Apple Maps will offer real-time EV charger availability
Not a Tesla App
With iOS 17's upcoming release, Apple continues its forward-thinking approach to improving the user experience for electric vehicle owners. The upcoming update to Apple Maps offers real-time charging availability information, an inclusion that promises to streamline the charging process and heighten convenience for Tesla and other EV drivers.
Apple Maps: Integrating Real-Time EV Charging Details in iOS 17
In 2020, Apple first ventured into offering support for EV routing via Apple Maps. Initially launched for Ford Mustang Mach-E and Porsche Taycan drivers, Apple has now evolved the feature to incorporate real-time charging information in iOS 17. The updated interface will display the total number of stalls at a specific charging station and will also indicate how many of these are currently in use.
Real-Time Charging Information
Given the burgeoning popularity of electric vehicles, charging stations will likely see increasing demand. The real-time charging information offered by Apple Maps in iOS 17 aims to optimize the user experience by providing up-to-the-minute data on charging station availability, thereby minimizing potential wait times. This function is bound to be a boon for Tesla drivers, who can better plan their charging stops, knowing the availability status ahead of time.
Apple Maps goes beyond merely presenting users with real-time charging availability. It further enables drivers to set up their preferred charging networks, including Tesla's Supercharger network, Electrify America, Chargepoint, and more. Once a driver selects their preferred networks, Apple Maps tailors the information presented to align with this preference. Such personalization paves the way for an even more seamless charging experience for EV drivers.
Apple Maps and iOS 17: Embracing the Future of Sustainable Travel
While currently only available to cars supporting Apple Maps EV routing, the expanded functionality holds promise for broadening its reach in the future. Considering the rising trend of electric vehicles, features like real-time charging availability and preferred charging networks are set to transform the user experience of EV drivers substantially.
The updates provided by Apple in iOS 17 indicate the tech giant's commitment to promoting and adapting to the future of sustainable travel. Given the rate of EV adoption and the growing demand for smart, seamless solutions, Apple Maps' enhanced features, including real-time charging details, align with the evolving needs of modern EV drivers, especially Tesla owners.
The recent updates by Apple are indeed game-changers. By offering Tesla and other EV owners real-time charging information, preferred charging network selection, and intelligent routing, Apple Maps on iOS 17 is ushering in a new era of convenient and efficient EV travel.
Unfortunately, Tesla owners will likely not see support for Apple's EV routing feature, but they'll still be able to benefit from the real-time availability information of EV chargers.
Apple's iOS 17 was released to developers at their WWDC conference earlier this month and is expected to be released this fall.
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Tesla has always embraced whimsy in its software, packing it with playful Easter eggs and surprises. From transforming the on-screen car into James Bond’s submarine to the ever-entertaining Emissions Testing Mode and the fan-favorite Rainbow Road, these hidden features have become a signature part of Tesla’s software.
Of course, launching a new product like Robotaxi wouldn’t be complete without a fun little easter egg of its own. The end-of-ride screen in the Robotaxi app presents a familiar option “Leave a tip.”
For anyone pleased with their Robotaxi ride, they may be tempted to leave a tip. However, tapping the button presents our favorite hedgehog instead of a payment screen.
The app displays a message, alongside the familiar Tesla hedgehog, that simply states “Just kidding.”
While it's a fun prank, it’s also a nod to what Tesla really wants to do. They want to reinforce the economic advantage of an autonomous Robotaxi Network. Without a driver, there is simply no need to tip. The gesture is playful, but it’s a reminder of what Tesla’s real aim is here.
Over the last few days, we’ve seen some exceptionally smooth performance from the latest version of FSD on Tesla’s Robotaxi Network pilot. However, the entire purpose of an early access program with Safety Monitors is to identify and learn from edge cases.
This week, the public saw the first recorded instance of a Safety Monitor intervention, providing a first look at how they’re expected to stop the vehicle.
The event involved a complex, low-speed interaction with a reversing UPS truck. The Safety Monitor intervened to stop the Robotaxi immediately, potentially avoiding a collision with the delivery truck. Let’s break down this textbook case of real-world unpredictability.
The Intervention [VIDEO]
In a video from a ride in Austin, a Robotaxi is preparing to pull over to its destination on the right side of the road, with its turn signal active. Ahead, a UPS truck comes to a stop. As the Model Y begins turning into the spot, the UPS truck, seemingly without signaling, starts to reverse. At this point, the Safety Monitor stepped in and pressed the In Lane Stop button on the main display, bringing the Robotaxi to an immediate halt.
This is precisely why Tesla has employed Safety Monitors in this initial pilot. They are there to proactively manage ambiguous situations where the intentions of other drivers are unclear. The system worked as designed, but it raises a key question: What would FSD have done on its own? It’s not clear whether the vehicle saw the truck backing up, or what it would do when it finally detected it. It’s also unclear whether the UPS driver recognized that the Robotaxi was pulling into the same spot at the exact same time.
It’s possible this wouldn’t result in a collision at all, but the Safety Monitor did the right thing by stepping in to prevent a potential collision, even one at low speed. Any collision just a few days after the Robotaxi Network launch could result in complications for Tesla.
Who Would Be At Fault?
This scenario is a classic edge case. It involves unclear right-of-way and unpredictable human behavior. Even for human drivers, the right-of-way here is complicated. While a reversing vehicle often bears responsibility, a forward-moving vehicle must also take precautions to avoid a collision. This legal and practical gray area is what makes these scenarios so challenging for AI to navigate.
Would the Robotaxi have continued, assuming the reversing truck would stop?
Or would it have identified the potential conflict and used its own ability to stop and reverse?
Without the intervention, it’s impossible to say for sure. However, crucial context comes from a different clip involving, surprisingly, another UPS delivery truck.
A Tale of Two Trucks
In a separate video posted on X, another Robotaxi encounters a remarkably similar situation. In that instance, as another UPS delivery truck obstructs the path forward, the Robotaxi comes to a stop to let its two passengers out just a few feet from their destination.
Once they depart, the Robotaxi successfully reverses and performs a three-point turn to extricate itself from a tight spot. That was all done without human intervention, by correctly identifying the situation.
This second clip is vital because it proves that the Robotaxi's FSD build has the underlying logic and capability to handle these scenarios. It can, and does, use reverse to safely navigate complex situations.
Far from being a failure, this first intervention should be seen as a success for Tesla’s safety methodology. It shows the safety system is working, allowing monitors to mitigate ambiguous events proactively.
More importantly, this incident provides Tesla’s FSD team with an invaluable real-world data point.
By comparing the intervened ride with the successful autonomous one, Tesla’s engineers can fine-tune FSD’s decision-making, which will likely have a positive impact on its edge case handling in the near future.
This is the purpose of a public pilot — to find the final edge cases and build a more robust system, one unpredictable reversing truck at a time.
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