Tesla spotlights AI4 chip’s failover design

Tesla’s AI team has detailed the AI4 chip’s built-in redundancy, emphasising its role in maintaining uninterrupted performance in the event of potential hardware issues.

Two computers run in parallel

The system uses two computers that process data simultaneously and cross-verify results. If one detects an error, the other takes over instantly, supporting safe operation in dynamic environments. This setup draws from Tesla’s long-standing approach to autonomy hardware, where parallel computing mitigates single-point failures.

AI4 powers vehicles and Optimus robots

Deployed since 2023, the chip handles real-time computations for Full Self-Driving software in vehicles, processing camera feeds to enable navigation and decision-making. It also powers Optimus humanoid robots, providing the same capabilities for tasks requiring precise environmental awareness and rapid response.

Our AI4 chip is built with full fail-over redundancy.

That means two computers run in parallel and keep checking each other, so if one has a problem, the other can take over instantly.

This chip powers both FSD in our vehicles & @Tesla_Optimus pic.twitter.com/r0kG2a0H2R

— Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) February 20, 2026

Context of recent hardware updates

This emphasis on redundancy follows the 2025 recall that affected approximately 239,000 vehicles due to short-circuit issues in the AI4 computer and high failure rates reported by owners.

Tesla has also confirmed that references to a “Hardware 4.5” variant in January 2026 were the result of a labelling error; vehicles continue to receive the standard AI4 hardware. Development is advancing toward AI5, with limited production expected later in 2026.