Optimus Gen 2 shows off its new finger tip sensors
Not a Tesla App
Tesla provided a one-minute, 43-second video update on its new humanoid robot. Optimus Gen 2 has come a long way since we originally saw a person dressed up in a white and black spandex costume, and even further since the last update in March.
Enhanced Design and Functionality
The Optimus Gen 2 robot represents a significant evolution from its predecessor. It's 10 kilograms lighter and moves 30% faster. There are moments during the short video where you have to ensure the company hasn’t returned to the spandex-wearing stand-in; it is that good.
A key highlight of Tesla's Optimus Gen 2 is its human-like movement. The robot features new hands and feet equipped with advanced, Tesla-designed sensors and actuators, allowing precise and delicate object manipulation. This upgrade in tactile capability paves the way for the robot's practical application in various tasks.
In a remarkable display, Optimus delicately picks up an egg with those new hands. The video displays the sensors in the fingertips matching where the egg is situated and the force the fingers are using.
Moving beyond functionality, the Optimus Gen 2 also showcases Tesla's flair for design. It had a few body panel upgrades that could be taken straight from a stormtrooper.
In the video, Tesla describes the enhancements that have been made in this second generation of the robot, which include:
There’s no doubt Tesla will use Optimus in its assembly lines, and it’s only a matter of time before Tesla utilizes Optimus to build its own Optimus robots. Although this screams science fiction, it makes sense from an efficiency perspective and the safety of robots and AI are a subject Tesla is taking seriously.
Software and Practical Application: The Real Challenge
Despite its impressive hardware, the real challenge for Tesla lies in the software and practical applications of Optimus Gen 2. The goal is to develop a robot that can reliably and flexibly perform real-world tasks, a challenge that resonates across the field of humanoid robotics.
Tesla's swift progress from announcing its venture into humanoid robotics to unveiling the Optimus Gen 2 is remarkable. This rapid development underscores Tesla's capacity for swift innovation and execution, qualities that have defined the company under Elon Musk's leadership. The Optimus Gen 2 represents a significant contribution to the rapidly evolving field of robotics.
However, Tesla is a leader in artificial intelligence due to its Full Self-driving program, which has changed into neural nets. Version 12 of FSD, now being tested by employees, replaces 300,000 lines of code and allows the system to maneuver the car using its vast neural network. If Tesla can make that work on the road, with hundreds of different variables, it can apply it to robotics where it’ll be used in repetitive situations with fewer variables.
As Tesla continues to refine Optimus, the implications for the company and the broader robotics industry are profound. Musk's vision of Optimus surpassing the value of Tesla's automotive business highlights the anticipated impact of humanoid robots in various sectors. Plus, the robot now dances like Elon, you have to watch until the end of the video to see that display.
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When viewing details for a Point of Interest (POI) on the map, you can now tap on “Nearby Parking’ to get directions to nearby parking lots or garages. This should make it easier to find parking for big events or busy areas.
Lower Volume in Reverse
@g3st4l1
Tesla has added a new option under Controls > Safety that lets the vehicle automatically lower the volume of any audio being played when the vehicle goes into reverse. The option is right next to Joe Mode, which lowers the volume of all sounds like turn signals and Autopilot beeps.
Set Arrival Energy
@g3st4l1
You can now choose the amount of energy you’d like to arrive with at your destination. Tesla will then take this into account when determining charging stops and charging times.
The Set Arrival Energy is a new option under trip details which you can get to by swiping up (or pressing the …) in the navigation module that shows your destination and ETA.
Adjust Passenger Seat On Screen
@g3st4l1
Tesla has added a new Seats option to its settings. It appears that it has several purposes, not only letting you turn on/off seat heaters, but also letting you move the passenger seat forward and backward. This could be especially useful if you have a baby seat behind the passenger seat and sometimes need the extra room.
Unfortunately, there are no presets or memory, so you’ll need to adjust the seat each time. It does not allow you to adjust other seat functions, such as the seat back or lumbar support.
For the Model X, it also lets you move the middle seats backward or forward.
Vehicle Maintenance Summary
@tslaway
Owners can now view their vehicle's maintenance history. This builds upon the Maintenance History feature Tesla added recently, which lets you add digital vehicle records when maintenance is performed. It includes a wide variety of items, from adding windshield washer fluid to replacing the vehicle’s battery or motor.
However, with the Holiday Update, Tesla is adding an easy-to-view “consumer” version of vehicle history that lets owners view maintenance records without having to go into Service Mode. The Vehicle Maintenance Summary is under Controls > Service > Maintenance and provides a read-only view for vehicle owners. You’ll have to go into Service Mode to add any maintenance records, which are permanent and can not be erased, even after a factory reset.
@tslaway
When viewing the owner version of Maintenance Summary, owners can quickly view when tires were last rotated, when the cabin filter was replaced and more.
Autopilot Lane Changes
Not a Tesla App
In Europe, Tesla has added a new indicator light that shows which automatic lane changes are available. Whenever Autopilot is enabled, the vehicle will now display a light indicating which lanes are available for Automatic Lane Changes. The icon will start off gray, then turn green and show an arrow to the left, right, or both sides.
If you want to see other Holiday Update features in action, be sure to check out part 1 of this series, where we take a look at all the features of Tesla’s Holiday Update. You can also read the release notes for the Holiday update, version 2024.44.25.2
If you’ve noticed any additional changes in this update, definitely let us know. Thanks to Zer and teslaway for the photos of the new features.
