A growing group of Tesla owners across Europe is mobilizing against the electric vehicle maker, alleging that the company has failed to deliver the Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities promised for vehicles equipped with Hardware 3 (HW3).
The initiative, known as “HW3 Claim,” has already gathered hundreds of verified participants. The dispute comes as the Dutch vehicle authority (RDW) recently approved FSD Supervised for public roads in the Netherlands. However, while newer cars with AI4 hardware are receiving the full version, HW3 owners are reportedly being relegated to a “v14 Lite” software package.
Mischa Sigtermans, a 2019 Model 3 owner who started the initiative, says he is done waiting after seven years. “Tesla owes me €6,800,” Sigtermans stated, referring to the cost of the FSD package. “The promise: same hardware, software updates will unlock full autonomy. Just wait. I waited seven years.”
The “Lite” Version Controversy
The core of the grievance lies in the performance gap between hardware generations. Data suggests that while AI4 hardware averages 450 miles between driver disengagements, HW3 struggles with an average of just 120 miles.
Tesla executives have previously acknowledged the technical strain on older hardware. During an earnings call on January 29, 2025, CEO Elon Musk admitted, “the truth is that we will need to replace all HW3 computers in vehicles where FSD was purchased.” Despite this, owners claim no widespread retrofit program has been established to bring these cars up to the necessary standard for the newly approved software.
Broken Promises and Legal Pressure
The group has compiled evidence showing that Tesla’s marketing in 2019 claimed: “Every Tesla is equipped with the hardware needed in the future to make the car fully self-driving under nearly all circumstances.”
Recent technical filings suggest otherwise. The group points to a Tesla patent which acknowledges that workarounds to run FSD on older hardware can render the system inoperable for certain perception units required for autonomous driving.
“We’re gathering owners across Europe with Hardware 3 and a purchased FSD package,” the organizers noted. “The more people sign up, the more weight this carries when we sit down with Tesla. Or stand up in court.”
Two formal notices have already been sent to Tesla, both of which were rejected. The group is now preparing for potential collective legal action or a mass damage settlement under Dutch law as FSD begins its wider rollout across the European Union.
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