Tesla holds back on Model Y restyling, but runs on FSD

The new version of the electric SUV slips to next year. Meanwhile, the company releases new software for autonomous driving

New Tesla Model Y (2024), the rendering by Motor1.com

By: Francesco Barontini

Published by: Brian Potter

Jun 11, 2024 at 4:53am ET

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Tesla is a car manufacturer, we can all agree on that, but for how much longer will it be so? Here things get complicated. Indeed, from many quarters, Elon Musk and co. are said to be increasingly focused on other activities and less interested in producing vehicles.

Further confirmation that the long-term strategy is changing comes in the form of two pieces of somewhat related news today. The first concerns the fact that the restyling of the Model Y will not arrive by the end of the year, as previously announced, while the second is a further evolution of Full Self-Driving.

It's not restyling time

Let's start with the Model Y. Elon Musk said in no uncertain terms on Saturday that the new version of the famous zero-emission SUV will not arrive in 2024. The fruit of what is internally called Project Juniper will be postponed until a later date.

Elon Musk has simply stated that the cars currently in production undergo continuous upgrades and that, therefore, buying a Model Y in a few months' time will still allow you to own a better vehicle than those currently on sale. But the restyling operation, which was supposed to be similar to that seen on the Model 3, is not coming anytime soon.

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The reasons for this choice remain unclear, but there is speculation that the decision was made mainly due to the slowdown in global electric car sales and to allow the company to focus on other projects that are pressing.

Travelling a year without human intervention

But what are these projects? First of all artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, the progress of which could allow Elon Musk to introduce the Robotaxi and the humanoid robot Optimus in the near future. While waiting to see the brand's first fully self-driving vehicles on the road, Tesla continues to work on its active driving assistance software and releases version 12.4. For now only to employees, but soon also to drivers taking part in the development programme.

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Musk explained that with the latest update, Full Self-Driving will be able to drive on average 5 to 10 times farther than today without the driver being called upon to take the controls. Even, according to the CEO, this version 12.4 is a sort of springboard for a future variant of the software, on which engineers are already at work, that will allow Teslas to drive on their own for up to a year without human intervention.

But first all the remaining bugs have to be worked out, and how long this operation will take is hard to say.

Gallery: New Tesla Model Y (2024) Motor1.com render

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New Tesla Model Y (2024), the rendering by Motor1.com

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