Earlier this year Elon Musk said that Tesla will be moving car profile settings to the cloud. Any Tesla will automatically adjust to you, Musk said.
We saw the first signs of profile syncing back in version 2021.40. In this update, Tesla had references to a new feature called "Cloud Profiles," and mentioned vehicle syncing for individual driver profiles.
In 2021.40 we got a sneak peek at the UI for Cloud Profiles and how it may function.
Then in late December, Twitter @Kristennetten asked Elon if she updated her home address in her profile, whether the address would also update in her car. Elon explicitly said that this was a feature that was coming in the future.
The feature has yet to become available, but with the release of 2022.8.2, we're now seeing some additional changes related to Cloud Profiles in the car's firmware.
According to Tesla enthusiast @greentheonly, Tesla has added additional code to the 2022.8 release related to cloud profiles.
There's now a new Account Link (Beta) section according to Greentheonly, which will let you link a Tesla account to a specific vehicle profile.
Once your Tesla account is linked to a car profile, that car's profile will automatically appear in any other Teslas under your account.
These vehicles could be rentals or owned by you. As long as they show up in your Tesla app then your car profile will become available on that vehicle.
Looks like cloud accounts are getting a boost. There's now "Account Link (Beta)" where you can link/unlink a car profile to online account, and you can set a recovery pin too. When you unlink a profile from account, it disappears from all other cars except current
Some of us have multiple profiles for different use cases. Some popular profile options are to create one for driving in the snow with lower regenerative braking and less acceleration.
Sometimes owners like to create a different profile whether they're driving with a thick jacket on or high heels, or even a profile for driving a more related state.
It's not clear whether Tesla will allow you to sync multiple profiles to a single Tesla account, or if you'll be limited to one.
In the car's Profiles menu, there will be a new option under each profile that will let you choose whether that profile is linked to your Tesla account.
Having your car profile sync to multiple vehicles will be especially useful when renting a Tesla. It'll provide a consistent experience across vehicles and it'll save you time from having to adjust preferences such as your seat, mirrors, music preferences, and more.
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 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.
Your Autopilot and navigation settings are also saved to your profile and those would carry over to other vehicles as well.
Seat and mirror positions are saved for each driver as well, however, we only expect these settings to carry over if the Tesla models are the same. For example, your seat position wouldn't carry over from a Model 3 to a Model X, but it would be from a Model 3 to a Model 3 or maybe even a Model Y.
Tesla will also include options for you to unlink your vehicle profile from your Tesla account, which will cause the profile to disappear from other vehicles that it's synced to.
It's not clear when Tesla will launch Cloud Profiles, but it looks like it has been in development for a while now and with the recent findings in the public build of 2022.8.2, we may see this feature in the near future.
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With the first Tesla Robotaxi rides starting shortly for early access users in Austin, Tesla has published a detailed set of rules for its first passengers.
They outline everything from who can ride to how you can behave in a car with no driver, and are designed to ensure safety. Tesla is using a safety monitor during the initial rollout phases, so the front passenger seat will not be available for customers.
Who Can Ride
Tesla has laid out clear guidelines on who is eligible to be a passenger, as well as some expected in-car conduct.
You must be at least 18 years old to book a ride and to ride alone. Riders are permitted to bring one guest, provided that the guest is also over the age of 18. You cannot book a ride for another person; the account holder must be present for the entire trip.
That’s all pretty straightforward, and we expect Tesla to relax some of the rules in the coming months. That means that once the safety monitor is gone, the number could increase to three or four.
How to Behave
All passengers must remain seated with their seatbelts fastened for the entire duration of the ride. There is a strict prohibition on smoking, vaping, or consuming alcohol or other drugs inside the vehicle.
Riders are also asked to be courteous and leave the Robotaxi in the same condition as they found it. Those who damage or dirty the vehicle may be charged an additional, currently unspecified fee after the ride.
Hands Off: Driverless Vehicle
This is where the rules get a bit more interesting, focusing on the unique fact that the Model Ys that Tesla is using still have driver controls.
Riders are prohibited from sitting in the front-left driver’s seat. Additionally, riders must not tamper with, modify, or attempt to physically manipulate any vehicle equipment, including the steering wheel and pedals.
Interestingly, Tesla also has a rule on reverse-engineering and intellectual property protection. While photos and videos of the experience are permitted, riders are prohibited from bringing onboard instruments or equipment intended to record, measure, or conduct surveillance on Robotaxi.
Service Animal Exception
For riders with disabilities, Tesla has outlined a specific policy. Only small service animals that are trained to work or perform tasks are permitted in the vehicle. No other pets are allowed.
However, riders are not required to provide proof; however, support may ask you to confirm that the animal is required due to a disability and what task it is trained to perform.
At this point, we’re not sure whether Tesla will allow non-service animals in its Robotaxi Network in the near future. It would make sense if they did - many people travel with their pets, or need to take them from one location to another - but for now, only service animals will be allowed.
Tesla is definitely taking a safety-first approach in the initial launch, and with the presence of the Safety Monitor, they’re being very cautious. There is a long way to go before the average person becomes comfortable with an autonomous vehicle with no one in the driver’s seat, and building public trust is a good first step.
After several sets of spy shots showing camouflaged prototypes, the new Model Y Performance has finally broken cover in the German Alps. The performance variant was finally spotted completely undisguised and driving on public roads.
The video, captured by Nextmove on YouTube, gives us a great look at some differentiating features of the Performance variant.
Performance Model Aerodynamics
The new video confirms that the Model Y Performance model will receive a unique and more aggressive aerodynamics package. Clearly visible in the video is a new rear diffuser on the lower bumper, which is much more pronounced than the one on the standard Model Y.
Also confirmed is the longer, carbon fiber spoiler on the liftgate. Tesla is sticking with the carbon fiber look for its Performance variants, and this one in particular appears to be longer than the one on the original Model Y Performance.
New Badge & Wheels
Carscoops
For the first time, on what is likely a production-intent vehicle, we can make out a blurry shot of what appears to be a performance badge on the right side of the trunk. While the exact details are hard to make out, it appears to be a new icon in orange or red, similar in design to the Model 3 Performance Ludicrous badging.
The vehicle is also sporting the same new Performance wheels that were previously seen on the prototype, making the rounds on the Nürburgring. These unique wheels appear to be exclusive to the Performance variant, and look like they’re the first staggered option for the new Model Y.
Launch Soon
The appearance of a fully uncovered vehicle driving on public roads is typically one of the final stages for Tesla before it launches a new vehicle. We saw this with the lightly refreshed Model S and Model X just recently. While the key visual differentiators are all but confirmed, we’re still waiting on the most important parts: the official 0-60 mph time and details on the updated dynamics. It’s clear Tesla has some engineering magic working behind the scenes, and we can't wait to see the final results.
