The Model 3 and Model Y manuals have been recently updated to reflect a new feature for Tesla's most popular vehicles.
Model 3/Y may gain ventilated seats
The Model 3 and Model Y manuals now show that not only will the cars include heated seats as they have since being introduced, but they will also include cooled seats.
Ventilated seats have been a feature that Tesla previously only offered in their top models.
Tesla has slowly been bringing a lot of features that were exclusively available in the Model S and X to all of their cars.
The Model 3 and Model Y have gained a heated steering wheel, MCU 3, and other features that were previously exclusive to the Model S and Model X.
The Model Y now also offers Bioweapon Defense Mode. Unfortunately, it's not available in the Model 3 due to space constraints for the HEPA filter.
Model 3/Y may gain ventilated seats
At this time the cooled seats have only been seen in Tesla's online manual, and there is no other confirmation that cooled seats are coming definitely coming to the Model 3/Y.
When Tesla builds their online manuals they tag each feature with the model it applies to. If a feature is available in all models, then it doesn't get a model tag and it's implied that the feature is available for all Tesla models.
The Tesla manual states:
Touch the driver's side seat icon to adjust seat heaters for the driver. The seat operates at three levels from 3 (highest) to 1 (lowest). The seat icon displays twisting lines that turn red (heating) or blue (cooling) to corresponding with the set level. Auto, which displays when the climate control system is set to Auto, warms or cools the front seats based on cabin temperature.
The ventilated seats footnote does not specify any models, which makes it show up in all manuals, for the Model 3/Y and Model S/X. This could very well be an oversight by Tesla, but it's also possible that Tesla is planning to add ventilated seats to all of their vehicles.
The Model 3 and Model Y will also gain heated wipers this year, which will prevent snow from building up on the wipers themselves. If you've ever driven through a snowstorm in your Tesla, you understand how valuable of a feature this will be.
In the past few months, there have been numerous changes to Tesla models. Tesla is set to open Giga Berlin and Giga Texas factories this year, so if Tesla is planning to make major changes to these vehicles, it makes sense for Tesla to make them now before assembly lines are built and in the new factories.
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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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