience, as well as regulatory approval, which may take longer in some jurisdictions. As Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) features evolve, your vehicle will be continuously upgraded through over-the-air software updates.

On the very same day that Tesla presented its new Robotaxi, Former President Donald Trump, who Tesla CEO Elon Musk is financially backing to become the next president and who he says he is “all-in” on, said that he would “ban autonomous vehicles on American roads.”

This situation is quite a mess to say the least.

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Kia’s EV9 can power your home and save you on energy costs: Watch how easy it is [Video]

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Kia's EV9 can power your home and save you on energy costs: Watch how easy it is [Video]

The Kia EV9 is already an impressive electric SUV with its bold design, spacious cabin, and smart technology. Now it’s unlocking another new feature. With the new Wallbox Quasar 2 home charger, Kia EV9 owners can power their homes for up to three days and even save on energy costs. Watch how easy it is to use in the demo below.

Kia EV9 can now power your home with V2H

Wallbox opened orders for its new bi-directional charger, the Quasar 2, for Kia EV9 owners this week. The Quasar 2 is the first home charger that works with the electric SUV to unlock its Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) capabilities.

EV9 owners can use their vehicle as a power source during power outages. You’ll need the Quasar 2 charger and Wallbox Power Recovery Unit, which can provide backup power for up to three days.

The Quasar 2 starts at $6,440, including the Power Recovery Unit, not including taxes and installation fees. EV9 owners can sign up for the waitlist here with a $100 deposit.

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Pre-orders will initially be limited to residents of California, Texas, Florida, New York, Washington, New Jersey, and Illinois, but the company plans a nationwide rollout. Once the units are available, pre-order customers will have first access, with shipping to follow soon after.

Kia-EV9-power-home-charger
Kia EV9 GT-Line (Source: Kia)

According to Wallbox, the Quasar 2 and Power Recovery Unit can save you up to $1,500 per year on energy costs.

As an all-in-one solution, the unit enables you to charge your EV with solar energy (solar panels are sold separately) and store it in your vehicle’s battery. During peak hours, you can use the energy to power your home to save on energy costs. With pre-set scheduling, you can also automatically charge your EV9 when the rates are the lowest.

Kia EV9 uses the Wallbox Quasar 2 to charge home devices (Source: Wallbox)

All of this can be easily utilized on the Wallbox App, allowing you to switch between grid/solar to vehicle and vehicle-to-home.

To demonstrate how easy it is to use, Wallbox put together a video showing the Kia EV9 using the Quasar to power several home devices.

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Honda’s new S7 electric SUV is surprisingly stylish and affordable, but you can’t have it

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Honda's new S7 electric SUV is surprisingly stylish and affordable, but you can't have it

Honda officially launched its new electric SUV, the S7, in China. As its first high-end electric SUV, Honda says the S7 will set new benchmarks with over 400 miles (650 km) of driving range, first-class comfort, and a stylish new design. The S7 will compete with the Tesla Model Y and other premium electric SUVs in China, starting at about $36,000.

Meet the Honda S7 electric SUV

Honda’s joint venture in China, Dongfeng-Honda claimed “the surge is about to break out” after teasing the S7’s new styling last month. On Thursday, the company officially launched its new electric SUV.

The S7 will be key to Honda’s comeback in the world’s largest EV market. Honda’s new electric SUV is now available starting at 259,900 yuan (about $36,000).

In terms of size, at 4,750 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,625 mm tall, the S7 is about the same size as the Tesla Model Y (4,797 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, 1,624 mm tall).

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Honda designed the SUV from the ground up for buyers in China, claiming it offers better driving, more fun, and more style. The electric SUV wears Honda’s new “H Mark,” exclusive for its next-gen EV lineup. Other design elements include a light-up H logo up front, a foot-sensing electric tailgate, and retractable door handles.

Honda-S7-electric-SUV
Honda S7 electric SUV (Source: Dongfeng-Honda)

Inside, the S7 is Honda’s first with a dimming panoramic sunroof. With a 2,930 mm wheelbase, it has a spacious interior with up to 860 mm of second-row legroom.

Several premium features include a 3-spoke multi-function leather steering wheel, streaming media rearview mirror, a fragrance system, and BOSE sound system.

