Tesla’s Holiday Update Will Add These Features to the Tesla App

You'll soon be able to use Emissions Testing Mode from your Tesla app

Tesla

Ho Ho Ho, hold everything. If you want to spoil your Christmas surprise from Tesla, keep reading. I know you are still reading, so you are on the naughty list! Here we go; the 2022 Holiday Update is a doozy so let's tear off the wrapping paper and reveal some of the new features that will be coming to the Tesla app.

Light Show Control

No longer will you have to get in the vehicle and scroll through the screen to find the Light Show. Now Tesla owners can activate the fan favorite from the app. A New Years' song is also rumored to be included, in addition to Carol of Bells. Activating the light show from the app will be far more convenient and fun for someone who uses the Light Show as part of their exterior Christmas decorations. Yes, my neighbors and I may be a little tired of Carol of Bells.

Tesla Emission Increase

That's right, Tesla is increasing emissions! Just like the Light Show, you will now be able to activate emissions, also known as farting, from your app. The whoopie cushion can be activated while outside of the car. For the pranksters in the crowd, this should bring your game up a level.

According to an article posted on Naver, you'll be able to activate Emissions Mode by adding it to your Quick Controls near the top of the app. You'll then be able to pick your fart sound and have the car play it.

It appears that the sounds will come out of the pedestrian warning system (PWS) speaker, so it may be limited to vehicles that have the external speaker installed.

Dog Mode Supervision

Tesla recently improved Dog Mode to work with Sentry Mode. Previously users had to pick one or the other. Now, the company is enabling fur baby parents to view the interior camera to keep an eye on the four-legged buddies.

Recent release notes hinted at cabin camera viewing; now we know why. This is a big one if you have a more naughty than nice dog or puppy-in-training who has used the Tesla as a chew toy.

It's like the vehicle version of Furbo but without the treat dispenser. Of course, that could be in the new hardware update, but that is unlikely! For those wondering about privacy, this camera will not record, and it's believed there will be some kind of notification on the screen if the camera is being viewed remotely.

The interior camera will only be viewable while Dog Mode is active. This feature will not add the cabin camera view as an additional camera to Sentry Mode.

MyQ App Support?

Elon Musk will now open your garage door for you! Well, not personally, but MyQ will be included in Tesla's car Holiday Update. This system uses WiFi to open, close and monitor users' garage doors. We hope that Tesla will offer more than just garage door support and include support for lights and gates as well.

While it's not a feature we've seen confirmed, we think it a lot of sense for Tesla to integrate MyQ support into their app as well, similarly to how HomeLink is integrated. We'll have to wait and see if that's the case.

As great as MyQ integration looks, unfortunately, it looks like MyQ is ready to charge a fee for using their integration — check out the in-depth details here.

There you have it. That's just some of the new features coming to the Tesla app. If you'd like to see what else is included, be sure to check out our coverage of some of the features coming in the vehicle's Holiday Update.

So, you've spoiled some Christmas presents from Santa Musk. We won't tell.

Update: Tesla has now released this year's Holiday Update with release 2022.44.25.1. Check out the release notes to view everything included in the Holiday Update.

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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