Exclusive: Tesla to add Radio Traffic Announcements in future update

Tesla is expected to add Radio Traffic Announcements to its vehicles

Tesla

A new acronym may be added to the Tesla playbook — RTA, which stands for Radio Traffic Announcements.

In Tesla's latest software update, 2022.40.1, we discovered an image for an unannounced feature called Radio Traffic Announcements.

The feature looks like it was originally destined for update 2022.40, but it may have been removed to allow additional time for development.

Radio Traffic Announcements are used by a handful of auto manufacturers, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen, to name a few. It ensures the driver will get local traffic reports regardless of what they listen to on the entertainment system.

However, given the number of enhancements Tesla has discussed, RTA could be much more than just radio traffic.

The feature by itself is helpful. If you prefer to listen to music, podcasts or books instead of local radio, you may have encountered a few traffic hiccups that could’ve been avoided had you heard the traffic report. The entertainment system detects when there’s a traffic report, mutes your entertainment and turns on the announcement. If it doesn’t impact your drive, or you don’t want to hear it, the feature is easily stopped to get back to your tunes.

Tesla could advance the system much further, given some recent statements. Firstly, the company announced that it would implement a new hazard light system. Emergency Safety Solutions created the Hazard Enhancement Location Protocol (HELP), which not only changes how bright and fast hazard lights flash but also sends out a signal to alert drivers in the area of a disabled vehicle. That system uses in-car or phone navigation, but perhaps Tesla could also utilize HELP with RTA.

Secondly, Elon Musk openly mused about Tesla-to-Tesla communications, another feature that could be used with RTA. At the shareholder meeting in August, he said, “there will be some merits for Teslas to communicate [with] each other,” in response to a question on the subject. “That won’t be needed for Full Self-Driving at all, but for a long time the vast majority of cars will be manually driven, so the value of Tesla-to-Tesla communication is not that high, except for, perhaps, communicating traffic issues, accidents, potholes, and road closures. A Tesla ahead of you has seen a road closure, and you get that real-time update to your car, so you don’t get stuck in the road closure situation. That’s the stuff that we are working on right now.”

When Tesla is not creating a new feature, it is improving existing components and programs (the company bettered the seatbelt). While other manufacturers have made RTA available, HELP and Tesla-to-Tesla communication would further enhance this already useful announcement system.

We expect Radio Traffic Announcements to be released in the near future, possibly as soon as update 2022.44 or 2022.48.

Tesla Is Now Offering Cybertruck Test Drives [List of Locations]

@brandonhd

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.

Once FSD V12.5 comes to the Cybertruck, we’re sure they’ll be demoing its capabilities FSD capabilities as well.

Locations

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.

• Manhasset, New York

• West Covina, California

• Los Angeles, California

• Houston, Texas

• Orlando, Florida

• Westmont, Illinois

• Tucson, Arizona

• Phoenix, Arizona

• Delaware

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Musk Confirms 'Actually Smart Summon' is Coming in a Revision of FSD V12.5

Not a Tesla App

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.

Just recently, Tesla returned the Model X’s self-presenting doors, using Tesla Vision. Vision has seen some fantastic improvements, and many people are waiting for ASS to bring forth these improvements to Smart Summon.

Smart Summon Today

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 10^th 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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