Tesla has added a new menu to its app that organizes various settings
Not a Tesla App
Today, Tesla has updated its app to introduce a new menu that reorganizes vehicle, home energy, and account settings in a more logical and more discoverable manner.
App Update
Tesla updated its app to version 4.30 back on February 15th for iOS and followed suit with an Android update shortly thereafter. The app update included some significant changes such as a new Home Energy demo, Wall Connector charging charts, and a better view of your last Supercharger session.
However, the addition of the new menu arrived today thanks to under-the-hood changes Tesla had already made.
Chat Assistant
Tesla has added a presumably AI-based chat assistant to help out with common customer queries. The assistant button can be found in the support section of the app, which is now accessed by tapping on the new menu at the top right corner of the app. Once the menu is open, tap the question mark icon to open the support section. At the bottom of the screen, you should see a chat bubble that will bring up the chat assistant.
Tesla added a chat assistant to its app
Not a Tesla App
The assistant starts by asking you which product you need help with. Afterward, you can ask it any question. Right now the assistant appears to bring up mostly relevant parts of the owner’s manual or Tesla’s support pages, without necessarily answering the question directly. For example, asking it a specific question such as ‘Until what state of charge will Sentry Mode remain activated?’ will bring up a section about Sentry Mode, and not immediately reveal that Sentry Mode will automatically turn off when the vehicle reaches 20% state of charge.
It’s not immediately clear whether Tesla is using AI for this feature, but providing an assistant is a great idea and one that will likely ease the burden on Tesla service. Hopefully, Tesla will continue to build upon the feature so that it becomes more useful and can answer customer questions directly.
New Menu
The changes in the latest Tesla app don't require an app update
Not a Tesla App
The main change in the app is the new menu which replaces the user's profile picture.
Since this area was already used to change Tesla account and app settings and Tesla product preferences, the menu icon is more intuitive than an avatar.
However, after tapping into the menu, the user is greeted with a completely reorganized section. Instead of featuring horizontally scrolling tiles for different products and features, which was getting fairly long, Tesla has consolidated the features and now presents them vertically.
In the new profile section, Tesla has grouped lumped in account information and app settings. This includes personal information, order history as well as app settings, including calendar sync and app notifications.
Charging is now a top-level feature instead of being buried in the Account section. This section highlights your most recent Supercharger charging session which was redesigned during the 4.30 app update. It also lets you manage your payment method and view your Supercharger history.
My Products is the new way to add or remove Tesla products from your account. It now nicely displays all of your existing Tesla products and lets you dig into each one. By diving into each product, you're able to give access to another user, remove the product from your Tesla account if applicable, rename the product, or jump into the product view.
Vehicle and Home Screens
If you have a Tesla vehicle and a Home product, such as Solar or a Wall Connector, the way to switch between products is to swipe to the side. However, this wasn't very intuitive and Tesla has now added a dropdown next to the Home or Vehicle name that brings up a quick menu that lets you jump to other products.
If you already have app version 4.30, there's no need to update your app, just open the existing app and you should see the new menu in the top right. However, if you're still on Tesla app 4.29.5 or earlier, head over to the app store and upgrade to the latest Tesla app to see these new features.
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According to a new report from Business Insider, Tesla is planning a week-long production pause for the Cybertruck and Model Y lines at Giga Texas. On the surface, the reason seems pretty straightforward: maintenance and line upgrades.
But Tesla has been infamous for never shutting down lines unless it's an absolute production necessity. Given that this is the third production pause in the last 12 months, this suggests that Tesla is planning something other than routine maintenance.
Official Story
The facts, as reported by BI, are fairly straightforward. Tesla will be shutting down the Model Y and Cybertruck lines from June 30th to July 4th. In a staff meeting at Giga Texas, Tesla stated that the pause would enable maintenance and upgrades to help ramp up production.
While this could seem odd for the recently updated Model Y and Cybertruck lines, it also makes sense as Tesla continuously makes production improvements, rather than waiting for model year updates.
There definitely feels like there’s more to this story than a simple pause, but the timing and context suggest this pause is far more significant.
The Affordable Model
The key to this shutdown is Tesla’s strategy for its more affordable model. Tesla has pivoted away from building Giga Mexico, and is instead planning to build both the Cybercab with its unboxed assembly process, as well as the next-gen affordable vehicle at Giga Texas.
For now, Tesla plans to build the affordable model based on existing production lines within Giga Texas, rather than build a standalone line. This is mostly because Tesla intends for the affordable model to have a high part familiarity with the Model 3 and Model Y.
