This year's Holiday Update was building up to be an exciting one. After last year's disappointment, Tesla was certainly not planning to repeat it again this year.
The Holiday Update was expected to be released to the first individuals on Tuesday, and just a few hours before, we're now seeing many of the new features in this year's Holiday Update.
Let's just say it's a good one. If you're the kind of person that prefers to be surprised, you may not want to scroll any further.
The Holiday Update comes in as version 2021.44.25.
Light Show
Tesla Light Show
Emulsifide/Reddit
Just as the rumor showed yesterday, the former Model X exclusive Light Show easter egg will now be available on all Teslas.
This easter egg will have your car use its headlights, fog lights, turn signals, mirrors, and speakers to perform a coordinated light show.
The Model X's version of the easter egg plays the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It's not clear whether this easter egg will play the same song or offer a variety of songs to pick from.
Customizable App Launcher
Customize your app launcher
Emulsifide/Reddit
This one is huge. Tesla is bringing some of the "v11" software features to the Model 3 and Model Y. Technically, the new Model S is not on v11, but its new interface is often referred to as v11 or the new UI.
It's not the entire Model S UI that is being brought over to the Model 3 and Model Y, but instead some of its most functional features.
Some features such as window docking, Auto Shift, the music mini-player, and other features will remain only on the new Model S, at least for now.
This feature brings over one of the most useful features of the new UI, a customizable app launcher.
The car's bottom navigation will now feature three areas. A fixed area of icons that you can't change, a customizable area where you can put your favorite Tesla apps such as the web browser, energy graph, or Spotify, and a Recents section that will show any recent apps you've used.
For better or worse, the app icons are now also the same ones from the Model S, featuring more detailed, colorful icons.
Simplified Controls
Simplified Controls
Emulsifide/Reddit
The Model 3 and Model Y feature swipeable cards underneath the car's visualization that shows important information such as the odometer, tire pressure readings, active call information, wiper settings, and more.
The idea of the cards is good, but some crucial information was only available in these cards, which wasn't intuitive. Tesla is fixing that in this update.
Tesla is keeping some of the cards such as wiper controls, but moving most of the other information into the car's main Controls menu.
For example, to access the odometer, you will now go to Controls > Trips, much like the Model S.
For tire pressure, you can go to Controls then choose Service.
Blind Spot Camera
Blind Spot Camera
Emulsifide/Reddit
You can now choose to have your car's fender camera feed displayed directly on the screen when you activate your turn signal.
This is the same camera view that can be displayed when you put your car into reverse.
It will be an option for those that prefer not to use it.
Edit Waypoints
Edit Waypoints
Emulsifide/Reddit
Tesla introduced Waypoints just a few weeks ago. So many owners were excited to receive the update, but now, even before many owners have received waypoints, Tesla has a major update to it.
When waypoints was introduced, you needed to add destinations starting with your final destination first, as there was no way to reorder the destinations.
With this update Tesla is making waypoints more flexible, you will now be able to add, remove or reorder waypoints.
TikTok
TikTok
Emulsifide/Reddit
TikTok will now be the latest video service added to your Tesla. It will require Tesla's Premium Connectivity plan unless you're on WiFi and it will be available alongside other streaming services in Tesla Theater.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog
Emulsifide/Reddit
This was another suspected feature in this year's holiday update. Elon and Sega both confirmed that the original Sonic game will be playable inside of Teslas in the near future.
Like many of Tesla's other games, this one will also support a controller. Check our list of all controllers compatible with your Tesla, as you may already have one that works.
The Battle of Polytopia - Multiplayer Support
Multiplayer Support
Emulsifide/Reddit
Tesla added The Battle of Polytopia, a civilization-type game late last year. Tesla has now expanded the game to include multiplayer support.
Sudoku
Sudoku game
Emulsifide/Reddit
Late last year Elon was asked on Twitter whether the game Sudoku could be added to Teslas. Elon responded with one of his typical, "sure" replies.
And a year later, we have Sudoku.
It looks like the game will have various difficulty levels and hints. Like most Tesla games, it should also save your progress so that you can continue your puzzle next time.
Cold Weather Improvements
Cold Weather Improvements
Emulsifide/Reddit
Honestly, I'm not sure why Tesla is still using this term. I feel like we're all tired of seeing it and it causes an unintentional eye roll for many.
However, it looks like there is something worth mentioning here. You will now be able to precondition your car even if you have a low battery.
