Tesla’s Hands-Free Trunk and Frunk – Supported Models, Phones & How to Set Them Up

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Having the ability to open your trunk hands-free can be incredibly useful when your hands are full, especially in a busy parking lot.

Tesla vehicles now support opening the vehicle’s trunk or frunk completely hands-free — no foot waving required.

What is Hands-Free Frunk and Trunk?

Tesla implemented its hands-free feature by leveraging your phone’s position in relation to the vehicle. When you stand still behind your vehicle, the trunk will automagically open for you.

While this functionality isn’t available on every vehicle, it’s available on every vehicle Tesla manufactures today, including the new Model Y, the Cybertruck and other recent models.

With a compatible device and a supported vehicle, you can now open your Tesla’s trunk hands-free.

How It Works

Tesla’s hands-free feature requires the use of ultrawide-band (UWB) in the vehicle and on your phone. Apple and Samsung have supported ultra-wideband for a number of years and most flagship Android devices also support the low-energy feature.

Ultra-wideband allows another device to precisely detect its relative location. In this case, the vehicle is tracking where the driver’s phone is in relation to the vehicle. Since the vehicle is able to more precisely track the phone’s location, ultra-wideband also improves Tesla’s phone key feature.

Since the vehicle depends on your phone, you’ll need to have your phone on you in order to activate the hands-free feature. Simply stand within 2.5 to 3 feet from the front or rear of your vehicle for the frunk or trunk to open. You’ll then hear a couple of chimes. If you continue to stand still, then your frunk or trunk will open automatically.

The chimes serve as a warning that the trunk will open if you don’t move, which helps reduce accidental openings.

Hands-Free Trunk in Action

The video below shows how Tesla’s hands-free trunk feature works.

Supported Models

Since Tesla uses ultra-wideband to power the hands-free feature, only vehicles with the needed hardware are supported. The list of supported vehicles includes:

  • 2021 Model S and later

  • 2021 Model X and later

  • 2024 Model 3 (Highland) and later

  • 2026 Model Y (Juniper) and later

  • All Cybertrucks

Supported Phones

Your phone will also need to support UWB. Luckily, most manufacturers have included UWB in their devices for several years.

Apple: All Apple devices since the iPhone 11 have included UWB, except for the lower-cost iPhones, which include the SE (2nd and 3rd generation) and the recent iPhone 16e.

Android: Most Android phones - especially flagship devices - already support and use UWB for other uses, but it’s not available on all phones. If you have a Google Pixel 6 or higher, Samsung Fold 2 or higher, Samsung S21+, or other recent Android phone, then your phone already supports ultra wideband.

Models That Support Hands-Free Frunk

Unfortunately, not every supported model supports the hands-free frunk and trunk feature. The hands-free frunk feature is only supported on the Model S, Model X, and the Cybertruck.

In addition, the Cybertruck is the only vehicle with a powered frunk, so while the Model S and Model X will unlock the frunk for you, you’ll still need to lift it and close it manually. The Cybertruck will actually open the frunk for you, much like the trunk on another Tesla.

Hands-Free Trunk Not Available on Cybertruck

While most supported Tesla vehicles can use the hands-free trunk, it excludes the Cybertruck, which doesn’t have a powered trunk.

Enable Hands-Free Trunk / Frunk

If you plan to use your vehicle’s hands-free trunk feature, you’ll need to enable it in settings, as it’s off by default. Simply open Controls by tapping the vehicle icon in the bottom left corner, then navigate to the Locks section.

Within the Hands-Free section, you’ll find a few options, depending on your model. You’ll be able to choose whether to enable the hands-free frunk or trunk and whether you’d like to disable the feature at home.

Preventing Accidental Opening - Exclude Home

Although the hands-free feature requires you to stay still in front or behind your vehicle for a couple of seconds, it can still be triggered accidentally if you’re working around your garage. To prevent accidental opening of the frunk or trunk, Tesla allows you to disable the feature while your vehicle is parked at home.

Tesla determines your home location by the address that’s set in your vehicle. However, it also adds a buffer, meaning that if you disable the hands-free trunk feature at home, it may also not work in other areas nearby, such as in your driveway or at your neighbor’s home.

The exclude home feature is located in the same spot as other hands-free trunk features, under Controls > Locks > Hands-Free > Exclude Home.

If you have a recent Tesla that’s supported, go ahead and give the feature a try.

