Tesla fetches additional map data when you use the navigation system
@raffaeru/Twitter
A recent series of tweets from Tesla hacker @greentheonly, also known as Green, has shed light on how Tesla's maps are augmented with fleet data between updates. This breakthrough is believed to significantly impact Tesla owners who use Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) by providing more up-to-date and accurate information, leading to improved driving experiences and safer navigation.
Combining Maps and Tesla's Cloud-Based Service
Green's investigation revealed that Tesla combines maps data with its cloud-based maps service to generate alternative route suggestions. This unique approach allows Tesla to provide more tailored guidance for its vehicles, ensuring a smoother and more efficient driving experience.
Real-Time Updates and Enhanced Accuracy
The Tesla maps service offers map corrections, such as the locations of stop signs, crosswalks, and other traffic information, with impressive accuracy. This data is crucial for vehicles using Autopilot and FSD features, as it helps them navigate complex traffic situations more safely. The map also includes information on lane details, directions of travel, and even color-coded speed data.
With the ability to update certain elements in near real-time, including rough road patches, Tesla's maps service significantly improves driving behavior on familiar routes. Green's revelation highlights the importance of setting a route for optimal Autopilot and FSD performance. When a route is set, the system fetches the "information about the route ahead," ensuring the vehicle has the most up-to-date and accurate data to navigate safely and efficiently.
Vehicle Contributions to Map Currency
Tesla vehicles play an essential role in maintaining up-to-date maps. Cars regularly send back detected speed limits and real-time speeds to the Tesla maps service every two minutes. This exchange of information ensures that only relevant map sections are updated, resulting in more accurate data for Tesla drivers.
The insights from Green underscore Tesla's innovative approach to leveraging fleet data and cloud-based mapping services, ensuring a continually updated and accurate driving experience for its users. With a clearer understanding of the significance of setting a route, Tesla owners can now fully harness the capabilities of their vehicles' Autopilot and FSD systems, enjoying safer and more efficient navigation.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
Tesla’s recent focus on expanding and vertically integrating its battery production is beginning to take global steps, starting with a battery recycling and service center in South Australia. In Marion, a suburb of Adelaide, the council recently voted in favor of a proposal that would see contaminated public land developed and leased to Tesla.
The move promises local jobs and environmental remediation but has garnered a lot of public debate focused on Elon’s moves outside his role as CEO.
The proposal involves a site that’s currently unusable for recreation due to chemical contamination. A local developer plans to acquire and remediate the land, constructing a new facility specifically for Tesla. This site would reportedly serve two purposes: recycling old lithium-ion batteries and serving as a Tesla Service Center.
Tesla’s Commitment to Recycling
Tesla recently announced its intention to ramp up its battery recycling and repurposing efforts. During the Q1 2025 Earnings Call, Tesla’s executives highlighted substantial progress. Tesla had recycled enough materials in Q1 2025 to build approximately 21,000 Model Y RWD vehicles, representing a 136% year-over-year increase from Q1 2024.
Dedicated regional hubs like this one would be a logical next step in expanding the recycling loop and furthering Tesla’s vertical integration while also reducing its reliance on new materials. In addition, local sources also mentioned that Tesla could be repurposing older lithium-ion batteries for other purposes, including their inclusion in stationary battery storage systems like Powerwall or Megapack.
Of course, the facility also has major benefits for the local community, including creating around 100 local jobs, as well as injecting approximately $56 million into the local economy. Further, developing the contaminated land as a renewable facility is one of the safest ways to use the land that’s been sealed off from the public for nearly a decade.
Elon’s Image
The proposal isn’t without its critics. Local opposition was voiced during community consultations, with most of the negative sentiment directed towards Elon rather than the facility itself. Despite these complaints, the local council elected to proceed, arguing that tangible economic and environmental benefits far outweigh any perceived geopolitical or symbolic harm that shutting down the project could cause.
With the council’s endorsement on record, the proposal now moves to the South Australian state government for approvals regarding the change in land classification.
Tesla’s software updates often hide some undocumented features alongside the official release notes, and software update 2025.20 is no exception. With this update, Tesla has introduced a welcome quality-of-life improvement for the in-vehicle Dashcam Viewer. Users now have the ability to select and delete multiple clips at once (thanks, Max!). However, this addition is limited to the updated Dashcam Viewer for Ryzen-based vehicles.
While it may seem a small change, if you wanted to clear out your Dashcam clips, you’d have to either delete them one by one in the vehicle or remove your Dashcam USB drive and take it to a computer to erase all the clips at once. For those who frequently see Sentry Mode notifications or often record clips with their Dashcam, this is a useful addition.
This feature is currently limited to vehicles that have received the updated Dashcam viewer - which means vehicles equipped with AMD Ryzen processors (how to tell if you have Intel or AMD). This includes all Model 3 and Model Y vehicles with AMD Ryzen, as well as the 2021+ Model S and Model X vehicles.
Unfortunately, since the Cybertruck does not yet have access to the updated Dashcam viewer or support for the additional two cameras in Sentry Mode, it has not received this feature yet either.
This undocumented feature is a very welcomed addition for many users who carefully manage their Dashcam and Sentry Mode videos.
![Tesla Adds Third-Party Charge Cable Release Shortcut in Update 2025.20 [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2021/ccs-adapter.jpg/596b5f1e1d3797f6d2e2667c8af972f7/ccs-adapter.jpg)
