Tesla Announces the 2025 Spring Update: B-Pillar Recording, Dashcam Viewer Improvements, Avoid Highways and More

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla has just announced the contents and features of its 2025 Spring Update. There’s a lot of new content that we expected, as well as some stuff we didn’t see coming that will be arriving in Tesla’s next major release. Awesome new features, such as Adaptive Matrix High Beams, will finally become available in North America, while others like Grok’s voice assistant aren’t quite ready yet.

So, without further ado, let’s get cracking and take a look at everything in this awesome update.

Adaptive High Beams

The headliner feature of this update is the much-awaited Adaptive High Beams for North America - specifically the United States and Canada. We’ve been waiting a little over a year since it was launched in Europe last year. Tesla faced some regulatory delays in getting this approved, but it’s finally arriving for vehicles with newer headlights.

Adaptive High Beams reduce glare for traffic ahead of you by individually dimming specific pixels on the LED matrix. The feature shipped with the refreshed Model Y first and is now arriving for all other vehicles with matrix headlights. This includes newer Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y vehicles - but not the Cybertruck.

The adaptive headlights in action.
The adaptive headlights in action.
Not a Tesla App

The Cybertruck’s signature headlights are too small to fit the LED matrix, and as such, this feature won’t be supported on the Cybertruck for the time being. Hopefully, Tesla will figure something out, but given that this is a hardware limitation, we don’t expect to see much here.

You can check out our guide on how to determine whether your vehicle is equipped with Matrix Headlights. If your vehicle has the hardware, you will see an Adaptive Headlights option under Controls > Lights > Adaptive Headlights after receiving the Spring Update. This feature will be enabled by default.

Improved Blind Spot Camera for Model S / X

The new blindspot camera in the driver's instrument cluster.
The new blindspot camera in the driver's instrument cluster.
Not a Tesla App

In a surprise addition, Tesla is improving support for the Blind Spot Camera on the 2021+ refreshes of their flagship vehicles. Previously, the blind spot camera on these vehicles would only appear on the primary infotainment screen, not the driver’s instrument panel, which was essentially copied over from the Model 3/Y.

Now, drivers will have the option to choose which display the blind spot camera appears on. A setting under Controls > Display > Automatic Blind Spot Camera will allow drivers to choose “Driver Screen”, so that the blind spot camera appears to the left or right side of the instrument cluster, depending on which turn signal you activate. For these vehicles with an instrument cluster directly in front of the driver, this is a much better implementation of the feature than how it was originally designed.

Dashcam Update - B Pillar Cameras

As part of a much-requested update, given the increased and misguided vandalism against Tesla vehicles, Tesla’s team has finally updated their software to record the B-pillar (upper side) cameras as part of both Dashcam and Sentry Mode.

While this means that Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage will now likely take up more room on your USB drive due to recording two additional cameras, it also means that your vehicle is much better protected. Dashcam and Sentry Mode now record from every camera except for the additional front-facing cameras and the interior camera.

Note: It looks like this feature will be limited to newer vehicles, likely those with AI4.

Improved Dashcam Viewer

The updated dashcam viewer.
The updated dashcam viewer.
Not a Tesla App

The Dashcam Viewer in the vehicle is also being improved with this update. Taking a page from the Tesla app, the app in the vehicle will now display multiple camera feeds at the same time, with users having the option to focus on an individual feed if desired.

Due to the additional cameras being recorded, Tesla is now laying out all the camera feeds along the bottom, instead of at each corner of the screen.

The new UI also reveals that there will be buttons to jump back or forward in 15-second increments, while at the top right, you’ll have a link to the next video, instead of having to go back to the list of videos.

Requirements for Dashcam and Sentry Mode Updates

Unfortunately, there is some bad news regarding compatibility with the B-pillar camera recording and this improved Dashcam Viewer. Tesla says the Dashcam updates will only apply to newer “S3XY” vehicles, but they don’t specify the exact requirement.

Based on previous Tesla posts, where they usually list if a feature requires the AMD Ryzen infotainment processor, this requirement doesn’t sound like an Intel vs AMD issue, but instead one that relies on AI4 hardware, which is responsible for processing the video feeds.

