Tesla Update 2023.12 Contains Many Smaller Enhancements. Are You Aware of Them All?

May 5, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla's 2023.12 update is full of small enhancements

Not a Tesla App

Tesla's 2023.12 software update brings many new features and improvements, but the undocumented changes are some of the most intriguing. These minor, lesser-known updates enhance the user experience and showcase Tesla's commitment to continuous innovation. So far, we have spotted ten undocumented changes in the latest build.

Automatic Emergency Braking

Automatic Emergency Braking has been improved and will now stop for vehicles traveling perpendicularly and supports higher speeds, up to 124 mph (200 km/h). It also has limited support while traveling in reverse.

Reverse Camera

Tesla has updated the reverse camera app slightly, there is now a separate button on the top right corner to show or hide your repeater cameras. Hiding and showing your repeater cameras previously required swiping up or down on the reverse camera feed.

Parked Visualization

The vehicle visualization that appears when parked can now be rotated for different viewing angles. This one doesn't have any real world use, but it's fun to view all the details Tesla has put into the visualization.

Nav Improvements

Each search result will now display the distance from your current location

Not a Tesla App

When you're searching for a destination, each search results will now display the distance from your current location. Tesla has also made the pin look more like a button, to make it clear that it's a separate button. Tapping on the name will route directly to the destination, while tapping the pin will bring up more detail about the destination, including reviews, phone number and photos.

Rename Vehicle in App

You can now rename your vehicle from the app

Twitter/Walgermo

Owners can now rename their vehicles directly through the Tesla app. Simply tap the current name, input the new one, and press "OK."

Speedometer Font

The speedometer is now more visible

KyleCoolky

The font of the speedometer has a little more weight to it, making it more visible at a glance.

Wiper Speed Adjustment

You can finally adjust your windshield wipers without having to go through menus

LexBarker

Drivers can adjust wiper speed without touching the touchscreen at all. On a Model 3 or Y, you'll need to tap the button at the end of the left stalk. This will wipe the windshield once and bring up the wiper controls on screen. You can then tilt the steering wheel's left scroll wheel to cycle through the various wiper speeds.

Air Suspension

Users have more control over air suspension settings, including toggling height and speed adjustments on and off for a given location.

Music Favoriting

A plus sign (+) icon replaces the heart for favoriting songs. Same functionality, but for some reason Tesla felt a plus sign worked better across the various music services.

Tesla Theater Icons

Tesla Theater icons are now square, app-like icons instead of horizontal logos, which happen to match the WeChat apps Tesla released in China. Could this mean something more?

App Drawer

When you open the app drawer by tapping on the ellipsis in the launcher, all available options are now displayed. A Customize button is also included at the top for easy access.

Updated Charging Screen

The charging menu has been revamped

Drill/TFF Forum

The charging menu in Controls > Charging has also been given a facelift. The unneeded vehicle visualization is now gone, which makes the battery slider much larger and easier to use. It's also much more fluid than in previous versions.

New Labels

You've likely already noticed this one, but Tesla has started to add 'New' labels to each new option or function. Tesla will likely continue to add these labels in future updates to make owners more aware of any changes.

Tesla 2023.12 update has been the largest and most exciting since the 2022 Holiday Update. This update includes the ability to answer your phone with the steering wheel, as well as adjust popular functions such as change acceleration mode and modify the HVAC fan speed, all without touching the screen.

It also included the ability to change the size of text on the screen, which has been a feature that has been requested for quite a while now.

With the 2023.12 update, Tesla continues to enhance the driving experience for its users. Explore the full range of features and undocumented changes of this update by checking out our Tesla release notes for 2023.12.

Tesla Is Now Offering Cybertruck Test Drives [List of Locations]

July 26, 2024

By Karan Singh

@brandonhd

Tesla has begun to reach out to customers in the United States and is offering demo drives of the Cybertruck on an invite-only basis. @brandonhd on X shared the first invite image, and it looks like it's going out quite quickly to multiple locations that have Cybertrucks on display.

Up until now, display vehicles have been for just that – looking, but no touching. Some Tesla delivery centers and showrooms have also allowed viewers to take a seat inside and open it up, but most are still locked away behind the velvet rope.

It’s exciting to see that Tesla has begun to demo them – and it can only be so long until demo drives open up to everyone.

