A great feature that all Teslas have is the ability to browse the web using the car's touch screen.
All Teslas have a Chromium-based browser, which is the same engine that powers Google Chrome. Although the browser is much faster in newer models, it's a great tool to have at your disposal.
With update 2022.12.1 (release notes) Tesla has made several improvements to make the browsing experience even better. Thanks to Dan Burkland (@DBurkland) on Twitter, we now have details and images on everything Tesla updated with its browser in 2022.12.
Top Row
In Tesla v11, the browser became a part of the Entertainment section, which meant that the browser now had an additional bar on top. The bar displayed the word Entertainment, and let you easily switch between Aracade, Theater, Toybox, or the Browser. Unfortunately, it also decreased the amount of space available to display a website's contents.
With 2022.12.1, this bar has been removed, so that back, forward and the address bar are now at the very top again.
Autocomplete
When typing in a URL or search phrase in the address bar, the browser will now display autocomplete results underneath the address bar.
The autocomplete results are similar to what you'd see on a desktop or mobile device, providing helpful suggestions based on your query or browsing history.
The browser itself has been updated to a newer version of Chromium which brings improved security and browser rendering.
Favorites
Your browser favorites dialog has also received a minor facelift. The information that is displayed remains the same, but the UI now has a cleaner look.
Tesla favorites received a minor facelift
DBurkland/Twitter
New Welcome Screen
The loading screen for the browser has been updated from a generic icon to the Tesla logo.
In addition to your favorites showing up in the Favorites menu, Tesla appears to now show you your most visited sites directly on the welcome screen as well. This is similar to how other major browser will display your most used sites when opening a new tab.
New Tesla browser loading screen
DBurkland/Twitter
Browsing History
Since your browsing history is now used for search autocomplete, Tesla has also added the ability to clear your browser history.
You can now clear your Tesla's browsing data
DBurkland/Twitter
You can remove a single result from your history by tapping on the X button in the address bar autocomplete dropdown, or you can clear your complete browsing history by navigating to Controls > Service and tapping on Delete Browser Data.
The web browser is certainly a useful function in Teslas, as it gives you the ability to view sites or open web-based apps that you might otherwise not have access to.
Since Tesla doesn't yet support apps, one use for the browser is to display web-based apps or games.
One feature I'd love to see Tesla add in the near future is a "full screen" mode that will let you browse the web using your vehicle's entire screen.
Update 2022.12.1 has brought many improvements to Tesla vehicles. One of the other major improvements included in this update is the ability to add seat heaters, wiper and window defrosts back to the launcher.
This update has just started rolling out, with only 2% of the entire fleet having access to the update so far, so be sure to keep an eye out for these exciting features.
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The greatly anticipated FSD v12.4 is around the corner, with Elon Musk mentioning that it will be going to employees this weekend, with limited external testers next week.
Several significant improvements are coming with V12.4, which is being compared to the leap in performance that was previously seen between V12 and V11.
Improved Comfort and Reduced Interventions
There are quite a few improvements expected with V12.4, which Musk has said will be focused on user comfort by reducing hard accelerations and sudden braking. According to Musk, FSD v12.4 is also expected to have a 5-10x improvement in time between user interventions, which means that Tesla is rapidly approaching its goal for the Robotaxi announcement on August 8, 2024.
Steering Wheel Nag Removal
FSD V12.4 is expected to eliminate the steering wheel nag, as Musk confirmed its removal last week. The camera-based driver monitoring system will be taking over, providing a hands-free experience. These improvements will most likely benefit owners who have cabin cameras with infrared lights the most, while Tesla may continue to use steering wheel nag as a fallback mechanism.
Driverless Autopark
The second key feature that may be included in v12.4 will be Banish Autopark, previously known as Reverse Summon, allowing you to choose a parking spot, exit the vehicle and have the car park itself. Whether this feature makes it in v12.4 is yet to be seen, but Musk has mentioned that parking without a driver is coming soon.
Automatically Seek Parking Spot at Destination
Finally, your Tesla will now traverse a parking lot and automatically enter Autopark mode when arriving at a destination, according to a post from Musk.
Eligibility and Branch
Tesla recently added FSD v12.3.6 to the 2024.14 branch with updates 2024.14.5 and 2024.14.6. This makes it very likely that Tesla’s next FSD version will also be based on 2024.14, meaning that it will be available to any vehicle on 2024.14.x.
For users on update 2024.3.25, this means that they’ll receive all of the features included in updates 2024.8 and 2024.14, which should make it a massive update.
Release Date
Musk has mentioned that FSD V12.4 is going out to employee vehicles for internal testing this weekend, with external testing starting next week. The rollouts typically go slower than predicted but looks like we may see this begin shipping to customers by the end of the month.
Today, as part of a broader change of tariff rates on Chinese goods, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he’ll raise tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China, increasing the rate from 25% to 100%, effective this year.
This increase won’t just impact the import of vehicles, but also the rate for lithium-ion batteries produced in China, which will be moving from 7.5% to 25%.
Impact on Competition
The immediate impact of this new regulation is significant for Chinese manufacturers, who have been regarded as Tesla’s largest and greatest competition. Given the tariff hike, this means that new Chinese manufacturers, such as Nio, XPeng, or BYD, will either need to set up production in North America, or be subject to the increased import tariff.
Nio’s vehicles cost between $40,000 USD to $70,000 USD in China based on today’s conversion rates, and with an import tariff of 100%, an imported vehicle’s price would be doubled to $80,000 USD to $140,000 USD, not including other fees. Chinese manufacturers will have to closely weigh the advantages and disadvantages of opening up the North American market, with challenges including vehicle homologation, new tariffs, and a difficult EV market.
Tesla and Chinese Tariffs
Elon Musk recently visited China, engaging with officials to build a foundation for what is currently the world’s largest electric vehicle market. With the potential import of Chinese EVs becoming restricted to the United States, this places Tesla in an advantageous position over its Chinese competitors who have yet to establish their brands in North America.
On the other hand, this could also impact Tesla, as they import Chinese batteries for usage in some vehicles in the United States.
Tesla does not import Gigafactory Shanghai vehicles to the US, but has been increasing North American battery production lately, with expansions in Lathrop, California and a new facility in Sparks, Nevada.
Canadian Tariffs
In Canada, the Model 3 and Model Y are currently being imported from Gigafactory Shanghai. Given Canada’s close following of US foreign policy, this could impact either the prices of Tesla vehicles in Canada or have Tesla shipping vehicles from Fremont and Texas to the United States once again, should Canada also adopt a similar tariff policy.
TeslaFi logs your drives and charging sessions, letting you keep a log of your vehice's activity. We highly recommend checking them out if you use your car for business trips and would like to keep track of reimbursements, if you like to see how much you spend on charging or if you just love statistics. Visit their site and see everything they have to offer!
Tesla Android Project enables you to run Android apps in your Tesla. The platform is Open Source and you can deploy it on your own Raspberry Pi 4. Consider supporting the initiative by donating or purchasing the Compute Module 4 Bundle that delivers the best experience. Get $20 off by using the code: NotATeslaApp
The official Tesla app only notifies you if your car is broken into. By installing Sentry Pro on your phone, you will be notified for all Sentry Mode events. Stay connected and avoid potential surprises by receiving notifications. Stop constantly checking the cameras to ensure safety. Check only when necessary, save battery and get peace of mind. Get a 7 day free trial here!
Stay organized, connected, and stylish with Cyberbackpack — the #1 backpack, luggage & travel accessories for Tesla owners. We highly recommend checking them out if you commute or travel and would like a backpack or luggage that is sleek, secure and durable. View their products page and see everything they have to offer!