Tesla's HW3 dual redundancy system ensures that the autopilot system will not automatically disengage

According to foreign media reports, it seems that Tesla has begun to use more of the functions of its customized Hardware 3 (HW3) computer , which is designed for fully autonomous driving . A hacker in the Tesla community, @greentheonly, discovered that Tesla activated the dual redundant system of HW3 in the latest updated software.

Tesla owner and hacker pointed out that in the 19.40.50.1 updated software, in addition to the FSD (Full Self-Driving Package) preview vision function and Camp Mode being in operation, the dual redundant system of HW3 was also activated.

Tesla's custom-designed fully autonomous driving computer is actually two separate computers, each equipped with its own processor, memory, and storage space. And the two computers run on the same operating system, which makes the system safer because if one computer crashes, the other computer can take over directly. That being said, before the latest updated software was launched, Tesla had been running only one of the two computers in the HW3 system.

This means that if the Autopilot software fails or crashes, the driver will be asked to take over control of the vehicle. With a dual redundant system, at least in theory, the FSD computer can let another computer take over when one computer crashes. In this way, even if a computer in FSD needs to be restarted, the Autopilot software will not automatically disengage. It is worth noting that all of this is still theoretical, and Tesla has not yet provided full details about the FSD redundant system.

In a way, activating HW3's dual redundant systems is another small step toward fully autonomous driving for Tesla. This feature is one of the features that will be needed before Tesla starts rolling out its fleet of robot taxis, which can drive themselves without any human intervention. For a car to successfully drive itself, it must always be in operation, ensuring the safety and continuity of the autonomous driving system, factors that could give Tesla's taxis an advantage over competitors such as Uber and Lyft.

Previously, Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted that the fully functional version of FSD will be first available to users of the early access program at the end of this year. However, so far, the Tesla community has not published any reports on this. Nevertheless, the FSD preview version and the activation of the dual redundant system also suggest that perhaps autonomous driving will become a reality soon, or sooner or later.