Tesla has added a mini player to the Model 3 and Model Y
Teslamaniacs
Tesla's holiday update, which is update 2022.44.25.1, is jammed full of goodies, many of which require a second look. There are significant changes for Model 3 and Model Y owners. In addition, some features drivers use to operate daily, have changed location, size, and functionality.
Music Player
This one may take some getting used to. There is now a new mini-player that splits the music area into two sections. A smaller module for media controls is on the bottom left of the screen. This allows the most used buttons to be closer to the driver.
Users can swipe up on the mini media player to reveal sources, including Apple Music, Spotify, Bluetooth etc. Once a source is selected, the details open up on the right-hand side of the screen for users to select songs or playlists.
The mini media player also allows users to scroll to recent and favorites, settings, and a search function can also be found in this small, reconfigured player. The mini-player will automatically collapse after a few seconds if left expanded.
In addition, Tesla has reintroduced cards that can be found by swiping on the media player in the lower left corner. Cards allow you to view your odometer, trip meter and tire pressure. You can see the new UI cards in action which we took an in-depth look at earlier this week.
Media Player in the Center
Unfortunately, the media player can not be placed back in its previous location. At least, not most of the time. If you're confused, you're not the only one. Here's a breakdown of what's possible. If the music panel is expanded to reveal your song selection, the media controls can be placed on top of that panel, but only when the mini player is hidden.
If the mini player is visible, then the song selection panel on the right will only display your songs/playlists, which does create some additional vertical room to display songs and or album art. However, there is no way to have just the media controls on the right side in a minimal sort of fashion as you could before.
Your choices for media controls are now one of three on the Model 3 and Model Y. You can have the mini player on the left side, which is essentially the new default. You can have the media controls on the right side, but only when the music selection panel is fully expanded (covering the map) and the mini player is hidden, or you can have the media controls hidden completely. If your music controls are hidden, a gray music icon appears in your launcher to bring them back up again.
This can all be a little confusing, and it'd be nice to see Tesla introduce a simple toggle to have the media controls on the left or right.
If you're viewing your tire pressure or odometer in the new UI cards, the media player will also jump back to the center area.
Navigation UI
Tesla has improved the layout of the navigation information
Teslamaniacs
Tesla has redesigned the navigation user interface (UI) layout, which improves the placement of directions, such as the next turn and other available options. Tesla has split the nav UI into two pieces. At the top of the screen will be critical information about the route, including next-turn directions.
The rest of the information, previously found at the top of the screen, is moved to the bottom. These details include travel time, destination details, and options to alter or cancel your navigation.
Both of these modules can be expanded to show more information. For example, swiping down on the top module will reveal additional turns along your route, while swiping up on the bottom module, or tapping the three dots will bring up additional route options such as adding a stop or editing your navigation preferences.
Your current location/town has also been shifted slightly. It used to be placed at the bottom center of the screen, but it's now been shifted slightly and is at the far corner of the display.
Fan Controls
You can now tap to change the fan speed and remain in Auto
Teslamaniacs
When your climate system is set to Auto, Tesla now uses a 'LO', 'MED', and 'HI' fan speed, instead of the previous 1-10 scale. The slider is now gone and replaced with buttons to decrease or increase the fan speed.
Tesla will no longer automatically turn off the Auto climate when you adjust the fan intensity. Even when the fan speed is modified, the HVAC system will remain in Auto.
Manual Mode
You can still use fan speeds 1-10 in manual mode
Walgermo/Twitter
If you turn off Auto on your climate system, you'll still have granular access to the fan speed controls with the old 1-10 scale. You now also have the option to tap or use a slider to adjust the fan speed. A new slider will appear above the climate section, or you can tap the arrows to adjust the fan speed just like you do in Auto.
HomeLink
Tesla has made improvements to the HomeLink UI
Walgermo/Twitter
Tesla has made improvements to HomeLink as well. When near your home location, the HomeLink icon will now display in the status bar at the top of the screen with an 'Activate' or 'Cancel' button.
The HomeLink dropdown will automatically disappear if you shift into reverse, but the option to activate your garage door will remain.
Furthermore, if you have auto-open or auto-close enabled, the status bar will now display the number of feet or meters before the garage door is opened or closed.