Previously if your battery had less than a 20% charge, you would not be able to precondition the car. It looks like Tesla will now let you precondition your car unless your car's battery is very low.
Automatic Seat Heaters
Automated seat heaters
Emulsifide/Reddit
This was another feature that Elon said was coming soon earlier this year.
Tesla is simplifying the seat heater controls by turning the seat heater button into a single on/off button, instead of having four different settings (off, level 1, 2, and 3).
The temperature of your seat will instead vary based on the temperature of the cabin and what the climate system is set to.
You will continue to be able to set your seat heater manually if you don't have your HVAC system set to auto.
Manage Dashcam Clips
Delete all events
Emulsifide/Reddit
Tesla's dashcam is a fantastic feature, but it's easy to accrue a bunch of clips that later need to be deleted one by one.
With this update, Tesla will now let you delete all dashcam clips with a single tap in the main Controls menu.
Many users would have preferred to be able to manually select multiple Dashcam or Sentry Mode clips directly from the Dashcam Viewer and delete them that way, but this is a nice feature to have nonetheless.
Dark Mode
Dark Mode
Emulsifide/Reddit
Tesla already supported light and night modes that would automatically switch based on the time of day.
However, Tesla is now introducing a new Dark Mode that will presumably be more usable during the day.
Tesla's previous night display was often difficult to see in bright situations. This mode is expected to use darker colors and increased contrast instead of the grays used in night mode.
Hide Map Details
Hide pins
Emulsifide/Reddit
Continuing with Tesla's theme of simplifying the display and controls, Tesla will now let you hide unneeded map information.
This new feature allows you to hide nearby locations that normally appear as a pin on the map.
It looks like these are the majority of the features in this year's holiday update.
These features are based on what an owner has received in their Model 3. There may be some additional features for other Model 3 configurations or features that may be exclusive to the Model S or Model X.
Ganesh Venkataramanan, Tesla’s project lead for its ambitious Dojo supercomputer project for the past five years, has left the company. Bloomberg reported this development, stating that the news was confirmed by sources familiar with the matter. Peter Bannon, a former executive at Apple Inc. and a director at Tesla for the last seven years, has now taken the helm of the project.
Venkataramanan's departure from Tesla last month is now stirring conversations about the potential impacts on Tesla's future initiatives. His contributions to the Dojo project have been pivotal, especially in designing the custom D1 chip that powers the supercomputer. Venkataramanan, with his extensive experience, including a significant tenure at Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), was a crucial asset in setting up Tesla’s AI hardware and silicon teams in 2016.
Dojo: A Cornerstone for Tesla’s Self-Driving Aspirations
The Dojo supercomputer is a critical element of Tesla's strategy to enhance its self-driving capabilities. Designed to train machine learning models integral to Tesla's autonomous systems, Dojo processes vast amounts of data captured by Tesla vehicles. This rapid data processing is essential for improving the company’s algorithms, with analysts suggesting that Dojo could be a significant competitive advantage for Tesla. In a recent estimation by Morgan Stanley, the project could potentially add $500 billion to Tesla’s value.
Elon Musk has been vocal about the company's commitment to the Dojo project, planning an investment exceeding $1 billion by the end of 2024. The project's importance was underscored in Tesla's decision to shift from relying on Nvidia Corp.’s supercomputers to developing Dojo, poised to rival systems from Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and IBM.
Looking Ahead: Impact and Future Prospects
The recent leadership changes raise questions about the future direction of the Dojo project. Venkataramanan's exit, coupled with the departure of another critical artificial intelligence player from Tesla last year, Andrej Karpathy, signals a transition period for the company’s AI and self-driving teams.
However, Tesla's robust talent pool, blending experienced and emerging professionals, offers a silver lining. Bannon's promotion to lead the Dojo project is seen as a strategic move, leveraging his experience and insights gained from his tenure at Apple. Moreover, the recent installation of Dojo hardware in Palo Alto, California, marks a step forward in centralizing and enhancing the project’s capabilities.
Tesla’s ambitions for Dojo extend to making it one of the world’s top supercomputers. The company envisions reaching a computational capability of 100 exaflops* by October 2024, a testament to its commitment to advancing artificial intelligence and self-driving technology.
* Confused about "exaflops?" "Flops" stands for Floating Point Operations Per Second. It's a way to measure how fast a computer can process data. "Exa" means a billion billion, or 1, followed by 18 zeros (1,000,000,000,000,000,000). So, when we say a computer can perform 100 exaflops, it can do 100 billion billion calculations per second. That's incredibly fast!
