Tesla’s bringing its Full Self-Driving technology to Australia and New Zealand for the first time. The feature’s now available for customers who own Model 3 and Model Y vehicles with the company’s newest hardware system, called Hardware 4.
The technology, known as FSD Supervised, mechanically activated for customers who’d already purchased the full self-driving option. Those who haven’t bought it yet can add it to their eligible vehicles through Tesla’s purchasing system. The company hasn’t announced specific pricing for Australian customers, though a monthly subscription option costing $149 AUD in Australia and $159 NZD in New Zealand is expected to launch soon.
Despite its name, the system isn’t truly self-driving. Tesla calls it “supervised” because drivers must constantly watch the road and stay ready to take control. The car handles acceleration, braking, lane changes, and turning at intersections without the driver touching the steering wheel or pedals. It’ll even park itself.
But the person behind the wheel remains legally responsible for the vehicle’s actions. This supervised nature has sparked controversy. While the car can manage complete driving tasks from start to finish, drivers can’t relax or look away. They must keep their hands ready and eyes on the road, prepared to intervene if the system makes a mistake. The system monitors driver attention through torque sensors and cameras to ensure proper supervision.
The rollout’s limited to newer vehicles for now. Only Model 3 and Model Y cars with Hardware 4 can use FSD. Older Tesla vehicles with Hardware 3 won’t get access yet, and Tesla hasn’t said when they will. This restriction means many Tesla owners in Australia and New Zealand can’t use the feature even if they’ve paid for it.
Tesla tested the technology in Australian markets before making it publicly available. The company’s expected to gradually improve the system’s performance based on regional driving conditions. There’s no timeline for when other Tesla models might get FSD access. This marks Tesla’s entry into its first right-hand drive markets with the supervised self-driving feature.
The supervised operation helps Tesla comply with Australian driving laws that require human drivers to maintain control of their vehicles. Safety regulators continue watching how these semi-autonomous systems perform on public roads.
For now, Australian and New Zealand drivers with compatible Teslas can experience mechanized driving, but they’ll need to stay alert and engaged throughout every trip.