The updated Tesla app which we saw has now started becoming available to users. It looks to be rolling out first to iOS, but we expect an Android release to follow very soon (Update: Android version has started rolling out as well!).
What’s New
The app has been redesigned, but the core functionality and layout remain largely the same. There are a couple bigger functionality changes which we’ll start off with.
First, you’ll now be able to send commands to your car immediately, instead of having to wait until the car wakes up. The days of waiting for your vehicle to wake up before you can turn on the HVAC are gone.
The other big functionality change is just as nice if you have multiple Teslas. If you’re lucky enough to own more than one Tesla, you can now unlock any Tesla using your phone key. Previously, you could only unlock the vehicle that was selected in the app.
Other changes in the app are more subtle, but we’ll discuss them below.
You still have a rendering of the car at the very top, followed by some quick action buttons and some categories underneath that. However, the car renderings are now completely 3D and you’ll get fluid 3D transitions as you navigate the app and go into various menus. The battery icon at the top is now much smaller, gray and justified left.
Charging
The Charging section has been removed. Charging information will now be displayed only when your car is plugged in. Upon plugging in your Tesla, you’ll be presented with options to unlock the charge port and start charging. There’ll now be a nice animation of electricity running through the cable when your vehicle is charging. The time remaining, amperage and mi/hr are now displayed near the top of the app, below the battery icon.
A nice addition is that when picking your charge limit in percentage, you can now easily jump to round percentages, such as 70, 80, 90, etc. If your vehicle is charging, it’ll show you an estimate of how many miles it will charge up to.
You can now also view Supercharging history right within the app, instead of having to view it in the car or on Tesla’s website.
Controls
The Controls panel now features a large view of the car with buttons to open the frunk, trunk, charge port and unlock the vehicle. The speed limit, valet mode and sentry mode settings have been moved to a new category labeled Security. The Vent button has been moved to the Climate section.
Climate
In the Climate section things look very similar. You can now view the interior of the vehicle a little better and there’s a new fluid animation when the air vents are blowing. The exterior temperature is also displayed in addition to the interior temperature.
Upgrades
The upgrades section also received a facelift and now includes more information. There are now two sections, Software Upgrades, which feature the Buy and Subscribe sections we’re familiar with and a new Accessories section which offers Tesla accessories specific to your model.
Security
The new security section, in addition to having features that were previously available in other sections will also provide tips for how to improve your phone key experience. For example, if you have Bluetooth turned off, or location services for the app disabled, it’ll point out that unlocking your vehicle can be more reliable if you have those options enabled.
Widgets
With the introduction of the 4.0 release, Tesla has also released Widgets. For iOS there’s a 2x2 widget and a 4x2 widget. Both widget sizes feature the same information, which is the name of the car, battery percentage, location (or charging information), unlock status, an image of the vehicle and the time the information was last updated.
Overall, the app is much smoother and sleeker than the previous version. Some fonts are a little small such as the car information at the very bottom of the app, but this is a great update that we’re sure Tesla will continue to tweak and build upon.
Update:Elon has now confirmed that Bioweapon Defense Mode is coming to the Tesla app as well.
A concept of what the UI in the Robotaxi may look like
@dkrasniy
According to a report from Bloomberg (paywall), Tesla is planning to launch its Robotaxi network in Austin on June 12th. Bloomberg’s source noted that the date was still in flux, but this is the date Tesla is being planned around.
While the Robotaxi network may launch on June 12th, it’ll be exclusive to Tesla employees initially, allowing Tesla to iron out any issues.
The taxi network isn’t expected to open up to the public until late June at the earliest. During Tesla’s Q1 2025 Earnings Call, Elon stated that the Robotaxi service would only be available to the public in late June or early July.
June 12th is actually much sooner than we expected, so this is an excellent sign for Tesla, who typically pushes back events for finishing touches. The Robotaxi event, for example, was originally scheduled for August 8th but was rescheduled for October 10th.
The NHTSA recently reached out to Tesla, inquiring about how they’d handle certain scenarios, such as adverse weather conditions. This is a good sign that Tesla is satisfying those requirements.
Testing Happening Now
According to Bloomberg’s report, Tesla has already been operating test vehicles using FSD Unsupervised without a safety driver this week. A test engineer was in the passenger seat but did not intervene or provide any input.
Tesla has already been doing preliminary testing with employees in Austin and Los Angeles, but those have been with relatively small internal groups for the most part.
