OutbackEV-Hunter

Bringing Transition of Sustainable Transport and Energy to Central Australia by giving solutions to early adopters, government and business for the transition

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

time for another official follow up letter ....feel free to send your own letter and base it on this one

Thank you for your attention.Dear Mr. Musk, Mr. Drew, and Ms. Denholm,
I am writing again as the author of the communication sent to you over three months ago (Sent: 29/09/2025]), expressing gratitude for the eventual release of Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised in Australia via software update 2025.26.7.10, while raising serious concerns about the treatment of early adopters with Hardware 3 (HW3) vehicles. Regrettably, I have received no reply or acknowledgment whatsoever. This complete silence has only amplified the disappointment I first shared—and it is now echoed loudly across the Australian Tesla community, particularly among HW3 owners who invested up to AUD $10,000 each in FSD as far back as 2016–2019.
We are not a small or silent group: discussions in Tesla Owners Australia groups, Tesla Motors Club forums, and on social platforms show hundreds (if not thousands) of us feeling sidelined, betrayed, and increasingly frustrated.Since my original letter:FSD Supervised has rolled out successfully for HW4-equipped Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Australia and New Zealand, marking a proud milestone for right-hand-drive markets.
However, HW3 vehicles—representing a significant portion of the Australian fleet—remain excluded from this rollout. Tesla's own support pages confirm there is no confirmed release timing for HW3 compatibility.
Indications from earnings calls and community updates point only to a potential limited "FSD Lite" version (possibly based on v14 with reduced capabilities) sometime in the first half of 2026, while HW4 vehicles continue advancing to newer branches like v14.2. The promised HW4 (or equivalent) retrofits for FSD purchasers, referenced in shareholder meetings as far back as October 2024 and reaffirmed in early 2025, have shown no concrete progress.
Recent software changes hint at backend preparations, but no timelines, rollout plans, or communication have been provided to affected owners.
FSD HW3 owners were offered a AU$5,000 discount on upgrading to a HW4 floor model however and example for me would be an AU$65,000 outlay as my 2019 Stealth M3, replacing like for like, and to be honest, was an insult, to say the least.
This ongoing limbo feels like a profound breach of trust. We—the early adopters who championed Tesla through years of skepticism, paid premium prices for the promise of future-proof autonomy, and contributed valuable real-world data—now watch as the technology we helped fund bears fruit exclusively for newer hardware. Many of us feel like "pioneers turned hostages" to decisions that prioritize newer vehicles over honoring explicit commitments.
The sentiment in the Australian HW3 community is one of large-scale disappointment and eroding loyalty.
Owners are openly questioning whether to hold onto their vehicles, pursue refunds under consumer law, or even switch to competitors.
This is not the enthusiastic support Tesla has always enjoyed from its earliest advocates Down Under, as Ms. Denholm and Mr. Drew could contest to also.
To rebuild that trust and retain the pioneers who accelerated your mission, we urgently need:

1. Clear, public communication on HW3 compatibility in Australia, including any realistic timeline for full FSD Supervised (not just a reduced "Lite" version).
2. A firm, actionable plan for HW4-equivalent retrofits (or alternatives) for all FSD purchasers, with details on scope, timing, and process.
3. Regular updates—perhaps via a dedicated owner portal or community channel—so we are not left in silence for months on end.
4. Recognition of the unique challenges in right-hand-drive markets and the goodwill lost by delaying HW3 access.

Mr. Musk, your vision continues to inspire, but inspiration alone cannot sustain loyalty when promises made years ago remain unfulfilled. We ask that you turn this growing disappointment into renewed enthusiasm by finally delivering the transparency and action early supporters deserve.
I, along with many fellow HW3 owners in Australia, eagerly await a meaningful response this time.

Regards
Hunter Murray
Engineering Director
https://t.co/RVZxqFTGrY

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@Tesla @ev_australia H#3 in Australia..WAFTAM

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@Tesla HW3 FSD 2019 in Australia, yeah still waiting!

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

So looks like NRMA are rolling out Credit card readers on their chargers in Alice Springs and Katherine....

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@cybertruck @elonmusk got offered one once but Tesla took it away...

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

Billionaires paying Millionaires to keep their dirty secrets...Shame on you #australiangovernment
https://t.co/wBz1y3s6mG

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@actionforalice no to sure they were looking in the right area, info says they were doing Radar Surveys

[Ford Racing @FordRacing]

It's official: The Ford Racing Mustang Cobra Jet 2200 has clocked a new record time of 6.87 at 221 mph - now the quickest electric car on the planet.

#FordRacing

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

yeah TiTree is next in the list, all to do with power supply, Barrow creek is self powered and does struggle at times with the existing 30kw charger and TBO was always a stopgap and was handy being half way, but if you remeber the planning was to have stations every 200kms according to the Govt.

[M3LJ @LJMBAU]

So many video memes to share with my new HW3 European friends!

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@rlaxton @NRMA @harald_murphy look like we're back up charging in Katherine NT and also Devel's marbles hotel now online in time for tourist season traffic
https://t.co/wiWN8A6Ka7

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@rlaxton @NRMA @harald_murphy yeah taking a bit long to sort it as most of the rest of the town ...ill try and get a update

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@LJMBAU Honestly you do it to yourself @elonmusk ...
look after your loyal customers instead of trying to upsell everyone....it will help you sleep at night
#HW3 FSD

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@rlaxton @NRMA @harald_murphy Won't be the first to do that, nor the last, however being there late last year they are literally on the other side of the CBD of Katherine, at least a mile or 2 from the river...who would of thunk??!!
https://t.co/Rlk5vvEPwn

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

Get Used to it!

[M3LJ @LJMBAU]

No surprise here

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@NRMA @nrmainsurance Head from the guys today
They're no longer operational due to being under flood waters. They will be replaced and site back up and running this week...

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

Notice the lack of sound that allows excellent communications...

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@MissJilianne @mayemusk @Te5laLi5a Well Honey, appresiate your correction, I'll take the upgrade that works....either way you look at it, @elonmusk is not doing what he said he would do for his customers...don't you think?

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

Q3 2024 This is the call where Elon Musk explicitly confirmed that Tesla will replace HW3 computers with HW4 (for free) for owners who purchased FSD outright, stating it as a necessity for unsupervised FSD.Exact quote from Elon Musk (in the Q&A portion):“I mean, I think the honest answer is that we're going to have to upgrade people's Hardware 3 computer for those that have bought full self-driving, and that is the honest answer and that's going to be painful and difficult but we'll get it done. Now I'm kind of glad that not that many people bought the FSD package.”
(This came right after Tesla's AI team lead noted they were still working on HW3 software but that HW4 releases would come first.)
@elonmusk
@sydney_ev @desert_ev @everything_elon @harald_murphy @LJMBAU @TeslaGong @

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@elonmusk So does integrity, #HW3 #FSDRHD
Paid and waiting since 2018!

[OutbackEV-Hunter @ev_outback]

@StrokeDistance @MissJilianne @mayemusk @Te5laLi5a if that's the case it would have been cheaper just to fix the dambed cars!!