Tesla's Hardware 4.5 has been spotted in new Model Y vehicles, sparking speculation about an interim upgrade before the company's upcoming AI5 chip. Owners of recent Model Y builds have identified components labeled "AP45", suggesting Tesla may have quietly started rolling out revised autonomy hardware. This sighting comes as a surprise, as Tesla has not yet made any formal announcements about Hardware 4.5. What could Hardware 4.5 represent? Clues have surfaced in Tesla's Electronic Parts Catalog, which lists a component described as "CAR COMPUTER - LEFT HAND DRIVE - PROVISIONED - HARDWARE 4.5." This component, with part number 2261336-S2-A, is priced at $2,300.00. Longtime Tesla hacker @greentheonly has noted that Tesla software has contained references to a possible three-system-on-chip architecture for some time. This could allow for higher inference throughput and improved fault tolerance, and may serve as a bridge to AI5, Tesla's next-generation autonomy chip expected to enter production later in 2026. However, some are skeptical, asking if this is a double standard. Tesla's Hardware 4.5 has also been spotted in new Model Y units, despite the company not yet making any formal announcements about it. This has sparked debate about whether Tesla is quietly rolling out revised autonomy hardware, or if it's just a coincidence. In other news, Tesla's Grokipedia, an AI-generated encyclopedia developed by Elon Musk's xAI, has been cited by OpenAI's ChatGPT in some responses. This has raised questions about the use of AI-generated content in large language models. Meanwhile, Tesla Europe is making serious efforts to boost sales in the region, expanding its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along program and showcasing its newest vehicles across multiple regions. Despite ongoing blockades from labor unions, Tesla Sweden is still storing vehicles at the Port of Trelleborg, maintaining its storage agreement with the port. This has sparked debate about the role of ports in supporting companies during labor disputes.