Tesla FSD in Europe: June Update

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

The road to bringing FSD to Europe has been a long and complex one and filled with regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles. Elon Musk, as well as other members of Tesla’s AI team, have previously voiced their grievances with the regulatory approval process on X.

However, it appears that there is finally some progress in getting things moving with recent changes to upcoming autonomy regulations, but the process still seems slow.

Waiting on the Dutch

Elon commented on X recently, stating that Tesla is waiting for approval from Dutch authorities and then the EU to start rolling out FSD in Europe. Tesla is focusing on acquiring approvals from the Dutch transportation authority, which will provide them with the platform they need to gain broader acceptance in Europe. Outside of the Netherlands, Tesla is also conducting testing in Norway, which provides a couple of avenues for them to obtain national-level approval.

The frustration has been ongoing, with multiple committee meetings bringing up autonomy regulation but always pulling back at the last second before approving anything. The last meeting on Regulation 157, which governs Automated Lane Keeping Systems, concluded with authorities from the UK and Spain requesting additional time to analyze the data before reaching a conclusion.

Tesla, as well as Elon, have motioned several times for owners to reach out to their elected representatives to move the process forward, as it seems that Tesla’s own efforts are being stymied. 

This can seem odd, especially since Tesla has previously demoed FSD working exceptionally smoothly on European roads - and just did it again in Rome when they shared the video below on X.

DCAS Phase 3

While the approval process has been slow, Kees Roelandschap pointed out that there may be a different regulatory step that could allow FSD to gain a foothold in Europe.

According to Kees, the European Commission is now taking a new approach to approving ADAS systems under the new DCAS Phase 3 regulations. The Commission is now seeking data from systems currently operational in the United States that can perform System-Initiated Maneuvers and don’t require hands-on intervention for every request.

This is key because those are two of the core functionalities that make FSD so usable, and it also means that there may not be a need to wait years for proper regulations to be written from scratch. Now, the Commission will be looking at real-world data based on existing, deployed technology, which could speed up the process immensely.

What This Means

This new, data-driven regulatory approach could be the path for Tesla to reach its previous target of September for European FSD. While the cogs of bureaucracy are ever slow, sometimes all it takes is a little data to have them turn a bit faster in this case.

Alongside specific countries granting approval for limited field testing with employees, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for FSD in Europe, and hopes are that a release will occur by the end of 2025. With Europe now looking to North America for how FSD is performing, Tesla’s Robotaxi results could also play a role.

Tesla Launches 'TeslaVision' Contest With Big Prizes — See Last Year’s Winner [VIDEO]

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s marketing has always been relatively unconventional, relying on word-of-mouth rather than traditional advertising. The passion of the owner’s community is always massive, but it is especially high now with the launch of the Robotaxi network just around the corner.

Tesla is now tapping into that spring of fan creativity and announced the TeslaVision video contest, with some seriously impressive prizes up for grabs.

The Contest

The core of the contest is simple. Create a video that shows how your Tesla gives you more in life. Tesla is looking for submissions that highlight themes of freedom, safety, fun, and convenience.

Prizes

The prizes definitely make this contest worth entering if you’re good with a camera and have some basic video editing abilities.

For North America, the prizes include a brand new Model Y AWD Long Range, alongside an all-expenses-paid trip to Austin for a tour of Giga Texas. The grand prize winner will also be able to custom order their Model Y, allowing them to select their preferred wheels and color.

The two runners-up won’t get a Model Y, but they’ll also enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Giga Texas for a tour of the factory.

The travel and tour include lodging in Austin for 2 nights, as well as economy-class round-trip tickets from anywhere in North America. Tesla will also provide a vehicle for use during the trip.

Hopefully, these winners will also have the opportunity to experience the Robotaxi network while they’re in Austin, as it’s expected to be opened to the public later this month.

Project Loveday

For long-time followers of Tesla, this contest may feel familiar. The contest is a direct throwback to the 2017 Project Loveday contest, which was inspired by a letter to Tesla from a 10-year-old aspiring marketer. That contest was won by MKBHD, with his submission below:

How to Enter

If you’re ready to start filming, here are the key pieces of information you’ll need to know:

  • Video must be 90 seconds or less

  • Video must be uploaded to YouTube with a public URL

  • Make a post on X and Instagram tagging “@Tesla” and include the words “TeslaVision contest” in the post.

  • Provide links to both social media posts in your submission to Tesla’s form

  • Provide your personal details in the form

  • You have until July 17th, 2025, or until Tesla receives 10,000 entries, whichever comes first.

You can find the official submission form and all region-specific details on Tesla's website.

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