Tesla’s “S3XY” requirement also leaves out the Cybertruck, but this seems like an oversight. Given some previously leaked footage of this feature, we expect the Cybertruck to also receive this feature with the Spring Update.

Use our guide to find out if you have HW3 or HW4, also known as AI4, if you’re not sure what’s included in your vehicle.

Updated Routing Options — Avoid Highways

We recently covered routing options on the site, and we believe a lot of people will be pleased with these additions, so if you’ve been craving improved routing options, keep reading.

There are three new routing options to check out. Users will now be able to pick from three types of routing options when choosing a destination. We originally saw these as part of the navigation source code discovered in December 2024.

Fastest: This offers the quickest path to the destination, ignoring any attempts at efficiency or stopping more often to do short charges.

Best Amenities & Fewer Stops: This routing mode minimizes your charge stops in exchange for making them longer, but also allows you to stop near highly rated restaurants, shops, and restrooms for a more relaxing trip.

Avoid Highways: This much-requested feature will enable you to keep your navigation routing away from highways unless they are absolutely required to reach your destination. Hurray for the country roads and relaxed driving.

Requirements: While we’re not sure yet which vehicles will receive these options, we expect it to arrive on all vehicles except for potentially legacy Model S/X.

Trunk Height Based on Location

Another neat and useful little feature: you will now be able to save your trunk opening height based on location rather than applying a general maximum trunk height. If you didn’t already know, you could set the maximum height your automated trunk opens, which can help prevent it from hitting a lower garage ceiling.

This feature is already available on the refreshed Model Y but is now coming to all Model Ys, all Model 3s with automated trunks, and the 2021+ Model S and Model X.

In order to set your height, manually adjust the liftgate to your preferred opening height, and then press and hold the trunk button until you hear a chime in the vehicle, indicating that the height for this location has been set.

Save Frunk Height - Cybertruck

Tesla didn’t forget about the Cybertruck either - you can now do the same with the opening height for the Cybertruck as well. You’ll have to press the exterior (below the bottom center) frunk button and hold it until you hear a chime for the Cybertruck. Pressing the in-frunk button will simply close the frunk.

Accessory Power Option Enables 12V Sockets

Tesla is finally re-enabling 12V accessory power sockets throughout its cars with a new “Accessory Power” option, enabling anyone to use the 12V power sockets in Tesla’s vehicle lineup when they’re away from their vehicle, without needing Camp Mode. This also applies to the USB ports and wireless phone chargers throughout the vehicle.

The Model Y and Model X include a 12V socket in the rear left pillar of the vehicle, alongside a 12V socket in the front of the vehicle. The Model 3 and Model S only have a 12V socket in the front of the vehicle.

You can turn this feature on by going to Controls > Charging > Keep Accessory Power On. This feature is disabled by default and is turned off once the vehicle battery drops to 20% or below. Tesla warns that this feature will use additional power, so it’s best to only use it when needed.

Comfort Drive Mode on the Cybertruck

Following the recent addition of the Comfort Mode option in the Model 3, Tesla is adding the feature to the Cybertruck as well. This feature will automatically switch the vehicle dynamics to “Comfort”, which includes a higher ride height, softer suspension and steering response, and reduction in acceleration profile to Chill Mode while FSD or TACC are active.

You can enable or disable this feature from Controls > Autopilot > Use Comfort Mode in Autopilot. This feature will be enabled by default.

Lane Departure Avoidance on the Cybertruck

Interestingly, the Cybertruck launched without several Autopilot safety and assistance features - namely, because Basic Autopilot itself is missing from the Cybertruck - only FSD and TACC are available. As part of an improvement to safety, Lane Departure Avoidance has now arrived on the Cybertruck with the Spring Update.

This will show a blue indicator on the screen if you begin or are about to begin crossing a lane marking. You will have three options, just like with other Tesla vehicles, including None, Warning, and Assistance. Assistance will provide active feedback and move the vehicle back into the lane lines, while the warning will sound an audio tone and provide visual and physical feedback (vibration) to the steering wheel.

This feature will be enabled by default with Assistance selected and can be changed from Controls > Autopilot > Lane Departure Avoidance.

Minor Updates

Tesla also lists some other smaller details that will be included as part of the 2025 Spring Update, which include these features below:

  • Keyboard Languages

    • Go to Controls > Display > Keyboards to switch languages on the touchscreen keyboard.

