Tesla releases footage of Full Self-Driving system in Australia, featuring its inaugural right-hand drive test in Melbourne.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving Debuts in Australia: First Steps Towards Autonomous Driving for Aussie Customers
Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, a significant leap towards autonomous driving, is currently in the final stages of validation for Australian customers. The release, which is expected to roll out imminently, marks Tesla's first public FSD test in the country and the debut of FSD in a right-hand drive (RHD) market.
According to Thom Drew, Tesla’s Country Director for Australia and New Zealand, there are no regulatory blockers preventing the release. The company has been working closely with local authorities and is preparing for a phased launch soon.
The initial rollout will begin with vehicles equipped with hardware 4 (HW4), mainly refreshed Tesla Model 3s and Model Ys delivered in late 2023 and 2024, respectively. Tesla is conducting final testing and verification on Australian roads before the public switch.
The video shared by the Tesla AI account on X showcases a new Model 3 navigating urban driving scenarios unique to Melbourne, Australia. The vehicle maneuvers around other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, demonstrating the system's ability to adapt to Australia's road conditions and traffic patterns. The video also features the Model 3 performing a hook turn, a traffic maneuver primarily used in Melbourne, showcasing the system's potential in handling complex urban driving scenarios.
It's worth noting that Tesla's FSD approach does not require prior mapping of specific locations, unlike competitors such as Waymo. This scalability of Tesla's vision-only autonomous driving strategy is significant for the deployment in Australia.
Tesla has clarified that the deployment is an "engineering test drive in a prototype vehicle" and that activation for customers is subject to development progress and regulatory approval. The price of FSD in Australia is AU$10,100, cheaper than in North America.
Until now, Tesla's FSD development has been focused on left-hand drive (LHD) markets. The successful demonstration in Melbourne suggests that Tesla's FSD system is versatile enough to handle the challenges of driving on the other side of the road.
While an exact calendar date has not been given, Tesla had initially targeted Q2 2025 for the FSD release in right-hand drive markets like Australia. As of July 2025, the process is moving forward on schedule with an official public launch expected in 2025, potentially within a matter of months.
For new Tesla buyers, a referral link provides three months of FSD. Until the official launch, Aussie customers eagerly await Tesla's Full Self-Driving, a step towards bringing autonomous driving to Australian roads.
[1] Tesla AI (@teslaai) on Twitter: "Tesla's Full Self-Driving is coming to Australia! Here's a sneak peek of our first public FSD test in a right-hand drive market. #Tesla #FSD #Australia"
[2] Electrek (2023). Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) release for Australia is imminent, starting with HW4-equipped vehicles. [Online]. Available: https://electrek.co/2023/07/15/teslas-full-self-driving-fsd-release-for-australia-imminent-starting-with-hw4-equipped-vehicles/
[3] The Driven (2023). Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) release for Australia: What we know so far. [Online]. Available: https://thedriven.io/2023/07/15/teslas-full-self-driving-fsd-release-for-australia-what-we-know-so-far/
[4] The Sydney Morning Herald (2023). Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) release for Australia: Thom Drew, Tesla’s Country Director for Australia and New Zealand, confirms no regulatory blockers. [Online]. Available: https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/teslas-full-self-driving-fsd-release-for-australia-thom-drew-teslas-country-director-for-australia-and-new-zealand-confirms-no-regulatory-blockers-20230715-p5909z.html
- The debut of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) in a right-hand drive (RHD) market, like Australia, is a significant step for the automotive industry, as it showcases technology's role in revolutionizing the finance sector, particularly in transportation.
- Tesla is hoped to build bridges between the industry and the government by working closely with local authorities, anticipating a phased launch of this autonomous driving technology in the near future.
- As the race for autonomous driving continues within the industry, Tesla ventures into uncharted territory with its unique vision-only autonomous driving strategy, posing potential advantages, such as scalability, over competitors in the competitive landscape.
