Tesla is on a roll with it's app lately. We've seen numerous releases since the app was updated to version 4.0 back in August. Just yesterday Tesla released version 4.2.0 with quick action buttons in one of its widgets and much better interior details of the vehicle.
@OlympusDev/Twitter
With this same release, it looks like Tesla is starting to prepare to release a much anticipated feature in the near future, the ability to stream live video from your car.
Live Stream Video From Car
With the release of software update 2021.40, Tesla will allow you to stream live camera feeds from your car directly to your phone. You'll be able to view any of the cameras that are included in Dashcam or Sentry Mode, which include the front and rear cameras and the two side fender cameras.
"manage_permissions_bml_switch_firmware": "Available with Firmware 2021.40 and up",
"vehicle_controls_cameras": "Live Camera",
Save Video
View live camera link
@OlympusDev/Twitter
When viewing the live feed from your car, you'll also be given the chance to save the video directly to the car. It's possible that Tesla will allow you to save it to your phone, but judging by the fact that Tesla is requiring your car to have a USB drive in order to stream video and that there is a new API endpoint to save dashcam footage, it's likely that the recorded video will be saved to your car instead of your phone.
View Sentry Clips and Dashcam Footage
In addition to being able to view live video from your car, and notably more useful. You'll now be able to remotely view Sentry Mode clips instead of having to wait until you get back to your car.
You'll likely be presented from a similar interface that appears in your car to view Sentry Mode and Dashcam clips and you'll be able to view and delete them.
Requirements
There will be a few requirements before you're allowed to stream video to your phone. Your car will obviously need to have the ability to use the Dashcam and Sentry Mode features, which require a vehicle with FSD HW 2.5 or higher. It will also require your vehicle to have software update 2021.40 or higher.
In addition, before being able to initialize the video stream, Tesla will require that your car be in park, have all doors closed and for no one to be in the car. Tesla is making these requirements presumably for privacy concerns around spying on individuals in a private environment.
Premium Connectivity Required
It's strongly suspected that your vehicle will need to be subscribed to Tesla's Premium Connectivity or be connected to WiFi in order to stream live video or remotely view Dashcam or Sentry Mode videos.
Tesla will very likely not introduce a higher priced connectivity option. Tesla already allows you to stream video services for unlimited periods. The bandwidth required to stream your car's cameras will be fairly small when compared to streaming video.
Limitations / Daily Limit
Tesla will impose a daily viewing limit on how long you can remotely monitor your vehicle with video. This is likely to prevent users from live streaming video for long periods of time. For example, if they went out to dinner, started a live stream and set their phone down.
I suspect the daily limit will be more than reasonable and you'll be unlikely to reach the limit unless you're trying to use your car as a security camera.
Talk to Car From Your Phone
When monitoring your car remotely, you'll be able to talk directly to your phone and have your voice come out of the car. This will require your vehicle to be equipped with the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS). Basically, if you have the Boombox feature, then you have the PWS.
In addition to being able to talk to the car from your phone, you'll also be able to honk the horn and flash your car's lights to alert anyone around your vehicle.
This snippet was found in the latest Tesla app:
"Tesla allows you to use your microphone to speak through your car or attach videos when scheduling service for your vehicle",
If you don't, then for some models Tesla can retrofit the PWS for a couple hundred dollars, although it's not available on all model years. Your car will need to already be wired to support the outdoor speaker.
I can see this feature being fun, but also useful. If there's someone seriously looking at your vehicle with ill intent, then what better way to deter them then to talk to them. They'll likely think that you're walking up to the car and walk away.
Of course, I'm sure there will be lots of humorous ways owners will use this feature as well.
Unfortunately, because Teslas do not (yet) have external microphones, this will be one-way audio. So you'll be able to talk to the individuals, but unfortunately unable to hear their surprised or funny reactions.
In-Car Purchases
As we talked about back in August, Tesla is adding in-car purchases. Features that you can buy directly on your phone today will become available in the vehicle as well. Features such as adding the FSD subscription, Performance Boost and others will now be only a couple taps away.
According to information in the latest iOS app, this feature will also be added in the 2021.40 software update.
As the owner of the vehilce, you'll see be able to limit in-car purchases as well, much like you can limit in-app purchases on other platforms.
Software updates have contained slightly less than usual lately as Tesla focuses on FSD and catching up on the new Model S software, but 2021.40 is surely to be an exciting release, even if this was the only feature in it.
Stay tuned for more.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
According to a new report from Business Insider, Tesla is planning a week-long production pause for the Cybertruck and Model Y lines at Giga Texas. On the surface, the reason seems pretty straightforward: maintenance and line upgrades.
But Tesla has been infamous for never shutting down lines unless it's an absolute production necessity. Given that this is the third production pause in the last 12 months, this suggests that Tesla is planning something other than routine maintenance.
Official Story
The facts, as reported by BI, are fairly straightforward. Tesla will be shutting down the Model Y and Cybertruck lines from June 30th to July 4th. In a staff meeting at Giga Texas, Tesla stated that the pause would enable maintenance and upgrades to help ramp up production.
While this could seem odd for the recently updated Model Y and Cybertruck lines, it also makes sense as Tesla continuously makes production improvements, rather than waiting for model year updates.
