Exclusive: Tesla adding 'Vehicle Sync' feature to driver profiles

By Nuno Cristovao

Earlier this year Elon Musk said via Twitter that Tesla will be moving all info and settings to the cloud. He said that any Tesla will automatically adjust to you.

Yesterday, Tesla released their latest update, version 2021.40. In this release there is a reference to a new feature called “Cloud Profiles,” which gives the user the option to 'Enable Vehicle Sync' for individual driver profiles.

Tesla Cloud Profiles
Tesla 'Cloud Profiles' enable vehicle syncing

The feature isn't ready yet, but in 2021.40 we get a sneak peek at the UI of Cloud Profiles and how it may function.

Vehicle Sync

In the Profiles menu, there will be a new option under each profile called 'Enable Vehicle Sync'. It looks like enabling this option will enable your Tesla to sync the given driver profile to other vehicles in your Tesla app.

If you own multiple Teslas, use a loaner or rent a Tesla, you will then be able to keep your profile settings the same across your vehicles. When you change a setting, it'll automatically be carried over to your other vehicles.

This will be especially useful when renting a Tesla (Hertz, we're looking at you). You likely won't want to go through every menu in the car and adjust them to your preference. You may not even remember what setting you have some settings set to.

This could be important for certain settings such as 'Stopping Mode'. When you first get in the car, you may expect it to behave like your own Tesla and if the Stopping Mode is set to something else like roll, it could potentially cause you to roll unexpectedly.

If you rent a Tesla or use one as a loaner, it'll feel almost magical being able to get in it and have it automatically adjust to you.

Car settings are either saved on a per-profile basis or saved globally for everyone who drivers the car. We expect that any profile-based settings will automatically carry over to your other vehicles.

Some of the settings that are saved per profile are display brightness, auto high beams, temperature and distance units and stop mode.

Your Autopilot and navigation settings are also saved individually for each driver and those would carry over to other vehicles as well.

Although seat and mirror positions are saved for each driver as well, we don't expect these settings to sync to other vehicles because different models have different dynamics.

It's possible that Tesla would allow seat and mirror positions to sync for the same Tesla models, but this is yet to be seen.

Tesla is already testing vehicle syncing of driver profiles in this latest, 2021.40 release. We expect the Cloud Profiles feature to be available in a software update later this year.

You can read Tesla's release notes for update 2021.40.

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

By Karan Singh
@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

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

By Karan Singh
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 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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