Breaking: Tesla Full Self-Driving Launches Publicly in Australia & New Zealand Effective Immediately

Tesla has announced the immediate release of its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in Australia and New Zealand, making them the first right-hand drive markets to receive the feature. The launch follows a public demonstration in Brisbane earlier this year.

Earlier this month, CarSauce was invited to drive a pre-release build of the system on Australian roads. In our report, we tested the feature on a Model 3 Highland in Brisbane and found it capable of handling roundabouts, lane changes, and parking while still requiring driver supervision.

The system is now available for Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with the latest HW4 hardware. Customers who purchased Full Self-Driving Capability will begin receiving the update from Thursday morning via an over-the-air upgrade.

FSD (Supervised) can also be purchased as an optional package for new vehicles or added later to existing eligible vehicles for an upfront cost of $10,100 AUD. Tesla has confirmed plans to introduce a subscription model priced at $149 AUD per month in Australia and $159 NZD in New Zealand.

The system is designed as an advanced driver assistance package that requires continuous driver supervision. Tesla emphasises that FSD (Supervised) does not make vehicles autonomous and drivers must remain attentive at all times.

The technology enables functions such as lane changes, intersection negotiation, roundabout navigation, and highway entry and exit. It also manages speed, following distance, and can respond to pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles.

Driver attentiveness is monitored by a cabin camera, which issues warnings if distraction is detected. Repeated inattentiveness can lead to a temporary suspension of the feature, with drivers receiving “strikeouts” if prompts are ignored.

Test drives with Tesla FSD (Supervised) is available from Thursday 18th September at Tesla Stores across both countries.

The company continues to refine the system using data collected from real-world driving.

In addition to the FSD announcement, Tesla highlighted its roadside tyre repair and loaner wheel service available 24/7 through the Tesla App. The program allows mobile technicians to repair or replace tyres, or fit a loaner wheel if needed.

Tesla also operates its Supercharger network across Australia and New Zealand, providing fast charging that can add up to 282 kilometres of range in 15 minutes under optimal conditions.