  • Media search results are filtered by sources, which provides faster access to your content.

  • You can now shuffle an entire Apple Music playlist that contains more than 100 songs!

  • You can scroll through SiriusXM favorites by tapping the left steering wheel button left or right, similar to other services.

  • You can now sign in to Amazon Music with an Amazon Music Free account. You still require Premium Connectivity or WiFi to stream music.

  • YouTube Music now shows what song will play next in the Up Next view of the media player.

  • If you normally connect your vehicle to your phone’s hotspot, this feature will now be enabled every time you drive instead of having you manually connect it each time.

Features We’re Hoping Come Soon

This was an awesome update, but there are always more features we’d love to see come next. Here’s our short list of features we’re still waiting and hoping for.

  • Grok for Tesla

  • AirPlay / Google Cast Support

  • Steam Gaming for the entire lineup

  • Group Texting/Chat Support

  • Android Watch Support

  • Phone Left on Charger Alert

  • Arrival State of Charge in the Tesla App

  • X App Integration

  • Actually Smart Summon for Cybertruck

  • Autoshift for Cybertruck

Release Date

Everyone’s favorite question is always, When will it be released? Well, it looks like soon. We haven’t seen any vehicles, including employees, receive the Spring Update just yet. However, given that Tesla has officially announced the update, we expect it to go out to employees as soon as this weekend.

Update: Tesla has now started rolling out this update to employees. As expected, it’ll be software update 2025.14.

If no major issues are found, we could see it start rolling out to the lucky first customers in about a week, but be prepared for a slightly longer wait if Tesla needs to reduce multiple revisions of the update before rolling it out publicly.

NHTSA Probes Tesla’s Robotaxi Plans; Seeks Answers on FSD in Poor Weather

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

As anticipation builds for Tesla’s Robotaxi network debut in Austin, potentially just a few short weeks away, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is turning its official eye onto Tesla. The ask? How will Tesla’s FSD handle the unpredictable realities of challenging weather?

The NHTSA Request

The NHTSA has sent a formal letter to Tesla, which was made public on May 12th, requesting detailed information about Tesla’s Robotaxi service. The NHTSA inquiry centers specifically on the safety and performance of FSD when faced with reduced visibility conditions like rain, fog, and sun glare. The request is tied to an ongoing NHTSA investigation, which was initiated in October 2023, examining Tesla’s FSD and Autopilot suite following incidents in poor visibility.

Tesla’s executives, including Elon Musk, have previously stated that the company is full steam ahead to launch Robotaxi in Austin this June. However, NHTSA’s pointed questions come even as Tesla has recently discussed its plans to work on region-specific and weather-specific FSD training.

Tesla’s executive leadership acknowledged the need to adapt the system to diverse environmental and weather conditions. Now, regulators want specifics on how Tesla intends to address environmental conditions and how that translates to operational safety for the fleet.

Request Breakdown

NHTSA’s letter outlines a need for detailed information from Tesla before the service launches and covers several key areas. We’ve broken this down into various sections below:

Deployment Scale

NHTSA is looking for the exact number of vehicles and models that will be part of the initial Austin fleet, and what the projected service availability times would be for said fleet. Tesla has previously said it’d launch with 10-20 Model Ys, but looks like NHTSA is looking for additional details.

Oversight

In terms of oversight, NHTSA is looking to confirm whether the Robotaxis will operate under real-time supervision of Tesla’s employees, either remotely or in-vehicle.

This is a question on our minds as well. A recent app update suggested that Tesla could have a driver in the vehicle, but it wasn’t clear whether this was referring to Tesla’s own fleet or customer-owned vehicles. The only thing we have heard officially from Tesla is that Tesla “may” use remote support, but that they were still looking into it.

Adverse Weather Capabilities

This is the meat and potatoes of the request - how will Tesla ensure safety during sun glare, fog, heavy rain, snow, or dust? What specific protocols are triggered if poor visibility is encountered mid-trip? Will the vehicle pull over or call home and cancel rides?

