Tesla to enhance it's alternate routes feature in an upcoming update
@TeslaRedThunder
When @greentheonly "peeks" into Tesla firmware, we pay attention. The well-known Tesla hacker has alerted us to changes for years. While sometimes he provides deep analysis of what he finds, other times it can be as simple as a few words that cause the Tesla community to go down the rabbit hole. The latest revelations found in the 2023.38 software update, reveal some enticing upcoming enhancements.
Supercharger Congestion Fees
Tesla cleverly addresses Supercharger availability concerns by bringing congestion fees for those charging beyond 80% at busy stations. This is a way to optimize station usage and a countermeasure against users extending their charge to dodge idle fees. With this change, Tesla promotes efficient Supercharger use, ensuring more users can access them when needed.
Object-on-Road Detection & Communication
Tesla's vision system is set to redefine real-time road awareness. Taking a leaf out of Waze's playbook but enhancing it significantly, Tesla will employ its cars as the sensors to feed the rest of the fleet in the area. When a Tesla detects an obstacle or hazard, other Teslas will promptly display the hazard on the map. This leap in connectivity leapfrogs apps like Waze which requires users to input road construction or hazards manually through the app.
Such a feature synergizes with the recent Emergency Safety Solutions, Inc. partnership. This company developed the recently enhanced hazard light pattern system on Tesla models. But it also has the Hazard Enhanced Location Protocol (HELP) software. It is primed to send digital signals to pre-warn drivers of looming hazards.
Every seven minutes, a disabled vehicle is involved in a crash on American roads. An alarming 15,000 injuries or fatalities annually. Given the startling statistics around crashes involving stationary vehicles, Tesla's adoption of HELP is a monumental stride towards safer roads.
Dynamic Alternate Route Suggestions
An upcoming software update will dynamically offer alternate route suggestions. Building on last year's introduction of an alternate route feature, Tesla drivers will be kept consistently informed about potential route changes, reminiscent of the dynamic route updates offered by Google Maps.
Autodial Emergency Services
Safety remains paramount for Tesla. According to Green's findings, Tesla is also looking to introduce an option to autodial 911 if an airbag deploys. In places where e-call isn't mandated, the system can tap into a connected phone via Bluetooth, ensuring that help is always a button away, irrespective of the region.
Release Date
While these features were found in decompiled code in the 2023.38 update, they are still a work in progress and need further development before they're made available. While it's possible that Tesla is already testing some of the features internally, it's also possible that they'll scrap one or more of these features.
Thanks to Green's casual peek behind the curtain, many of us will be anxiously awaiting Tesla's next update and upcoming holiday release.
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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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