Tesla Model Y completes 13,577-km Australia lap with FSD Supervised under driver oversight

Australia becomes the testing ground

A Tesla Model Y car has made a historic drive by becoming the first vehicle to circle the entire continent of Australia using its self-driving system. This significant road test demonstrated the capability of the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised technology over long distances in various challenging conditions.

This is widely reported as the first circumnavigation of Australia using FSD Supervised. The successful trip covered a massive distance of 13,577 kilometers (about 8,436 miles). The driver, Harald Murphy, completed the circumnavigation quickly, just 11 days in September 2025.

Minimal human help on the road

The FSD Supervised system managed almost all the driving tasks, showing its readiness for long-haul travel. The driver’s minimal need to take control highlights the system’s ability to handle navigation, speed control, and staying in the lane for extended periods.

This demonstrated the system’s robustness immediately after its public release. The FSD Supervised feature was active for over 99.9% of the total 13,577 km drive. The total distance the driver had to manually control the car was estimated to be less than 10 km.

Checking the car’s power use

The Model Y demonstrated impressive energy efficiency, vital for any electric vehicle completing a cross-continent trip with high-speed driving. The car’s power consumption was closely monitored and recorded, providing a precise figure for its efficiency under challenging, real-world conditions on major highways.

The Model Y consumed 2,295 kWh (kilowatt-hours) of electricity throughout the journey. This translates to a strong average energy efficiency rate of 169 Wh/km (watt-hours per kilometer) across the 13,577 km route.

The benefit for the person driving

The primary benefit of using the FSD Supervised system on this extensive road trip was reducing the driver’s fatigue. By having the car handle the continuous minor driving adjustments, the person in the seat can remain alert without the typical exhaustion that comes with driving long hours.

This benefit is a personal experience reported by the driver. The driver, Harald Murphy, is an experienced long-distance EV specialist who has completed over 10 electric laps of Australia. Based on his experience, he reported that reduced fatigue was the most noticeable and significant benefit of using the supervised system.

The specific car used for the trip

The vehicle used for this world-first drive was a 2025 Launch Series refreshed Model Y model. The specific version of the car is significant because it has the manufacturer’s most up-to-date computer hardware and sensor package. This advanced equipment is necessary to run the newest self-driving software.

The car was equipped with the company’s latest processing system, Hardware 4 (HW4), which is required for the FSD Supervised system. Australian-delivered Model Y units built from late 2023 onward generally include HW4, which is required for FSD Supervised.

Launch of FSD Supervised in Australia

The release of the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised system in Australia was a significant step for the company’s technology. It was the first time this system was made available to the public in a right-hand-drive market.

This rollout was a key milestone after years of development and testing. Public access to FSD, supervised in Australia and New Zealand, officially began on September 18, 2025. The technology was released to eligible owners through an over-the-air software update to their vehicles.

Quick use of the new technology

The Australian driving community quickly adopted the FSD Supervised feature right after it launched. The number of kilometers driven in the first days of the public release suggests that drivers started relying on the system immediately for their daily commutes and trips.

Final, official numbers from Tesla are still pending release. Early reports suggest a rapid adoption. Tesla owners across Australia and New Zealand have logged over one million kilometers with FSD Supervised engaged in the first ten days after the public launch. This rapid total shows the widespread initial use of the new feature.

Less fatigue behind the wheel

Customers in Australia who want the FSD Supervised software can choose between purchasing the feature outright or paying a monthly fee. This pricing model offers buyers flexibility in how they utilize and pay for the advanced driver assistance features.

The monthly subscription option has been announced but is not yet available. The one-time, upfront purchase price for the Full Self-Driving Supervised software package is $10,100 (AUD). The monthly subscription option is “coming soon” and will be available for $149 AUD per month for eligible vehicles.

FSD Supervised requires driver attention

It is crucial that FSD Supervised is only an advanced driver-assistance system and is not a fully autonomous feature. The human driver must always be actively watching the road and ready to take over control. The system is designed to help, not replace, the person driving.

The system is classified as a Level 2 driver automation technology, meaning the human driver is fully responsible for the car’s operation. Driver attention is monitored by a cabin camera inside the vehicle, which issues warnings for distraction.

Features in the FSD Supervised package

The FSD Supervised system adds complex driving functions beyond the standard Autopilot features. It enables the car to handle more complex tasks on various types of roads, including city streets and congested areas. These advanced parking and summoning features are included in the total FSD package.

The complete feature list includes navigating roundabouts, making automatic lane changes, and actively responding to traffic lights and stop signs. It also includes the self-parking feature Autopark and the Actually Smart Summon, which drives the car to a target location in a parking lot.

The Hardware 4 computer and cameras

The latest Model Y uses the Hardware 4 (HW4) computer, a significant upgrade in computing power. This new processor is necessary because the FSD software requires a substantial amount of memory to analyze the environment quickly using the car’s sensors.

The HW4 computer offers significantly more processing power than the older hardware. The HW4 computer, known as the “FSD Computer 2,” offers an upgrade that boosts processing performance by 3 to 5 times over the previous generation. The HW4 cameras also feature a significantly higher 5MP resolution compared to the 1.2MP cameras in HW3.

Previous Tesla Autopilot packages

Before introducing the FSD Supervised option, Tesla offered an Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) mid-level package. This package had a subset of features more capable than standard Autopilot but less than the complete FSD package. The EAP option is no longer offered for new car purchases.

The Enhanced Autopilot package included several key features, such as Navigate on Autopilot, which guided the car on the highway, and Auto Lane Change. This package also includes the self-parking feature called Autopark.

The standard Autopilot system

Every new Tesla car comes with a basic autopilot system, which is included in the car’s purchase price. This is the foundation of the company’s driver assistance features, providing core safety and convenience on the highway.

The standard Autopilot system comprises two primary functions: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC), which automatically maintains a safe, adjustable distance from the vehicle in front, and Autosteer, which keeps the vehicle centered in its lane on highways.

Tesla’s total fleet driving data

The FSD Supervised system becomes smarter over time as it learns from the vast amount of real-world driving data collected from all its cars on the road. This constant learning enables the system to quickly adapt to new and unusual driving situations, thereby improving its performance through software updates.

Tesla trains the system using data from its global fleet of over six million vehicles. The company claims its fleet collects enough data every 10 minutes to simulate a lifetime of complex driving experiences.

Tesla’s early driver assist hardware

Tesla’s first efforts in driver assistance started nearly a decade ago with simpler hardware. This early equipment was the initial step toward today’s complex systems and laid the groundwork for future developments.

The first generation of hardware, known as HW1, was introduced in 2014 and relied on a chip made by Mobileye. The car utilized 12 ultrasonic sensors positioned around the vehicle and a single forward-facing camera to monitor its surroundings.

If you’ve ever wondered how tax credits shape Tesla’s pricing, see Tesla increases lease prices for Model 3 and Model Y ahead of EV credit expiration.

The transition to in-house hardware

Over time, the company decided to design its own computer chips specifically for its self-driving software. This move was made to boost performance and have complete control over the hardware and software development process. This resulted in the creation of the powerful FSD computer.

In 2019, Tesla released its first custom-designed chip called the FSD Computer 1 (part of HW3). The company stated this chip was a “neural network accelerator” capable of processing images at 2,300 frames per second (fps).

If you want to know why the Model Y L is fueling Tesla’s surge, check out Tesla’s Model Y L becomes a China growth driver with 120,000+ orders.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.