Older Tesla Model S And Model X Are About To Get SmarterGuessing HeadlightsAndre NalinSat, September 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleImage Credit: Turnstange - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki CommonsTesla may have discontinued the Model S and Model X, but owners of older examples haven't been completely forgotten. A significant software upgrade that has already reached other Tesla vehicles now appears to be headed to some of the company's former flagships.The update specifically concerns Model S and Model X vehicles equipped with Tesla's older Hardware 3 computer. These cars have been conspicuously absent from the rollout of Full Self-Driving v14 Lite despite Hardware 3 versions of the Model 3 and Model Y receiving the software months ago.That situation could finally be changing. Tesla's Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, recently indicated that the software was actually expected to reach eligible Model S and Model X vehicles sooner than it has.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe comments don't amount to an official release date, so owners shouldn't start refreshing their cars every five minutes just yet. Still, they provide the strongest indication yet that Tesla is preparing to close one of the remaining gaps in its v14 Lite rollout.The Update Was Apparently Already DueFor my @Tesla friends – and specifically Model S & X owners with HW3 who are waiting on FSD v14 Lite – I spoke to @aelluswamy at the Cybercab launch, & when I asked for an ETA on v14 Lite for S/X owners, he said, "Oh, I thought it was supposed to go out last week."So: soon! 🙌— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) September 7, 2026The news comes from Ryan McCaffrey, who spoke with Elluswamy at Tesla's Cybercab launch. McCaffrey specifically asked when Hardware 3 Model S and Model X owners could expect FSD v14 Lite.According to McCaffrey, Elluswamy replied, "Oh, I thought it was supposed to go out last week." Teslarati reports that the comment suggests the remaining work is likely related to validating the software for those specific vehicles rather than developing an entirely different driving stack.Tesla has not published an official changelog or confirmed a specific firmware build for the Model S and Model X rollout. Elluswamy's comment, therefore, shouldn't be interpreted as confirmation that every eligible vehicle will receive the update immediately.Why They Need A 'Lite' VersionFSD v14 Lite exists because Tesla's older Hardware 3 computer doesn't have the processing capabilities of the newer Hardware 4 system. Tesla uses a process described as distillation to compress behaviors learned by the newer system into a smaller model capable of running on the older hardware.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe resulting software brings some v14 improvements to Hardware 3 vehicles without requiring them to run the complete Hardware 4 model. Importantly, this remains a supervised Level 2 driver-assistance system, meaning the driver must remain attentive and responsible for the vehicle at all times.Hardware 3 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles began receiving v14 Lite earlier this year, with the rollout expanding across the United States and Canada. Model S and Model X owners using the same generation of computer have been waiting considerably longer.There Are Plenty Of New FeaturesImage Credit: Tesla.Previous v14 Lite releases introduced several notable features, including the ability to begin a drive from Park, reverse and unpark automatically, and select arrival preferences such as parking lots, streets, driveways, or curbsides. Tesla also added persistent speed profiles and claimed improvements to handling merges, forks, pedestrians, traffic lights, and vehicles cutting into the lane.A subsequent release added further interface elements derived from Hardware 4 vehicles, including a standalone Self-Driving app. It also removed the need for brake-pedal confirmation when beginning certain trips from Park.AdvertisementAdvertisementOwner experiences haven't been universally positive, however. Teslarati notes that while some Hardware 3 users have reported substantial improvements compared with the older v12.6 software, others have encountered hesitation or phantom braking.Older Flagships Haven't Been ForgottenThe upcoming release applies to older Hardware 3 examples rather than the later Model S and Model X vehicles equipped with Hardware 4. Those newer cars were already capable of running Tesla's more recent software.For owners of the older flagships, Elluswamy's comment is nevertheless encouraging. Tesla may have moved on from selling the Model S and Model X, but at least some existing examples appear set to receive one of their most substantial software upgrades yet.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.