Tesla Australia FSD Lite Coming Soon

A user named Sam in Australia shared the email, which said active testing is ongoing locally in Australia and New Zealand. This suggests that the rollout of the FSD Lite version in the region will begin soon.

The email sent before the HW4 launch used the phrase 'final stage of local development and testing,' strongly hinting that the launch was near. The HW3 email, by contrast, only mentions that 'active development is underway.' This suggests FSD Lite may not yet be in its final stage. Some interpret that Australian HW3 vehicles, the first fleet with no prior FSD usage history, may call for a more cautious approach.

In Australia, the FSD subscription is priced at 149 AUD per month. The HW3 FSD Lite rollout is expected to bring older models such as Model 3 and Model Y produced around 2019 into the FSD subscription market as a new revenue source. In addition, used Teslas equipped with FSD are expected to be much more attractive than those without it, potentially boosting their competitiveness in the used car market.

In the first half of 2026, sales of Chinese mid-size SUVs such as BYD surged in the Australian EV market, intensifying competition. During this period BYD became the top EV brand in Australia, and Tesla lost share despite rising sales. Analysts believe FSD Supervised could be nearly Tesla's only technological advantage for differentiating itself from Chinese EV brands in this competitive environment.

The service allows users to use satellite communication with their existing phones and USIM cards, without a separate satellite phone. Its main goal is to fill coverage gaps where terrestrial base stations struggle, such as mountains, rainforests, and coastlines in Costa Rica, and it is expected to offer an innovative solution for regions with limited communication infrastructure.

On August 23, the semi-submersible heavy-cargo ship Forte from the Dutch company Boskalis arrived at the island where Starship had landed, starting the recovery operation. This special vessel submerges its deck, loads Starship, and then resurfaces. The recovered Starship will travel more than 10,000 km to Starbase in Texas on a long voyage.

By recovering the vehicle that succeeded in reentry and splashdown on Flight 13 and analyzing its condition in detail, the data is expected to be used to improve Starship's design and increase its potential for reuse.

Starlink V3 has far greater communication capacity than previous generations, making it a key satellite payload for Starship.

As a result, a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico is now being considered as the likely option for the 14th flight instead of a tower catch.

The driver took the wheel for less than 200 miles, which the user said mainly happened when they first received the car. The user particularly emphasized FSD's high reliability when merging onto highways and driving through intersections.

They said they let the car take them wherever they go, and added that they actively use FSD on regular roads and within industrial complexes as well.