There definitely feels like there’s more to this story than a simple pause, but the timing and context suggest this pause is far more significant.
The Affordable Model
The key to this shutdown is Tesla’s strategy for its more affordable model. Tesla has pivoted away from building Giga Mexico, and is instead planning to build both the Cybercab with its unboxed assembly process, as well as the next-gen affordable vehicle at Giga Texas.
For now, Tesla plans to build the affordable model based on existing production lines within Giga Texas, rather than build a standalone line. This is mostly because Tesla intends for the affordable model to have a high part familiarity with the Model 3 and Model Y.
The Model Y line, in particular, is the prime candidate for this retooling. It is Tesla's most refined high-volume production line, and the tooling and equipment on the line are perfectly suited to enable Tesla’s quick transition to producing the new model.
A week-long shutdown is not enough time for a complete overhaul, but it is the perfect window to begin preparatory work. This could include installing new mounting points for future robotics, rerouting utilities, or even running initial trials for new assembly processes in a portion of the line.
Timing is Everything
This theory makes even more sense in the context of recent events. The cheaper model was initially planned for the first half of 2025, but following reported delays, the timing seems right for Tesla to start incorporating changes to support the new vehicle. While Tesla initially planned for a cheaper model to be based on the Cybercab with its unboxed assembly, they decided to produce one based on the current assembly line to get to market sooner. This isn’t the cheaper, “$25k” vehicle we were all hoping for, but instead a more affordable version of the Model 3 or Model Y.
While the Cybertruck line is likely undergoing standard ramp-up tweaks, the shutdown of the Model Y line likely presents something more. While it could also include maintenance and incorporate updated tools, it may include changes required for the newer model.
More Than Maintenance
While the official reason reported by Business Insider seems fairly plausible, there’s always more under the surface when it comes to major decisions like this with Tesla. Using the planned maintenance window to quietly begin the process of retooling is the kind of move we expect from Tesla.
Just days before Tesla’s planned launch of the Robotaxi network in Austin, a group of local lawmakers has sent a letter to Tesla, urging them to delay the launch. Citing a new state law set to take effect on September 1st, the letter asks Tesla to pause its launch until it can formally comply with the new framework.
On the surface, this could sound like a significant roadblock. However, upon closer examination of the lawmaker’s concerns, the requirements of the new law, and the upcoming unified federal autonomy regulations, the request may be more political theater than a genuine obstacle.
In fact, Tesla’s Robotaxi service appears to already meet the spirit—and likely the letter—of the upcoming regulatory framework.
The Letter and the Law
The letter, penned by State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, formally requests that Tesla postpone its planned Robotaxi launch this month until the new and more comprehensive autonomous vehicle law is in effect on September 1st. It's important to note that this isn’t a legal injunction; it doesn’t have any power, and Tesla is under no obligation to comply or even reply. The letter is a formal request, a piece of political pressure intended to encourage proactive compliance.
So, what does this new law demand? It has five key requirements for autonomous vehicle operation in Texas.
Barely A Speed Bump
A detailed look reveals that Tesla's existing technology and practices likely already meet every single requirement of the upcoming regulations, so let’s dive in.
1) Capable of operating in compliance with state traffic laws.
This is the fundamental purpose of FSD - complying with traffic laws to get a passenger from Point A to Point B. The system is designed to adhere to traffic laws, and in fact, sometimes sticks to them too closely (like the NHTSA stop).
2) Equipped with a recording device.
This is probably the easiest requirement when you look at a Tesla. Every vehicle is a rolling 360-degree security suite, equipped with multiple cameras and internal sensors that document every action taken by the vehicle.
3) Compliant with federal law, including federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Tesla is currently deploying Model Ys for its Robotaxi network pilot, which means that they are fully compliant with FMVSS standards. This will likely change once Cybercab begins to deploy, but the NHTSA is working on accelerating federal regulation for vehicles without driver controls in the near future.
4) Capable of achieving a “minimal risk condition” if the automated system is rendered inoperable.
When the system detects a critical fault or issue it cannot handle, it must slow down, activate hazard lights, and pull over to a safe location at the side of the road. That is very doable, and likely within Tesla’s calculations for how they will handle system aborts and other incidents. In fact, the Model Y robotaxis with a safety driver in the passenger seat have been spotted with buttons on the screen that say “Emergency Stop” and “Pullover.”
5) Registered, Titled, and Insured under Texas law.
This is a bog-standard requirement. Every vehicle operator must meet those three requirements, and as Tesla’s Model Ys currently driving the roads in Austin are sporting manufacturer plates, this is likely already done.
While these Texas lawmakers are asking for a pause, the NHTSA is actively working to make it easier for companies like Tesla to deploy autonomous vehicles. This state-level scrutiny, while perhaps well-intentioned, is a clear example of the challenge of deploying a national network under fragmented regulations.
Ultimately, this letter is unlikely to be anything more than a political statement. It will be logged and acknowledged, but it presents no new technical or legal hurdles for Tesla to clear before its planned launch. For an autonomous future, this isn't even a bump in the road.
![Tesla Launches 'TeslaVision' Contest With Big Prizes — See Last Year’s Winner [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2025/tesla-vision.webp/0458df1c6ed085c427608f0cf762de64/tesla-vision.jpg)