Video of UI Updates
There are many more additions and changes in the latest update, but these will impact the user the most. Tesla owners usually love to drive and are accustomed to seeing information displayed the same way in the exact location on the screen. So be sure to give yourself a little extra time to familiarize yourself with the new layout.
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Tesla’s Dan W Priestley attended the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California, and provided an update on Tesla’s Semi truck program. The presentation covered several key developments on the status of Tesla’s Nevada Semi Factory, refinements to the Semi, and Tesla’s plans for charging and ramping production through 2026.
Let’s dig in and take a look at everything that was captured by the Out of Spec team at ACT Expo. The original video is embedded below if you’d like to watch it.
Semi Factory & Production Ramp
Priestley reaffirmed the timelines mentioned during Tesla’s Q4 2024 Earnings Call that Tesla will scale Semi production in 2026. To achieve this, Tesla has been actively building and expanding the Gigafactory Nevada site, specifically to support the production of the Tesla Semi. The dedicated Semi facility will have a targeted annual capacity of 50,000 Semi trucks.
Following the beginning of production, Tesla will utilize the initial trucks to integrate into its own logistics operations. This will serve as both a final real-world testing ground as well as an opportunity for Tesla to gather data internally. Tesla plans to begin subsequent customer deliveries throughout 2026 as the ramp-up continues.
Reuters also reported that Tesla is hiring over 1,000 new employees at the Semi Factory to begin the rapid ramping of the program.
Semi has already amassed 7.9 million miles with Tesla’s current testing and operational fleets, providing some real-world data and testing. Feedback for the truck has been exceptionally successful, with many drivers praising the Semi’s performance and comfort.
New Tesla Semi Features
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Tesla keynote without showing off some new things. The Semi will be available in 500-mile and 300-mile range configurations, now featuring updated mirror designs and a drop-down glass section to improve visibility and allow easier interaction with external elements—such as control panels at ports, for example.
New Electric Power Take-Off (e-PTO)
The Tesla Semi will also feature a new capability called Electric Power Take-Off, or e-PTO system. Similar to the PTO systems found on other vehicles, this will allow the Semi’s high-voltage battery to power auxiliary equipment at variable voltages. That includes being able to power things like climate-controlled reefer trailers, potentially replacing the noisy and polluting diesel generators traditionally used for this purpose.
Charging and Batteries
Out of Spec BITS/YouTube
Tesla is also working on an updated battery pack design for the final production design of the Semi. This new pack is designed to be more cost-effective to manufacture. The battery pack itself is slightly smaller than before, but the truck maintains the same level of range through efficiencies. Dan also confirmed during his keynote that the battery cells for the Semi will be sourced domestically inside the United States, helping to alleviate potential burdens due to tariffs.
On the charging front, Tesla is using MCS - the Megawatt Charging System - capable of 1.2MW - and designed specifically for Semi. The system uses the same V4 charging hardware found at Supercharger sites but focuses on that larger power output. Alongside a smaller physical footprint, Tesla will be able to configure these V4 cabinets for either dedicated Semi charging or for shared power scenarios with regular Superchargers. Tesla is also working on an integrated overnight charging product, but Tesla isn’t ready to talk about it yet.
46 Semi Charger Sites Coming
The 46 new MCS sites coming soon.
Out of Spec BITS/YouTube
Finally, Tesla has made substantial investments in a public charging network for the Semi. There are currently 46 sites in progress throughout the United States, and plans for significant expansion throughout 2026 and 2027. These sites are strategically located alongside major truck routes and within industrial areas to support long-haul and regional operations. Tesla is aiming to offer the lowest possible energy costs to operators to help incentivize adoption.
This was one of the best updates to the Tesla Semi we’ve received since its initial unveiling. It seems that the Semi will receive a big portion of Tesla’s attention in 2026, while Robotaxi and FSD Unsupervised take the stage this year.
The Tesla Semi has the potential to transform transportation even more dramatically than EVs already have, serving as a testament to Tesla’s mission to electrify the world.
Sentry Mode is an invaluable tool for owners - capable of keeping the vehicle safe and secure even when you’re not around. This is especially true in recent times, with the misguided and unfortunate incidents surrounding Tesla ownership, including damage to Tesla vehicles, showrooms, and Superchargers.
