Peter Smith
⬤ Tesla's newest 2025.44 software update brings practical improvements to everyday driving features. The update includes a redesigned Dashcam Viewer with a cleaner grid layout, faster clip navigation, and the popular 15-second skip option that users have been requesting. There's also a new Exclude Home toggle for Cabin Overheat Protection, letting owners save energy when parked at home while keeping the safety feature active everywhere else. The timing positions these enhancements right before the anticipated Holiday release.
⬤ What's drawing more attention though is where Tesla's Full Self-Driving system stands right now. Current data shows just 12% of Tesla owners are paying for FSD, even though the company's betting on major adoption growth ahead. The main barrier seems to be psychological rather than technical—people are hesitant to hand over control to software. Every mile driven feeds the neural network though, and each update makes the system smarter, creating a continuous improvement cycle that's central to FSD's development.
⬤ Tesla analyst Stephen Gengaro points out that comfort with FSD builds over time through repeated use. The first autonomous drive feels scary, the tenth starts feeling normal, and by the hundredth it becomes something you can't imagine going without. Here's where the math gets interesting: Tesla needs to hit 10 million FSD subscriptions to meet a key executive compensation target, requiring over 80% growth from current levels. Some are comparing this potential shift to how quickly smartphones took over—once people experience the time savings from autonomous driving, going back to manual control might feel like a downgrade.
⬤ The 2025.44 update and the FSD adoption discussion highlight the key factors shaping Tesla's technology direction. How user comfort, product performance, and subscription numbers play out together will likely determine the company's position in the autonomous driving space going forward.
Peter Smith
