Tesla To Add Official Support for Third-Party Services and Apps

June 28, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla appears to be adding official support for third-party services

Not a Tesla App

A new addition has surfaced in your Tesla account settings. Under Profile Settings on the web, there is a new option that will let you manage third-party applications. It appears this feature is in its emergent stage, with no way to add apps yet. However, this development signifies that Tesla could be close to releasing official support for third-party apps, giving you an official and more privacy concise way to let other services access your vehicle. These third-party apps should not be confused with the apps in your vehicle and the rumored Tesla App Store.

This update to Tesla's account page appears to have slipped under the radar until now. The option is found nestled under security options alongside multi-factor authentication under Profile Settings. The new "Third Party Apps" section appears to be a central location to give or revoke access to select third parties.

Bringing third-party apps into play could redefine the relationship between Tesla and its user base, paving the way for a more customized, privacy-focused experience.

Better, More Secure Access

Third-party applications like TeslaFi help Tesla owners track their vehicle usage. To function, these apps currently require complete access to the vehicle. However, with official third-party support, Tesla could introduce more controlled access, providing a secure way to share specific vehicle information.

In addition to added security, services like TeslaFi could benefit in terms of usability and functionality by leveraging official ways to gain access to vehicle data.

Promising Prospects: Apple Maps EV Routing and More

The integration of third-party apps could yield some exciting possibilities. One potential development is the utilization of Apple Maps EVrouting, an innovative feature that allows real-time analysis of your vehicle's route and battery charge. This tool would enable users to plan their trips more efficiently, even considering real-time EV charger availability.

Such advancements will benefit users and usher in a new age of collaboration, making driving a Tesla an even more integrated part of our connected lives.

Questions Remain on Support and Access

While Tesla's move to support third-party apps is thrilling, many questions still need answering. Will any companies be able to add support? Will there be a need for a paid developer account similar to Apple's? Will there be API fees or limitations in the API?

While it's not possible to add third-party apps right now, the ability to view services with access is already live on the Tesla site, indicating that a rollout might be around the corner. There's no doubt that this feature could significantly enhance how Tesla owners interact with their vehicles and third-party services, marking a new era of intelligent, user-friendly experiences. However, until more information is made available, all we can do is speculate on the details and eagerly anticipate what Tesla has in store for us.

Tesla FSD V12.4 - Features and Release Date

May 16, 2024

By Not a Tesla App Staff

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.

U.S. Raising Tariff Rates on Imported EVs and Batteries From China: How It Affects Tesla

May 15, 2024

By Not a Tesla App Staff

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.