44 Bowen Street
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
New Zealand
T 64 4 894 5400
F 64 4 894 6100
www.nzta.govt.nz
12 May 2026
Catherine Hughes
[FYI request #34520 email]
REF: OIA-21921
Dear Catherine
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 19 April 2026 requesting the fol owing information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
1. Communications regarding FSD v14 update: Al correspondence (including emails, meeting
minutes, and briefing notes) between NZTA/Waka Kotahi and Tesla Motors New Zealand (or
their representatives) since October 1, 2025, specifical y mentioning "FSD v14", "Version 14",
or upcoming software architecture changes related to automated driving.
2. Hardware 3 (HW3) & FSD v12 Assessment: Any internal reports, safety evaluations, or
regulatory assessments held by the Vehicle Standards or Regulatory Standards teams
concerning the deployment of FSD v12 (or subsequent sub-versions) on Hardware 3 (HW3)
vehicles in New Zealand. This includes any documentation discussing the hardware’s
capability to meet New Zealand's safety requirements for "supervised" automated systems.
3. Approval and Compliance Documentation: Any documents outlining NZTA’s position or
"approval" status (whether formal or informal) regarding the transition of FSD features from
Hardware 4 (HW4) to Hardware 3 (HW3) suites in the New Zealand fleet.
4. External Advice: Any reports or advice received from the Ministry of Transport or external
technical consultants regarding the safety implications of Tesla's recent FSD software updates
(v12 and v14) on New Zealand roads.
5. Release timeframe for the upcoming V14 update and scheduled rollout for New Zealand
users.
I am refusing your request under section 18(e) of the Official Information Act 1982, as the requested
information does not exist.
To provide context, Ful y Self-Driving (Supervised) (FSD-S) does not require regulatory approval from
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). NZTA has advised Tesla of this position; however, this
advice has not been provided by reference to any specific technology configuration or system
architecture.
As FSD-S does not require regulatory approval, Tesla has not sought approval from NZTA.
Accordingly, NZTA has not assessed, and does not hold information on distinctions between hardware
iterations such as HW3 and HW4 or software versions such as versions 12 or 14. NZTA has not
engaged with Tesla on these matters.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to refuse
this request. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be located at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz. If you would like to discuss this reply with NZTA, please contact Ministerial Services by email to
[NZTA request email]. Yours sincerely
Jackie Smith
Manager, Ministerial Services
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