Advisor-led Demo

This Demo Drive is led by a Tesla Advisor – while you’re driving, the advisor will be in the passenger seat, walking you through the experience. They’ll explain steer-by-wire, off-road controls, and will introduce new-to-Tesla buyers to all the features that are currently available.

Once FSD V12.5 comes to the Cybertruck, we’re sure they’ll be demoing its capabilities FSD capabilities as well.

Locations

The list of locations so far for demo drives appears to be fairly limited, but we will hopefully see demo drives roll out throughout the United States, and eventually Canada too. Here is the current list of city/state locations that have seen demo drive invites.

Manhasset, New York
West Covina, California
Los Angeles, California
Houston, Texas
Orlando, Florida
Westmont, Illinois
Tucson, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Delaware

Musk Confirms 'Actually Smart Summon' is Coming in a Revision of FSD V12.5

July 26, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Actually Smart Summon, the successor to Tesla’s Smart Summon feature, has been confirmed to be coming as soon as next month as per Elon Musk. Colloquially known as “ASS”, Actually Smart Summon is supposed to improve on the regular Smart Summon capabilities, which have historically used ultrasonic sensors (USS) to navigate parking lots.

We’re looking forward to Actually Smart Summon, and we’re quite excited about what other features will be unlocked once it finally shows up at our doorstep.

Vision-based Improvements

ASS is supposed to bring Smart Summon to vehicles that don’t have USS – using Tesla Vision. Most recently, Tesla has brought Autopark to vehicles without USS, and Vision-based Autopark has been a huge success. It is faster, more reliable, and smoother than the older USS-based solution. It can also park and maneuver in tighter locations.

Just recently, Tesla returned the Model X’s self-presenting doors, using Tesla Vision. Vision has seen some fantastic improvements, and many people are waiting for ASS to bring forth these improvements to Smart Summon.

Smart Summon Today

Today, Smart Summon is sometimes useful at best, usually a party trick, or downright dangerous at worst. It’s excellent and best used in straight lines, where you have a clear line of sight of the vehicle, and can stop it if doesn’t see an obstacle.

I used Smart Summon today, just before writing this article – my 2022 Model Y (with USS) – did manage to show up just fine – in a straight-line location from where I was parked, after exiting the parking spot fairly cleanly. However, I’ve previously used Smart Summon and have had the vehicle turn towards obstacles, such as cart returns or curbs. Overall, it’s a sometimes-useful feature that has a lot of drawbacks right now.

Smart Summon is also restricted to a certain distance – and it's pretty small. The max distance is shorter than most parking lots, being only about 215 ft (65m). If you’re lucky enough to park close, it's very useful to bring your car right to you.

Actually Smart Summon

ASS will bring FSD V12-like capabilities to Smart Summon – the vehicle will primarily use Vision to drive toward you (or the location you’ve indicated). ASS has been supposed to be coming since about September 2022 and has seen many delays – we’re almost at the 2-year point today.

We’re looking forward to Actually Smart Summon being able to bring the vehicle – safely – right to you. ASS is also one of the key steps towards bringing some other cool features that Elon Musk has previously mentioned – Park Seek and Banish Autopark.

We’re also hopeful that Actually Smart Summon will increase the maximum range a vehicle can be summoned, because the current range is fairly small. Alongside Park Seek and Banish Autopark, we’re closing in on a Robotaxi-based future.

Park Seek and Banish Autopark

When the FSD v12.4 showed up, Elon also mentioned that going forward, vehicles would automatically park themselves when arriving in a parking lot – Park Seek – and that if you got out of the car at the entrance to a business, you could get it to automatically park itself in the parking lot – Banish Autopark. These are two features that are needed for Robotaxi to work – which itself is delayed to October 10^th of this year. We’re looking quite forward to them – as in combination with Actually Smart Summon, Tesla has reached the cusp of vehicle autonomy.

A vehicle that arrives, driverless, at the location you’re at, then drives somewhere, parks itself there, and waits for you – is the definition of a Robotaxi.

While we’re likely to have to wait for Banish Autopark and Park Seek just a bit longer, Actually Smart Summon being around the corner is exciting! Gone will be the days of having to run out to your car when you forgot your umbrella – your car will just come right to you instead.