Tesla is adding a new 'High Fidelity Park Assist' feature in this year's Holiday Update
Tesla
Following initial reactions to Tesla's 2023 Holiday Update, Elon Musk acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, "We need to step up our game." His post on X was followed by Tesla shedding more light on the Holiday Update than what was in the initial leak.
Call me old, but I remember a time when you bought a car, and that was it; the dealer and manufacturer didn’t give you anything else. So is the Tesla community acting a little bit spoiled here? Absolutely. But it also shows how high Tesla has set the bar with its previous Holiday Updates.
Initial Release and Feedback
The initial release of the 2023 Holiday Update, version 2023.44.25, received mixed reactions from the Tesla community, with some owners expressing disappointment over the lack of groundbreaking new features. But the newly announced features may serve as better stocking stuffers.
The initial rollout included something owners have been asking for, the blind spot monitor. The camera that turns on when you change lanes will now have a red color added if there is something in your blind spot. It’s not clear whether it will be accompanied by a tone.
Tesla’s blind spot warning in this year’s holiday update
Here are other features in the leaked update that are being tested by employees:
Navigation and Safety Features: Including symbols for speed cameras, stop signs, and traffic lights in navigation, and the automatic 911 call feature in case of an accident.
Trip Planning via Tesla Mobile App: Allowing for more detailed trip planning, including multiple stops and charging points.
Apple Podcasts Integration: Allowing users to sync with Apple devices for a seamless podcast experience, directly addressing the demand for a richer in-car entertainment system.
New Games and Enhancements: The update brought updates to Tesla Arcade, with Beach Buggy Racing and Polytopia Diplomacy updates, as well as the Vampire Survivors Chilling update.
Light Show Improvements: There’s a new light show that’s included with your vehicle. You’ll also be able to upload several light shows on a single USB drive and pick one from the vehicle, instead of having to use multiple USB drives, one for each light show.
More Live Sentry Mode Cameras: You will now be able to view the B-pillar cameras directly from the Tesla app. This brings the number of viewable cameras in the app up to seven. The only ones still missing are the alternative front-facing cameras that are telephoto and wide-angle, which wouldn’t bring much additional value. Although the B-pillars are viewable in the app with this update, they will still not be used to record during Dashcam or Sentry Mode events.
High-Fidelity Park Assist
Tesla's new parking assist feature will dynamically recreate scenes in real-time
Tesla
In response to the feedback and Musk's statement, Tesla unveiled additional features in its updated holiday update, including an improved park assist with enhanced visualizations.
This feature provides a 3D reconstruction of the vehicle's surroundings while parking, akin to a 360-degree camera system found in other high-end vehicles. The system is clearly leveraging improvements to Tesla Vision to create the surrounding environment, such as cars, pillars and walls.
This feature also appears to change the color of objects depending on how close they are to your vehicle. In the image we can see the pillars are orange, but if we look closer, the object behind the vehicle is also orange near the bottom. The sides of the vehicles next to the Tesla also have a slight hint of orange, indicating their proximity.
However, it looks like this feature may be even better than it initially looks. The vehicles in the image aren’t just predefined 3D models that Tesla created, like the ones used in Autopilot visualizations. These models appear to be dynamically created using vision, so that no two cars would look alike, much more similar to what LiDar is able to achieve. The visualization provides a true representation of the environment around the vehicle. You can see that each vehicle is made up from layers and have blurred edges toward the rear, where the camera would have a hard time seeing.
These 3D models could be a sneak peek at the future of FSD visualizations.
High-Fidelity Park Assist Requirements
A big question on everyone’s mind is who will receive this new park assist feature. Tesla didn’t address this in their post on X besides providing a disclaimer that the features in the holiday release are subject to model and region availability. Tesla often likes to test features in select markets before making them available everywhere. It’s hard to say whether that will be the case here. There likely aren’t any legal ramifications around providing visualizations, so that’s a good sign that this feature will be available in most regions, either in the holiday update, or soon afterward.
However, there are still questions around which models or hardware will be required. From the image shared, we can see it’s offered on a Model Y, removing any speculation of it possibly requiring the HD radar in the new Model S/X. We also don’t think it will require FSD hardware 4.0, so the remaining questions are whether it requires MCU 3, or the FSD package.
Given that Tesla is calling this Park Assist, it doesn’t appear to be linked to Auto Park, which is a FSD package feature. When Tesla rolled out visual and audio alerts for vehicles without ultrasonic sensors, it called the feature Park Assist, and that was available to all owners.