Loaded with the latest software and connectivity tech, the S7 has “Honda’s most powerful smart cockpit” with split 12.8″ and 10.25″ smart infotainment screen and 9.9″ instrument display.

Honda Connect 4.0 provides an AI Voice Assistant, multi-screen linking, and continuous improvement with AI. Meanwhile, Honda Sensing 360+ includes ADAS features like active cruise control, pre-collision warning, lane keeping assist, parking assist, and a 360-degree panoramic imaging system.

It’s available in both single-motor (RWD) and dual-motor (AWD) options. The RWD variant includes a 268 hp (200 kW) electric motor and an 89.8 kWh NMC battery pack, good for a 650 km (404 miles) CLTC range.

With an added front motor, the AWD S7 packs up to 469 hp (350 kW) and is rated with 620 km (385 miles) CLTC driving range.

In comparison, the new Tesla Model Y RWD first edition starts at 263,500 yuan ($36,200), with a CLTC range of up to 593 km (368 miles). The Long-Range AWD model, with a CLTC range of up to 719 km (447 miles), starts at 303,500 yuan ($42,000).

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Segway’s new flagship Ninebot MAX G3 opens for preorder at $500 off, Jackery Spring Sale takes 50% off units, Samsung, more

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Segway's new flagship Ninebot MAX G3 opens for preorder at 0 off, Jackery Spring Sale takes 50% off units, Samsung, more

Leading today’s Green Deals is the $500 off pre-sale promotion on Segway’s new Ninebot MAX G3 eKickScooter that comes with a bunch of upgraded features like Apple Find My, autonomous locking/unlocking, and more – all at $900 through March 24. We also have Jackery’s Spring Sale in full swing with 50% off discounts on its power stations and solar generators (and bonus savings), one of which is the Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station bundled with two 200W solar panels at a new $1,994 low. Lastly, we have Samsung’s Bespoke AI Laundry Combo All-in-One Washer and Ventless Heat Pump Dryer coming with a bunch of additional savings at $2,199. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Anker SOLIX weekend flash sale offers, the Lectric XPedition 1.0 and XPeak 1.0 price cuts, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Segway’s new flagship Ninebot MAX G3 eKickScooter opens for preorder at $900

Segway has launched its pre-sale promotion on its new Ninebot MAX G3 eKickScooter at $899.99 shipped through March 24. Carrying a normal price tag of $1,400, this is the very first chance to grab some cash savings on this all-new model before it officially releases on March 25. You’ll be getting a 36% markdown while this promotion continues, saving you $500 off the going rate and setting the bar for future discounts down the road. Head below to learn more about this new e-scooter and its features.

Segway’s Ninebot Max G3 e-scooter arrives as the latest version of its flagship eKickScooter lineup, sporting an 800W motor that peaks at 2,000W to provide increased top speeds of 28 MPH while also tackling up to 30% inclines. With its Boost Mode activated, you’ll even have acceleration up to 15.5 MPH in just 2.4 seconds. The 597Wh battery delivers a travel range up to 50 miles on a single 3.5-hour charge, courtesy of its built-in fast charger, with the timeframe dropped to 2.5 hours after connecting a DC charger cable simultaneously.

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There’s a bunch of upgraded features on Segway’s Ninebot MAX G3, like the Stability Enhancement System for improved handling, disturbance resistance and slip resistance – even at high speeds. There’s also the inclusion of Apple Find My through its companion app to detect and find your scooter whenever needed, as well as extra security in the form of autonomous locking and unlocking via Bluetooth, with the distance it does so being adjustable to your preferences. You’ll also find it coming with dual suspension, 11-inch self-sealing tires, an automatic 6W headlight, an underglow lighting system, and a 2.4-inch smart TFT display that offers the usual at-a-glance riding data alongside navigation, caller ID and smart charge management.

You can also browse through Segway’s current sale offers while the savings are still around, which has the Apple Find My-capable Ninebot E2 Pro eKickScooter down at $500, among others.