B-pillar Camera Recording and Dashcam Viewer
With the 2025 Spring Update on 2025.14, Tesla is expanding Sentry Mode’s functionality for certain vehicles with some much-needed changes. Sentry Mode and Dashcam can now record footage from the vehicle’s B-pillar cameras. These cameras are located on the side pillars of the vehicle, between the front and rear doors.
This adds two crucially needed viewpoints, making Tesla’s Sentry Mode a truly 360-degree security system. These cameras also provide the best angles for capturing license plates when parked, so they will be greatly appreciated by owners in the event of an incident.
These vehicles are also receiving an improved Dashcam Viewer, which now displays the six camera feeds along the bottom and a new grid view. It also allows users to jump back or forward in the video in 15-second increments.
However, to the disappointment of many owners, not all vehicles are receiving these updates due to the additional processing power needed.
Limited to Hardware 4 Vehicles, Ryzen Isn’t Enough
We have confirmed that Tesla is only adding the additional camera recording and improved Dashcam Viewer on hardware 4 (HW4 / AI4) vehicles. The newer hardware presumably has the additional processing power and bandwidth needed to handle recording and saving the two additional video streams during Sentry Mode and Dashcam.
For the time being, owners of HW3 vehicles are not receiving this feature. This includes all vehicles with HW3, even those with AMD Ryzen infotainment systems. If you’re not sure whether your vehicle has HW3 or HW4, you can refer to our FSD hardware guide.
While there’s no doubt that recording two additional camera streams would be more computationally intensive, we hope that Tesla adds the improved Dashcam Viewer to HW3 vehicles in a future update.
Cybertruck Also Missing Improved Sentry Mode
Surprisingly, and most confusing for many - is the fact that the Cybertruck is also not receiving the improved Dashcam Viewer and B-pillar camera recording with this update. This struck us as odd, especially since the Cybertruck is currently the only vehicle with the improved, more efficient version of Sentry Mode.
Every Cybertruck is equipped with HW4 and AMD Ryzen infotainment units, so this clearly isn’t a hardware restriction. It’s possible the more efficient Sentry Mode is playing a role here due to the infrastructure changes. However, we expect Tesla to address this in a future update and eventually release these features for the Cybertruck as well.
Given the Cybertruck’s high visibility and its status as a frequent target for both positive and negative attention, many owners hoped that the Cybertruck would be one of the vehicles to receive this feature.
Adaptive Headlights
Tesla finally started rolling out its adaptive headlights in North America. While the new Model Y already came with the feature when it was released last month, other vehicles with matrix headlights are now receiving the feature in the Spring Update.
All vehicles with matrix headlights are receiving this feature, which includes the new and old Model 3, first-gen Model Y, and the new Model S and Model X.
If you’re not sure if your vehicle includes matrix headlights, check out our guide. What’s interesting here is that older vehicles that were retrofitted with matrix headlights due to an accident or user replacement are also receiving the adaptive headlights feature.
Legacy Model S & Model X
As with most updates, the older legacy Model S and Model X are not receiving all the features included in this update. Unfortunately, some of the features, which include the Blind Spot Camera on the instrument cluster, Save Trunk Height Based on Location and Keep Accessory Power On are limited to the new Model S and X.
Legacy S and X models will receive the Alternative Trip Plans feature, Avoid Highways (Requires Intel MCU) and the Keyboard Languages feature.
These vehicles are also receiving all the features in the Minor Updates section except for the visualization showing how far the door is opened, which is exclusive to the Cybertruck. These additions include improved music search results, contact photos in the phone app, automatic connecting to hotspots, the ability to show third-party chargers, view Supercharger amenities, and various improvements to music services.
While many users will be disappointed not to receive the B-pillar camera recording and Dashcam Viewer improvements, it’s important to remember that Tesla typically does a great job at bringing features to older vehicles, at least with the Model 3 and Model Y. If a feature isn’t added, it’s usually due to a hardware limitation.
![Tesla Semi Keynote: New Features, 46 Charging Sites, Upgraded Battery & More [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/semi/semi-new-features.jpg/c7df4e0d32f8cb0beee080ad201e943b/semi-new-features.jpg)
