Samsung Collaboration With Tesla for SmartThings Energy
Not a Tesla App
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Tesla, Inc. have unveiled a strategic partnership that promises to redefine the landscape of home energy management. Announced just ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show 2024, this alliance focuses on integrating Samsung's SmartThings Energy with Tesla's suite of energy products, including the Powerwall home battery, Solar Inverter, Wall Connector charging solutions, and electric vehicles.
The integration, enabled by Tesla's new APIs, marks Samsung's commitment to creating more convenient and seamless home experiences. According to Chanwoo Park, EVP and Head of the IoT Development Team of the Device Platform Center at Samsung Electronics, "Tesla Energy’s customers can now manage and monitor the power status of their homes through SmartThings Energy and Samsung devices in addition to the Tesla app, ensuring more access and connectivity."
The Significance of Integration
This collaboration is not just a technological feat but a consumer-centric move. Samsung's SmartThings Energy will now be able to display detailed information about energy production, storage, and usage, offering users unprecedented control and insight into their home's energy ecosystem. For instance, in scenarios of extreme weather events, SmartThings Energy will sync with Tesla’s Powerwall “Storm Watch” function. This means users will receive alerts on their connected Samsung TVs and mobile devices, preparing them for power disruptions and outages.
Moreover, the integration extends to Tesla's electric vehicles, with SmartThings Energy capable of monitoring and controlling the charging status of Tesla EV batteries and the power generated by solar panels. Drew Baglino of Tesla highlights the significance of the collaboration, "At Tesla, we are excited to add the capability to our products to interact with other intelligent devices and software in customers’ homes... We are pleased that Samsung has chosen to be an early developer, given their leading position in consumer smart home technology." The two companies have also worked together on making the chips that power Full Self Driving.
Broader Implications for Sustainability
The broader implications of this partnership are far-reaching. Samsung's use of the Tesla API aligns with its ongoing efforts toward the Net Zero Home project, aiming to enhance the multi-device experience of SmartThings users and contribute positively to sustainable energy practices. This collaboration is a step towards a future where smart homes are interconnected and play a pivotal role in energy conservation and sustainability.
The first glimpse of this integration will be showcased at the Samsung booth at CES 2024, with the actual service expected to launch in the second quarter of 2024. While the full extent of the features is still under development, the announcement alone signals a major shift in how consumers will interact with and manage home energy systems in the near future.
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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.
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.
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.
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 10th 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.
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