Whether this improved Park Assist feature requires a vehicle with MCU 3 will depend on the level of processing power required. It’ll certainly require more than the current visualizations given that its building the scene in real-time, so we’re hopeful that it’ll work on MCU 2 vehicles too, but we just don’t have enough information right now to make the call.
Custom Lock Sounds
Soon you'll be able to choose a custom locking sound for your car
Not a Tesla App
Tesla also announced a fun and whimsical feature that allows owners to customize the lock sound of their Tesla. No longer will you need to listen to the car’s horn when it locks as you walk away. Now you’ll be able to customize the lock sound of the vehicle. Tesla is including several options, including sounds like a screaming goat, a jingle, a rubber ducky, a quack sound, an old school horn and applause. However, you’ll also be able to upload your own file to create a truly unique experience.
You can pick anything, from a bird’s tweet to a favorite video game sound. You’ll only be limited by the maximum upload file size, which according to a Tesla engineer, is a 1MB file in WAV format, which is roughly about 40 seconds at good quality.
This feature is possible due to the vehicle’s external pedestrian warning speaker. So if you have Tesla’s Boombox feature or your vehicle makes a sound when traveling under 20 MPH, then you should receive this fun enhancement.
Rear Seat Audio and Gaming
You'll now be able to play games on Tesla's rear screens
Tesla
Enhancing the Tesla Arcade experience, passengers in the rear seats can now play games on the rear touchscreen. This feature, especially when paired with Tesla Arcade’s compatibility with PS4, PS5, Xbox Controllers, and rear-screen Bluetooth Headsets, is a welcome addition for families and long trips.
Much like the new Model 3, which received rear audio over Bluetooth support in the 2023.38 update, the new Model S and Model X will also receive this ability in the holiday update.
New Game - Castle Doombad
Tesla announced one other feature in the 2023 holiday update that hadn’t been previously leaked, and that’s a new game called Castle Doombad. Castle Doombad is a single player tower defense, puzzle-like game that’s currently available on iOS and Android, but has an upcoming release on PC and the Nintendo Switch. This game is expected to require MCU 3.
Release Timeline
The rollout of the 2023 Holiday Update is expected to follow a similar timeline to last year. Tesla announced that the update will roll out starting next week. However, it’s not clear whether this will also include FSD Beta testers that are on a 2023.27 update.
Like a spoiled child on Christmas morning, Tesla owners still ask, “Is that it?” Well… possibly, but there may be more to look forward to early next year as Tesla builds off of the new High-Fidelity Park Assist feature.
Advanced Smart Summon: Upgrading the Smart Summon feature to be more intuitive and efficient, especially in complex parking scenarios.
Reverse Summon / Park Seek: What happened to Tesla dropping its passengers and driver off at the location and then finding a parking spot on its own?
Enhanced FSD Visualizations: Expanding the Full Self-Driving visualizations to more regions or models or completely recreating the FSD visualizations using the same neural networks Tesla is using for the High-Fidelity Park Assist feature.
TeslaFi logs your drives and charging sessions, letting you keep a log of your vehice's activity. We highly recommend checking them out if you use your car for business trips and would like to keep track of reimbursements, if you like to see how much you spend on charging or if you just love statistics. Visit their site and see everything they have to offer!
The EV Universe newsletter reports distill more than 100 EV news sources into a 10-minute read every week. We cover both Tesla and the rest of the EV industry. Join over 3,000 EV geeks like us and subscribe to the free weekly newsletter here.
Tesla Android Project enables you to run Android apps in your Tesla. The platform is Open Source and you can deploy it on your own Raspberry Pi 4. Consider supporting the initiative by donating or purchasing the Compute Module 4 Bundle that delivers the best experience. Get $20 off by using the code: NotATeslaApp
The official Tesla app only notifies you if your car is broken into. By installing Sentry Pro on your phone, you will be notified for all Sentry Mode events. Stay connected and avoid potential surprises by receiving notifications. Stop constantly checking the cameras to ensure safety. Check only when necessary, save battery and get peace of mind. Get a 7 day free trial here!
TeslaBox delivers real-time video notifications for every Sentry and Dashcam event, continuously backs up all footage without hitting record, and enables remote file browsing. No wiring. Installs alongside your standard USB stick.
Find out how to become a sponsor and have your site listed here.
Although we share official Tesla release notes, we are not affiliated with Tesla Motors. We are Tesla fans and supporters.