Sensor Technology

Surprisingly, NHTSA is looking for details regarding the vehicle the Robotaxi sensor suites and how Tesla intends to use those sensors to ensure safe operation under varied conditions. NHTSA has had previous submissions from Tesla in regard to its sensor suite and how it uses the technology, so it feels odd that they are requesting another batch - but this could be related to the use of the next generation of FSD (Unsupervised).

Compliance

Does Tesla’s FSD system adhere, either fully or partially, to established industry standards for autonomous driving? This likely refers to the NHTSA Automated Vehicles for Safety guidebook, which lays out the “L0 to L5” driver assistance vs automation system.

Future Expansion

Finally, NHTSA is looking for the timeline for enabling Robotaxi functionality on vehicles not directly owned or controlled by Tesla. Tesla has already come out and said that customer-owned vehicles wouldn’t be allowed on the robotaxi network until 2026, but obviously, NHTSA wants to hear directly from Tesla and likely has more specific questions covering a wide variety of potential issues.

These questions will likely have to be answered with considerable amounts of data and justification for the NHTSA. Once all that is done, Tesla will be in a better position to receive regulatory approval at a larger scale than just within the city of Austin or the state of Texa with the NHTSA’s backing.

Successfully addressing this letter will be the key for Unsupervised FSD moving forward, but Tesla hasn’t issued a public response to the agency’s letter, and likely won’t in a public manner. So we’ll have to wait and see how the launch of the Robotaxi network pans out next month.

FSD V13.2.9 Rolls Out for HW4 as Part of Tesla’s 2025.14.6 Update

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

After an 84-day wait since the last FSD update, Tesla has finally begun rolling out a new version of FSD V13 to its AI4-equipped vehicles. This new release, V13.2.9, is rolling out to all vehicles, including the Cybertruck.

Unfortunately, since it’s a minor point release (from V13.2.8), the release notes are the same, and Tesla hasn’t included a change log or changed what’s coming in the future.

Software Update 2025.14.6

The FSD update is rolling out with Tesla software update 2025.14.6. Interestingly, update 2025.14.6 is seeing a wider distribution and is also being made available to vehicles without FSD and outside North America. For those vehicles, this update just includes bug fixes.

TCU Fix

There’s one fix in particular that’s expected to be included in this update, according to a message from Tesla Service. In earlier 2025.14 updates, there was a bug in some vehicles that prevented some vehicles from falling asleep properly due to a Telematics Control Unit (TCU) issue. This bug caused additional battery drain since some of the vehicle’s systems remained on.

Tesla Service said they planned to include a bug fix in update 2025.14.6, but it hasn’t been confirmed whether the fix actually made it out in this release.

Early Access Users and More

FSD v13.2.9 was first rolled out to Tesla’s standard Early Access group, including well-known community members and content creators. It has also reached participants in the newer, Texas-based Early Access Program, suggesting that the update is relatively stable and may serve as a foundation for upcoming FSD releases.

Tesla could be intending to use the Texas Early Access Program to test various features, perhaps related to the upcoming Robotaxi network launch in Austin. While this is plausible, it is merely speculation, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on that group to see what exactly Tesla does.

HW3 Users

While Tesla has recently been including FSD updates for HW3 and HW4 in the same release, this update does not include any changes for HW3 users. HW3 vehicles that are receiving this update are staying on FSD V12.6.4, which means that whichever fixes this update includes they’re specific to FSD V13 or HW4.

Point Release - Not Much New

Being a point release, V13.2.9 isn’t expected to introduce any major new capabilities. Tesla hasn’t provided specific release notes detailing changes from V13.2.8.

Hopefully, Tesla has taken into account recent user feedback on V13.2.8 about lane centering and lane selection, and this update addresses some of those issues. However, early feedback is that those issues are still present.

There is always potential for a more substantial update in the near future, so keep your fingers crossed, but after such a long wait, we expected more to be included. It seems like Tesla may have felt the need to address a bug in this release instead of waiting for the next major release, which is expected to either be FSD V13.3 or FSD V14.

Update 2025.14.6

FSD Supervised 13.2.9
Installed on 5.4% of fleet
298 Installs today
Last updated: May 14, 8:10 am UTC

Roll Out

The fact that Software Update 2025.14.6 is going out wider than the Early Access audience suggests that Tesla is confident in this release and that it likely only includes very minor changes. We expect this update to continue going out over the coming days.

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