Today it became known that AP HW3 upgrades for Model 3 are starting to arrive at Tesla service centers.

I guess I forgot to clarify, these are for Model 3

— Tesla Owners Online (@Model3Owners) December 11, 2019

Tesla CEO Elon Musk blasted news out on Twitter back in March that anyone who purchased FSD would get the upgrade to the new FSD computer free of charge. The new hardware brings 21 times the computing power to Tesla’s vehicles compared to the previous generation of Nvidia hardware being used.

Anyone who purchased full self-driving will get FSD computer upgrade for free. This is the only change between Autopilot HW2.5 & HW3. Going forward “HW3” will just be called FSD Computer, which is accurate. No change to vehicle sensors or wire harness needed. This is v important. https://t.co/lICMpT7xnX

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 29, 2019

The new equipment is a direct replacement for the fully standalone Nvidia computer that Tesla used in its vehicles with the HW2 and HW2.5. Tesla created its own fully automated computer (FSD) after being dissatisfied with the general computer capabilities available on the market even from best-in-class vendors such as Nvidia.

Earlier, in September, the HW3 update was only offered to owners of Models S and X.

Hardware installation is the first step. Tesla needs to rebuild its software stack for a completely new computer, and with redundancy on this new computing platform. We already saw the same step from Tesla when it switched from Mobileye chipsets to Nvidia's computer equipment.

Source: Tesla

Tesla will take some time to completely transfer the solution to new equipment and put it into operation.

The new HW3 cannot yet be requested by customers for installation, since it is installed only by suitable vehicles that need other services in service centers that have new equipment and are trained in its installation. 

Soon, all Tesla owners who available install the new HW will receive it. Service centers receive a VIN# list and contact their owners.

Black Tesla, who already has an HW3, made a video review of it. He discusses various aspects of autopilot, including traffic cone detection, NOA, automatic lane change, lane maintenance on city streets, and automatic control on extremely winding roads.

 Featured image: Black Tesla / YouTube