September 2019 model 3 came with HW2.5

[aviphysics]

Apparently my model 3 with a Sept 2019 door post date came with HW2.5.

The order page seemed to pretty clearly state that all cars at the time came with all the hardware required for FSD.

In my case, I didn't buy FSD until a couple weeks after delivery. While filing the request to get the computer updated, the first level of support said that the cars sold with FSD came with HW3 (but who really knows?)

How bothered should I be and has anyone had success getting Tesla to update their computer?

Currently trying to work through the support chain to get the car upgraded, on the grounds that the order page said it came with all the FSD hardware.

 

[thewishmaster]

How do you know it has HW2.5?

 

[aviphysics]

How do you know it has HW2.5?

You can take the panel off under the glove box and see the computer model number and manufacture date.

There is also a report that the HW3 uses a different video codec for TeslaCam.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

As to the statement about hardware required for FSD. They've been saying that for years so don't worry about that. It's always been a lie in that FSD requires HW3. It really just means the Hardware will be upgraded for free if the buyer gets the FSD option.

As to not having HW3 on delivery last month? Ouch. This is only a little annoying for you since you got the FSD upgrade which will come with the free HW3 upgrade. But, really sucks for people not planning on getting the upgrade. They'll miss out on things HW3 will detect that HW2.5 can't.

Like the recently introduced cone detection for example.

Oh, and the fact that HW2.5 horribly fails at pedestrian detection. I imagine that will be significantly improved with HW3 in a few months.

 

[aviphysics]

They are currently refusing to install the HW3 upgrade, even though I have paid for FSD.

I didn't realize traffic cone detection was only available for HW3. Pedestrian detection at least kind of works for me right now. Traffic cone detection is not working.

 

[powertoold]

Maybe they're having trouble sourcing the hw3 board.

 

[thewishmaster]

You can take the panel off under the glove box and see the computer model number and manufacture date.

There is also a report that the HW3 uses a different video codec for TeslaCam.

Have you taken the panel off to check? The codec is no longer different as of the newer software versions. Afaik they haven’t upgraded any model 3s to HW3 either so you should first make sure you don’t already have HW3 and then wait until general upgrades begin before asking.

 

[Saghost]

So you checked the board part number and it's definitely a HW2.5 board?

HW3 cars used to use a more advanced codec for videos, but Tesla switched them back to the same codec as 2.5 cars in the .28 firmware, possibly because some folks said they were having problems with video stuttering.

 

[aviphysics]

Have you taken the panel off to check? The codec is no longer different as of the newer software versions. Afaik they haven’t upgraded any model 3s to HW3 either so you should first make sure you don’t already have HW3 and then wait until general upgrades begin before asking.

I took the panel off and checked

 

[aviphysics]

I might be a dumba&&0, though in my defense, the service tech I was seeing about an issue was telling me that only cars that came with FSD were guaranteed to have HW3.

I think I was looking at the MCU part number and not the AP computer part number.

Any advice on where I should have been looking?

 

[Saghost]

I might be a dumba&&0, though in my defense, the service tech I was seeing about an issue was telling me that only cars that came with FSD were guaranteed to have HW3.

I think I was looking at the MCU part number and not the AP computer part number.

Any advice on where I should have been looking?View attachment 474292

Assuming that's a picture of your car. I think you are correct. The February 2018 manufacture date also suggests the module predates HW3. Here's what I found in the public access EPC:

The part number on the sticker in the photo matches the one described as a HW2.5 computer...

 

[aviphysics]

I have a very negative view of Tesla at this moment. Especially when they are starting to come out with features that aren't available on HW2.5

 

[boonedocks]

I have a very negative view of Tesla at this moment. Especially when they are starting to come out with features that aren't available on HW2.5

That is a sentiment that every Tesla owner will / has had at some point in their ownership experience. Because of the constant software updates and new features added via software, when the branch growers beyond your physical hardware it does sting a bit. All I can say from a 2015 AP 1 Model S then 2017 AP2.0 Model S and now a 2019 AP3.0 Model S I too have felt that same feeling in the past.

 

[aviphysics]

That is a sentiment that every Tesla owner will / has had at some point in their ownership experience. Because of the constant software updates and new features added via software, when the branch growers beyond your physical hardware it does sting a bit. All I can say from a 2015 AP 1 Model S then 2017 AP2.0 Model S and now a 2019 AP3.0 Model S I too have felt that same feeling in the past.

Leasing?

People are at least reporting that Model S are starting to get HW3 upgrades from HW2.5.

The part that gets me is that they literally say it has all the hardware and it doesn't.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

From the pictures it clearly looks like you have HW2.5

Need help locate SIM card module in EU/UK model3 (pictures) - Tesla Owners Online

From another thread it looks like what Tesla is doing is shipping HW2.5 in cars ordered without FSD, and with HW3.0 in cars ordered with FSD.

You ordered it without so it came with HW2.5

They likely either have a supply issue with HW3 or they have excess HW2.5 computers that they're trying to get rid of. Or maybe they're just waiting for the tariffs to end before receiving in more HW3 computers.

The amount of people upgrading post-purchase to FSD these days is probably pretty small so maybe it's simply a cost issue.

 

[powertoold]

Kinda negative for Elon to say all cars coming out are HW3, but then again, you didn't pay for FSD, so it's a neutral IMO.

 

[electronblue]

That is a sentiment that every Tesla owner will / has had at some point in their ownership experience. Because of the constant software updates and new features added via software, when the branch growers beyond your physical hardware it does sting a bit. All I can say from a 2015 AP 1 Model S then 2017 AP2.0 Model S and now a 2019 AP3.0 Model S I too have felt that same feeling in the past.

Well this is beyond that because this is more like Tesla saying all cars are AP2 and then selling you an AP1. This time Tesla had claimed all cars are HW3 since the spring and in the autumn ship HW2.5...

Then again, I guess I would agree, it is also a bit like AP 2.5 actually just being ”2.1” and no different — and then AP 2.5 getting all the nifty features...

Yes, they say a lot of false things don’t they.

 

[electronblue]

Kinda negative for Elon to say all cars coming out are HW3, but then again, you didn't pay for FSD, so it's a neutral IMO.

Kinda negative? Try a bald-faced lie.

The ethical thing at the very least would have been to retract the ”all HW3” statement, instead they shadily re-edited the Design Studio texts to be vague.

Then again what else is new.

 

[electronblue]

The thing here is: Tesla doesn’t need to say these unethical things. If they just updated stuff without forward-looking or false promises, the product would still be great. Our false expectations that sour things literally come from Tesla.

But they keep saying whatever they think is needed to be said at a given moment to keep moving new cars and apppeasing the stock market and this has lead to increasingly ludicrous and unethical statements.

All in the name of moving a few extra cars.

 

[powertoold]

Kinda negative? Try a bald-faced lie.

The ethical thing at the very least would have been to retract the ”all HW3” statement, instead they shadily re-edited the Design Studio texts to be vague.

Then again what else is new.

It's not a lie. It was true at the time. And we all know supply isn't guaranteed, especially for car mfging. Elon constantly talks about the difficulty of mass car mfging and supply chain. Anyway, again, I'm neutral on this, just my 2 cents.

To me, this falls in a similar category to, "I just got my car and they updated something a week ago that I didn't get."