April 17, 2026
Now entering: Be Patient Mode
Tesla tells HW3 owner to 'be patient' after 7 years of waiting for FSD
7 years, no self‑drive, and a 'be patient'—owners fume as refunds and lawsuits trend
TLDR: A Dutch buyer who paid €6,400 for Tesla’s self‑driving in 2019 was told to “be patient,” as Europe’s approval only covers newer hardware. Comments exploded: some urge refunds and lawsuits, others claim the tech already works elsewhere, and memes crowned it “Full Self‑Delaying,” spotlighting consumer trust and accountability.
Seven years after paying €6,400 for Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving,” a Dutch owner called to ask when his car would finally drive itself. Tesla’s reply? “Be patient.” Then the case was closed—followed by an email to book a test drive. The internet combusted. In Mischa Sigtermans’ posted call, Tesla wouldn’t say when, or even if, older HW3 cars (the older onboard computer) will get FSD in Europe. Meanwhile, the Netherlands just approved FSD “Supervised” on newer AI4 cars only—so HW3 owners get nada.
The community split fast: the loudest chorus says refunds now. One user pushes a legal hack: cancel the original deal and demand your money back, depreciation be damned. Others predict class actions across Europe. A rival camp fires back with road-trip flexes—“my buddy’s Tesla drove from San Francisco to San Diego without touching the wheel”—and a few EU testers claim the supervised version feels “competent,” so why not here? Cue theories about rules, hardware, and region locks.
And the memes? Ruthless. “Full Self-Delaying.” “Be Patient Mode.” One joker dragged in the long‑promised Roadster deposits: if you think this wait is bad… The headline takeaway: after years of promises—and even Elon saying HW3 may need replacement—owners are done waiting and lawyering up while Tesla says, basically, hold please.
Key Points
- •A Dutch HW3 Tesla owner who paid €6,400 for FSD in 2019 was told by Tesla there is no information on if or when FSD will come to HW3 and to “be patient.”
- •RDW granted the first EU type approval for Tesla’s FSD Supervised in the Netherlands, but only for vehicles with the newer AI4 computer.
- •HW3 vehicles currently receive no FSD Supervised build in Europe, despite earlier marketing that FSD would be enabled via software updates.
- •In Aug 2024, Tesla’s AI lead said HW3 runs a smaller model with workarounds versus AI4; in Jan 2025, Elon Musk said HW3 computers would need replacement where FSD was purchased.
- •The owner’s case was closed by Tesla after the call; he reports 3,000 HW3 owners from 29 countries have joined a collective claim totaling €6.5 million in purchases.