The Model Y line, in particular, is the prime candidate for this retooling. It is Tesla's most refined high-volume production line, and the tooling and equipment on the line are perfectly suited to enable Tesla’s quick transition to producing the new model.
A week-long shutdown is not enough time for a complete overhaul, but it is the perfect window to begin preparatory work. This could include installing new mounting points for future robotics, rerouting utilities, or even running initial trials for new assembly processes in a portion of the line.
Timing is Everything
This theory makes even more sense in the context of recent events. The cheaper model was initially planned for the first half of 2025, but following reported delays, the timing seems right for Tesla to start incorporating changes to support the new vehicle. While Tesla initially planned for a cheaper model to be based on the Cybercab with its unboxed assembly, they decided to produce one based on the current assembly line to get to market sooner. This isn’t the cheaper, “$25k” vehicle we were all hoping for, but instead a more affordable version of the Model 3 or Model Y.
While the Cybertruck line is likely undergoing standard ramp-up tweaks, the shutdown of the Model Y line likely presents something more. While it could also include maintenance and incorporate updated tools, it may include changes required for the newer model.
More Than Maintenance
While the official reason reported by Business Insider seems fairly plausible, there’s always more under the surface when it comes to major decisions like this with Tesla. Using the planned maintenance window to quietly begin the process of retooling is the kind of move we expect from Tesla.
Just days before Tesla’s planned launch of the Robotaxi network in Austin, a group of local lawmakers has sent a letter to Tesla, urging them to delay the launch. Citing a new state law set to take effect on September 1st, the letter asks Tesla to pause its launch until it can formally comply with the new framework.
On the surface, this could sound like a significant roadblock. However, upon closer examination of the lawmaker’s concerns, the requirements of the new law, and the upcoming unified federal autonomy regulations, the request may be more political theater than a genuine obstacle.
In fact, Tesla’s Robotaxi service appears to already meet the spirit—and likely the letter—of the upcoming regulatory framework.
The Letter and the Law
The letter, penned by State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, formally requests that Tesla postpone its planned Robotaxi launch this month until the new and more comprehensive autonomous vehicle law is in effect on September 1st. It's important to note that this isn’t a legal injunction; it doesn’t have any power, and Tesla is under no obligation to comply or even reply. The letter is a formal request, a piece of political pressure intended to encourage proactive compliance.
So, what does this new law demand? It has five key requirements for autonomous vehicle operation in Texas.
Barely A Speed Bump
A detailed look reveals that Tesla's existing technology and practices likely already meet every single requirement of the upcoming regulations, so let’s dive in.
1) Capable of operating in compliance with state traffic laws.
This is the fundamental purpose of FSD - complying with traffic laws to get a passenger from Point A to Point B. The system is designed to adhere to traffic laws, and in fact, sometimes sticks to them too closely (like the NHTSA stop).
2) Equipped with a recording device.
This is probably the easiest requirement when you look at a Tesla. Every vehicle is a rolling 360-degree security suite, equipped with multiple cameras and internal sensors that document every action taken by the vehicle.
3) Compliant with federal law, including federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Tesla is currently deploying Model Ys for its Robotaxi network pilot, which means that they are fully compliant with FMVSS standards. This will likely change once Cybercab begins to deploy, but the NHTSA is working on accelerating federal regulation for vehicles without driver controls in the near future.
4) Capable of achieving a “minimal risk condition” if the automated system is rendered inoperable.
When the system detects a critical fault or issue it cannot handle, it must slow down, activate hazard lights, and pull over to a safe location at the side of the road. That is very doable, and likely within Tesla’s calculations for how they will handle system aborts and other incidents. In fact, the Model Y robotaxis with a safety driver in the passenger seat have been spotted with buttons on the screen that say “Emergency Stop” and “Pullover.”
5) Registered, Titled, and Insured under Texas law.
This is a bog-standard requirement. Every vehicle operator must meet those three requirements, and as Tesla’s Model Ys currently driving the roads in Austin are sporting manufacturer plates, this is likely already done.
While these Texas lawmakers are asking for a pause, the NHTSA is actively working to make it easier for companies like Tesla to deploy autonomous vehicles. This state-level scrutiny, while perhaps well-intentioned, is a clear example of the challenge of deploying a national network under fragmented regulations.
Ultimately, this letter is unlikely to be anything more than a political statement. It will be logged and acknowledged, but it presents no new technical or legal hurdles for Tesla to clear before its planned launch. For an autonomous future, this isn't even a bump in the road.
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