Tesla FSD Passes 50 Million km in Korea as Cybercab Launch Nears

He was deeply impressed by how the vehicle kept its lane and handled acceleration and braking smoothly. Dan stressed that his trust in FSD grew the more it drove, adding that although it was only one ride, good driving is recognizable when you see it firsthand.

This figure has built up since FSD was introduced in Korea on November 23, 2025. Korea is the seventh country to receive FSD, after the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.

Tesla has rolled out FSD Lite for vehicles equipped with the less powerful Hardware 3 (HW3) computer. FSD Lite is a version that adapts the driving behavior of the latest 4th-generation FSD to 3rd-generation hardware, while keeping core functions such as lane keeping, lane changes, intersection passage, and parking. As a result, FSD coverage, previously centered on premium models, extends to the Model 3 and Model Y, and real-road data from Korea's complex roads is expected to increase significantly.

Some have raised pessimistic views about FSD adoption, but cumulative driving data counters them. First, some argue that because driving is enjoyable, the need for self-driving is low; however, the point is made that on repetitive and tiring stretches such as commutes, school runs, and long-distance trips, the burden outweighs the enjoyment. Second, against the claim that Korea's road complexity makes FSD hard to apply, the accumulation of over 50 million km of real-road data in Korea already demonstrates its practical applicability. These results come from realistic road conditions, not mere test drives.

The event is reportedly a large-scale invitation-only affair open only to attendees with 'exclusive access.' The Cybercab is expected to mark the true beginning of Tesla's robotaxi network and become a core model for commercializing Tesla's full self-driving.

Tesla's Giga Texas factory began Cybercab production line operations in April and completed agency compliance certification in May. CEO Elon Musk has said early production will be slow, but output will rise sharply at some point. Tesla plans to operate a robotaxi fleet combining the Cybercab and the Model Y.

The Cybercab is designed as a dedicated vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals. This means there is no device inside the car for a person to drive manually in an emergency, showing strong confidence in Tesla's fully unmanned driving technology. Unlike the Model Y-based robotaxi, it is built from the outset for ride-hailing only, expressing an intent to handle all everyday operations through software alone. This design points to the core direction of the future mobility Tesla is pursuing.

Cathode material is a key factor determining the performance and cost of 4680 cylindrical batteries. Through this plant, Tesla plans to produce high-nickel cathode material to improve battery energy density and driving range, and to accelerate in-house battery material production.

The process is also expected to significantly reduce water and electricity use. In particular, it uses a dry process that mixes nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium along with large-scale kiln processing, and the company is expanding what it describes as the world's largest kiln facilities.

Tesla's move to produce cathode materials directly is aimed at reducing dependence on external suppliers and responding to price spikes or supply shortages. Since cathode material accounts for a large share of battery performance and cost, bringing it in-house can further speed up the expansion of 4680 battery production. This vertical integration will also help build a stable battery supply environment for Megapack energy storage systems as well as electric vehicles. Ultimately, Tesla is pursuing a strategy to secure leadership over its core component supply chain and capture both production stability and cost efficiency.