While Tesla showed off a fantastic list of upcoming features for the 2024 Holiday Update, several things were left out. Now that the update has started rolling out in small numbers to the public, it’s our chance to find out about some of these smaller features and view others in action for the first time.
The Energy app has been updated for all models. For the first time, the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck receive the Consumption tab, which shows real-time energy usage and how the car performed over a certain period. Previously, only the Drive and Park tabs were available.
The consumption tab was already available on the Model 3 and Model Y, but it’s receiving some changes. The Y-axis (energy used/gained) now appears to adjust based on the data; however, the X-axis (distance) is now fixed at 200 miles or 300 km, and the user can no longer change it. Previously, you could switch the graph between a 5-, 10-, and 15-mile history, but now it appears to be static at 200 miles.
The Energy app also included buttons to view your average range over the selected distance or your real-time range. However, those buttons have been removed, and you can now only view your average range at the top of the app and see how it compares to the rated (EPA) range. You can also view your projected range (the distance you can travel at this rate), which shows up in the middle of the graph.
In addition to those metrics, the app also shows you the total amount of energy used in the bottom left corner, which is a nice addition.
The addition of the consumption tab to the Model S, X, and Cybertruck is great, but some users may not be fans of the simplified look and controls. Not being able to select the distance or see the instant energy usage is a little bit of a disappointment. We would’ve loved to see the ability to pinch in and out of the graph so that you can adjust the time period to practically anything you wanted, up to a maximum of the last 200 miles, but overall these are nice improvements.
Unfortunately, this does not bring the Energy app to legacy Model S and Model X vehicles.
Weather At Destination
As part of the Holiday Update, Tesla is including a new feature to show the weather at your arrival destination. Tesla added the ability to view live weather and weather forecasts in the 2024.26 update, and now they’re extending it so that you can also view the weather at your destination.
The UI is intuitive, and tabs are simply added so that you can switch between the weather at your current location and your destination.
Tesla will also highlight any significant weather differences between your current location and final destination.
This feature is available for the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, and new Model S and Model X. It also includes Intel-based vehicles (MCU 2), but like the original weather feature, it requires Premium Connectivity.
Another big part of the Holiday Update is precipitation maps appearing as overlays on your vehicle map. When you tap the new precipitation icon on the right next to the satellite imagery button, a precipitation map overlay will appear, giving you insight into areas with incoming rain or snow. There is also an animated 3-hour forecast that shows weather patterns.
This particular portion of the Weather update requires an AMD (MCU 3) vehicle. Unfortunately, since Tesla is paying for this weather data, it’s only available if you have Premium Connectivity and using a hotspot or being on WiFi is not enough to enable the feature.
It’s available on all vehicles except the legacy Model S and Model X.
Boomerang Fu
@g3st4l1
The new Boomerang Fu game will let you slice and dice your friends in a frantic physics party game. The game is available in Arcade > Boomerang Fu, and must be downloaded before being played. If you have Premium Connectivity, you’ll be able to download it on the go.
This new game requires an AMD Ryzen-based (MCU 3) vehicle and it’s available on the new Model S, new Model X, Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck.
Light Show Improvements
Tesla has really hit it out of the park with Light Show Improvements in the 2024 Holiday Update. The biggest change is the ability to start Light Shows directly from your mobile app (V4.39.5+), but there’s more. Tesla has added two new built-in Light Shows based on Cyber Symphony by Lionel Yu and Ready for Assault by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
Tesla is already adding the ability to control interior lighting for Light Shows by adding special color effects, which is sure to make Light Shows even more spectacular. Tesla has also extended the maximum allowed length of a Light Show with this update.
You can check out the music for Ready for Assault below.
Theater Updates
Theatre mode can now be interacted with via the rear screen on vehicles that have them, including the ability to edit playlists or play and pause videos.
But here’s the most surprising feature in the update. You’ll also be able to start a video in the web browser before you start driving and it’ll continue to play when you shift into drive only. The video will be disabled, but the audio will continue to play. So you’ll now be able to listen to YouTube-only podcasts.
Tesla is also giving us the ability to control the video with the media player, so you’ll be able to pause or start the content while driving.
Dashcam Viewer & Sentry Mode Improvements
@g3st4l1
The Holiday update is packed with features, but one of the most useful will be the ability to view your dashcam and Sentry Mode videos directly from your phone.
You’ll be able to access all of the content on your USB drive from your phone. The vehicle will stream the video from your USB drive, so the vehicle will need an active WiFi or cellular connection in order for the feature to work.
You’ll be able to change cameras, jump to Sentry Mode alerts, and even save clips onto your phone, making it much easier to save that important data.
Sentry Mode Improvements
Sentry Mode also received a batch of improvements. Tesla already sends mobile notifications for critical events - like an alarm going off. Now, Tesla will notify you if Sentry Mode is active and a door handle is pulled on a Model 3 or Model Y. In addition, if someone attempts to open the trunk by pressing the button - or open the Cybertruck’s vault - you’ll get a notification for that too.
The update is currently only going out to vehicles that don’t have access to FSD. However, we expect it to soon be available to users on FSD 12.5.4 and later available to those on FSD 12.5.6 and FSD v13.2.
If you’ve noticed any undocumented features in this update, definitely let us know through the Contact Us link at the bottom of this page.
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