Jackery Spring Sale power stations

Jackery Spring Sale drops Explorer 3000 Pro solar generator with two 200W panels to new $1,994 low

We’re almost out of winter, which means Jackery has launched a Spring Sale through March 12 with up to 50% taken off a selection of power stations, solar generator bundles, and accessories – plus, there’s even an extra 5% in savings too. One notable inclusion that is hitting the best rate we’ve seen to date, is the Explorer 3000 Pro Portable Power Station that comes bundled with two 200W solar panels for $1,994.05 shippedafter using the promo code EXTRA5 at checkout. This package would normally cost $3,999, with discounts usually keeping things between $2,199 and $2,799, though we’re seeing it start at $2,099 here, which gets all the better with the extra savings. Having gone as low as $1,999 during Black Friday, today’s deal pushes that rate aside while saving you $2,005 – landing things at a new all-time low and beating out Amazon’s current pricing by a huge margin.

A great option for folks who want one of the more versatile (and larger) power stations for camping, home backup, and RV support, Jackery’s Explorer 3000 Pro provides a solid 3,024Wh capacity for starters. It can dish out plenty of juice for your devices and appliances, with its output reaching 3,000W normally while surging upwards to 6,000W. Among its 10 port options, you’ll find an RV-dedicated TT30 port, making this one of the brand’s best models for motor home living. Recharging its own battery takes just 2.4 hours when plugged into a standard outlet, or you can hook up its full 1,200W of solar input to hit 100% in three to four hours (time increased for the included 400W input here). There’s also the third option of connecting it to your car, which will get it back to full in about 35 hours.

***Note: The extra 5% off coupon has not been factored into the prices below – be sure to use the code EXTRA5 at checkout for the maximum savings!

Deals for your home backup needs:

Deals for your garden & DIY work:

Deals for your short travel needs:

Accessory deals:

You can browse the entire lineup of Jackery’s Spring Sale on the landing page here through March 12.

Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo washer and dryer

Samsung’s Bespoke all-in-one AI Laundry Combo with bonus $100 credit is down at $2,199 ($3,622 value)

As part of the Discover Samsung sale that is running through March 9, you can score the brand’s Bespoke AI Laundry Combo All-in-One 5.3 cubic-foot Washer and Ventless Heat Pump Dryer at $2,199 shipped, with bonus savings (more below). This 2-in-1 unit normally fetches $3,324 at full price, which we’ve seen go as low as $1,899 direct from Samsung during Black Friday and $1,700 from Best Buy (though this rate hasn’t reappeared since). You’re looking at the fourth-lowest price overall and the third-lowest we’ve tracked direct from the brand, also coming along with a $100 credit for future purchases during this sale. You can also save a bit more by going with the open-box option in excellent condition on the same page for $1,759. While Best Buy is currently offering it at a $1 higher price, those of you with a Total Membership will also be benefitting from an additional $100 discount when purchasing from the outlet.

Before I go into the washer/dryer itself, I wanted to just point out some of the other bonus savings options. First off, there is the usual free installation (normally $25) alongside the three-year Samsung Care+ plan for just $1 (normally $199). Second, you can get up to $500 off in instant credits by trading in a phone or tablet. Lastly, you can exclusive savings if you are a teacher, first responder, government official, or part of the military (check drop-down menu on the page.

Samsung’s Bespoke AI Laundry Combo comes ENERGY STAR-certified with AI supporting you through settings management and also increasing its energy efficiency by identifying and adjusting settings based on the different fabrics you place inside and how soiled they are. The AI also pairs with the dual-inverter heat pump, calculating and estimating your electricity costs to “reduce energy usage by up to 19%.” There’s also the ventless design, which allows you to place it virtually anywhere, no longer needing to be next to a dedicate exhaust vent.

The detergent tank here sports a much larger capacity, holding up to 47 loads worth of detergent so you don’t have to regularly worry about filling and refilling in between laundry loads – plus, it also has a Flex One compartment that takes that convenience to the next level as it can be split between 25 loads of detergent and 34 loads of softener. It’s also been given self-cleaning and self-drying tech to keep laundry coming out fresh, smart controls via the SmartThings app (as well as hands-free voice controls), the EPA’s seal of approval, and much more.

You can check out all that the Discover Samsung sale is offering – including daily deals – on the main landing page here.

Best New Year EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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