Tesla FSD to lose “beta” designation with V12 update: Elon Musk

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It appears that Tesla is now looking to retire the “beta” designation of its Full Self-Driving suite. As per a recent comment from CEO Elon Musk, FSD V12 will no longer be “beta” when it gets released. 

Musk shared the update in a post on Twitter as a response to a longtime FSD Beta user joking that FSD Beta 12 would be coming “maybe later this year.” In his response, Musk simply wrote, “Version 12 won’t be beta.” 

The FSD Beta program started in October 2020, and since then, the advanced driver-assist system has seen a lot of revisions. And with the rollout of FSD Beta Version 11, Tesla started utilizing a single software stack for both inner-city and highway driving. A number of updates under V11 have been rolled out to date. 

While Elon Musk’s recent comments are undoubtedly exciting, it may be wise to temper expectations about the upcoming changes that will be rolled out when FSD Beta V12 gets released. Musk could simply be referring to Tesla dropping the “Beta” moniker for the advanced driver-assist system. Tesla’s Autopilot, for one, is a product that is still very much in beta, but it is not called “Autopilot Beta.”

That being said, Musk’s comment could also refer to a much more substantial change, though it is one that would be a bit out of character for the EV maker. Autopilot, after all, is already refined as far as driver-assist systems in the market go, but Tesla still considers the system to be in beta today. 

Still, if Tesla does remove FSD from beta, it would be a big show of confidence on the EV maker’s part. Tesla has been working hard to refine its Full Self-Driving suite, after all, and with the start of production for Dojo expected this July, the improvements to the system in the near future would likely be notable. 

It should also be noted that Tesla’s release date for Version 12 could still be some time away, as the electric vehicle maker could simply release more iterations of FSD Beta Version 11 until it reaches a point where it could be safe and proficient enough to warrant a “beta-free” moniker. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Tesla FSD to lose “beta” designation with V12 update: Elon Musk

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Tesla NACS might be required in Washington state

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Washington state is considering mandating Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), following in Texas’ footsteps.

“I’m actually really happy about NACS and how finally automakers are gearing towards one standard. We want to provide access to as many makes and models as possible.

“It hasn’t necessarily been tested and certified for other auto manufacturers, so we want to make sure it’s going to work, but we are planning to require NACS at our state-funded and federally-funded sites in the future,” said Tonia Buell, the alternative fuels program manager of Washington state’s Department of Transportation.

Washington State Department of Transportation spokesperson Kris Riemann Abrudan noted that the state has yet to reach a final decision regarding Tesla NACS. State officials still want to observe the EV market before approving a mandate. 

Tesla NACS has been gaining tremendous support from automakers in the United States, including two of the Big Three and EV startup Rivian. Ford kicked off Tesla NACS’ adoption in the United States after announcing that its future electric vehicles will be compatible with Tesla Supercharger stations. 

Tesla NACS has also gained support from other EV charging providers, such as XCHARGE and Blink Charging. Several other EV charging companies revealed Tesla-compatible charging stalls at the 36th Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition in Sacramento, California. 

After automakers and EV charging service providers announced their support for Tesla NACS, Texas decided to require EV charging companies in the state to include a provision for Tesla NACS alongside CCS in their stalls. Now Washington State might do the same. 

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

Tesla NACS might be required in Washington state

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How the design has changed in the past four years

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It is no secret that since the November 2019 unveiling of the Tesla Cybertruck, a lot has changed. From the size of the initial build that made it on stage in Hawthorne, California, to the various configurations that were once planned to be offered, there is one thing that has changed drastically: the interior, which has been overhauled since its early designs for more space and functionality, rather than to seat an additional person.

Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen has called the Cybertruck a vehicle that the automaker will likely never have a “pencils down” approach for. This mentality, in particular, has culminated in years of modifications, changes, and redesigns to the body, interior, and even the powertrains for the upcoming all-electric pickup.

How has the interior changed? It is easier to tell you what has not changed, but it is more entertaining to compare the early builds of the Cybertruck to what is being seen as of this past weekend, as it is likely the recent sightings will be much closer to the actual product that is delivered to customers, which could be within the next 2 or 3 months, according to CEO Elon Musk.

Let’s take a look at the initially-displayed interior that Tesla unveiled for the Cybertruck in 2019.

tesla cybertruck initial interior in 2019

(Credit: Tesla)

Looking at this press image that Tesla released around the time of the Cybertruck unveiling, we can notice several things:

  • Yoke Steering
  • Three front-row seats
  • Marble dash that is made from recycled paper materials

All of these things have been changed, modified, or taken out of the vehicle in the past three-and-a-half years.

Yoke Steering

The initial Yoke Steering Wheel was exactly that: a Yoke. Tesla first adapted Yoke Steering on the Model S and Model X Plaid. It was a polarizing design that was loved by some and hated by others, but the Cybertruck was technically the first vehicle to really feature the design in Tesla’s lineup, as these images came before the release of the Plaid vehicles.

However, recent designs have shown that Tesla will instead adopt what looks like a hybrid of the two, featuring an enclosed top portion, but it still had a compact design that is similar to the yoke in terms of size.

We saw this for the first time at Investor Day in March.

This has seemingly been fitted on numerous Cybertruck builds as of late, as sightings of the truck during this past weekend’s appearance at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles have the same “closed” Yoke design that is seemingly a mix of that and the regular round design.

tesla cybertruck interior design finalized with yoke update

Credit: Greggertruck | Twitter

Front Row Seating Changes

Initial iterations of the Cybertruck showed a three-seat front row, with the middle seat being a fold-down as large pickup trucks on the market currently have.

“Bench seats,” as they are commonly referred to, offer versatility for an additional passenger. They can also fold down and present a center console for storage, cup holders, and an arm rest.

However, as seen above, it appears Tesla will not equip bench seats in the Cybertruck like it planned to early on. This is instead going to be a permanent center console. This may have been a result of the smaller dimensions of the vehicle, which the automaker revised in an attempt to make it fit in regular parking spots and Boring Company tunnels.

tesla cybertruck interior design with updated yoke

Credit: Greggertruck | Twitter

Marble Dash

We reported just after the Cybertruck unveiling that Tesla would use recycled paper composite materials that create a durable and sustainable dash that looked clean and contributed to the vehicle’s eco-friendly nature.

Tesla Cybertruck’s ‘marble’ dashboard is actually made from paper and it’s genius

The initial design of this was extensive, as the early images show the marble dash extending back toward the windshield considerably. Tesla still has the marble dash design in the newest Cybertruck designs, but it is considerably different than before.

It has been scaled back considerably as the vehicle has progressed through design changes.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla Cybertruck Interior: How the design has changed in the past four years

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