A Tesla owner who purchased an HW3-equipped vehicle in 2019 states that they still haven't seen their money's worth for the €6.400 they paid and contacted the company to share their concerns. Seven years later, the only response was that patience was needed; this attitude has caused great disappointment among users. With the approval of the Supervised version of the FSD (Fulfillment Drive System) for the new AI4 computers in Europe, the plight of owners of older-equipped vehicles is becoming even more apparent. This situation demonstrates that Tesla is struggling to fulfill its promises due to hardware limitations.
Tensions between Tesla and HW3 owners. Particularly with the rise of legal pressures and class-action lawsuits on the continent, the company's approach is becoming increasingly criticized. A user named Mischa Sigtermans complained about still not receiving a concrete solution for the payments he made for his Model 3 vehicle. Sigtermans recorded a phone call with a Tesla representative and shared it on X. During the call, the representative stated that they couldn't clarify when or if FSD (Fully Autonomous Driving) would be available for HW3-equipped vehicles. Sigtermans added that despite the phrase "fully autonomous driving capability" on his invoice, he hadn't been offered a satisfactory solution. When reminded of Musk's past statements in Europe about the need to replace HW3 computers, the officials stated that there was no clear information on this matter yet. In the final part of the conversation, the representative said "patience is needed" and ended the call.
hw3claim.nl Sigtermans, who founded the website, states that approximately 3.000 Tesla owners from 29 countries have filed collective claims so far. These applications represent a total of €6,5 million in FSD purchases and are accelerating the legal process. According to patent documents, the company's mathematical attempts to fit a modern FSD model onto a HW3 chassis may render some components inoperable. The uncertainty surrounding the timeline continues to erode user confidence. Furthermore, the information that the planned v14 Lite version in Europe will be released in the second quarter of 2026 is considered far from satisfying users. The company's vague stance in the face of the strength of consumer protection laws is likely to create difficult situations in court. This response to customers who have been waiting for years is reigniting reliability debates in the automotive world.