Tesla plans to launch the service with approximately 10 Model Y taxi vehicles initially, providing an opportunity to gather data and user feedback. According to Elon, in the weeks following the launch, Tesla will expand the program to more vehicles, with it hitting several thousand by late 2025.
Tesla recently started the Early Access Program for FSD users in Texas. It’ll be interesting to see how Tesla leverages these users to gather more data or help expand the program when Tesla is finally ready to provide FSD Unsupervised to vehicle owners.
Reducing Variables
There are a ton of moving parts involved in launching an autonomous taxi network, including insurance, cleaning, charging, and more. There’s no doubt Tesla is eliminating as many variables as possible, such as automated charging. While the Robotaxi will support wireless charging, these Model Ys are expected to be charged manually since Tesla hasn’t built the “snake” charger, and Model Ys don’t support wireless charging.
Tesla already has at least some Robotaxi code built into the Tesla app, so it seems like they’re lining up all the pieces.
While Tesla has been relatively focused on California and Texas, we’ve also spotted some Robotaxi mules making their way around Boston and New Hampshire, meaning that Tesla is already thinking about expansion or at least finding out what it’ll take.
We may just be a couple of months away from seeing a Robotaxi revolution in some American cities. While expanding to additional cities with varying weather conditions may be slow, Tesla will be out there proving what they’ve been promising since 2016.
Tesla has updated its Tesla app for iPhones to version 4.45.0 and it adds a really helpful feature — Live Activities.
If you’re not familiar with Live Activities on iPhone, they’re essentially an interactive notification that displays real-time information. So, instead of receiving a notification that says that your vehicle has started charging, it’ll display real-time charging information.
What It Displays
Live Activities are displayed on your lock screen or Notification Center. With Tesla’s first implementation, it’ll display a variety of charging information when you’re Supercharging, such as the time until charging is complete, your current range, and the estimated cost.
The Live Activity will also display a photo of your vehicle with the color you’ve selected in the Colorizer feature, along with a charge meter, allowing you to easily see how much your vehicle is charged. The meter will be grayed out according to the charge limit you have set in your vehicle.
The “Charge” label of the notification shows your current range and will display percentage or distance, depending on which metric you use in your vehicle.
In all, the feature will display all of these details:
Time left to charge completion
Charge/range in miles or percentage
Estimated cost
Current Supercharger powe
Current Supercharger speed in miles/km
Total energy added in kWh
The battery meter is also different for the Cybertruck, featuring the same slashes for the meter as the vehicle uses inside the car.
triduchuynh
What It Will Support in the Future
Tesla may soon support Live Activities for more than just Supercharging. While the feature doesn’t support home charging, or other third-party fast charging, there are other areas that will receive this real-time information.
One that is not often used but is just as crucial as Supercharging is roadside assistance. Tesla could add a Live Activity that keeps you updated without having to open the Tesla app. It could give you the current status, such as help dispatched or offer an ETA when help will arrive.
Tesla will soon introduce a Supercharger queue system, which will be utilized when Superchargers are at full capacity. When you arrive at a Supercharger, you’ll be able to join the queue so that you don’t have to line up your vehicle to form a line physically. Instead, you’ll join the queue and be notified when it’s your turn to charge, letting you relax or eat until it’s your turn. This will be especially useful when there’s a long wait at a Supercharger.
Code for Tesla’s virtual Supercharger queue system is already being added to the Tesla app, and Live Activity support will be included according to code found in a recent Tesla app.
What It Supports
Dynamic Island
Geonardo10inchi
The Live Activity is great, but what happens if you’re not on your lock screen? If your phone includes a Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 Pro and later, iPhone 15 and later, but not the iPhone 16e or the iPhone SE), then the Tesla app also shows a circular indicator with your current charge percentage and the estimated time remaining until charging is complete
Apple Watch
JohnH2k23
The Apple Watch is also receiving support for Live Activities in this update as well. It’ll display the same information as the dynamic island, letting you know how many more minutes you have until charging is complete.
Android Support
While Live Activities has been an iPhone feature for years, Android will be offering similar capabilities in an upcoming OS release. Android 16, currently in beta testing and expected to be released in Q2, will add support for rich notifications similar to Live Activities.
Adding live notifications for Supercharger is a great addition that we hope Tesla will support on Android soon after the feature is released.
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