Tesla to add more customization options in the launcher with 2022.12

2022.12 will include additional launcher options

Tesla introduced v11 last December to much fanfare. The software included many new features. It also included a redesign that changed some UI elements and relocated several key features.

As Tesla adds features over many years, a redesign can often help clean up the UI and bring a cohesive look to the software. However, some features were moved behind menus, making them more difficult to find and requiring multiple taps to turn them on.

Some features that were easily accessible before such as changing Driver Profiles, turning on seat heaters, and saving your dashcam became harder to access. Tesla has slowly been making minor adjustments to make these features more easily accessible.

Driver Profiles are now available at the top of the status bar again, although only while in Park. If you have the Dashcam icon in the launcher, you can now tap it while driving to save the last ten minutes of footage.

However, most of these changes have been relatively minor and many owners are still waiting for further improvements.

Additional Launcher Customization

2022.12 will include additional launcher options

TechAU.com.au

It looks like we may finally see some of those improvements in 2022.12.

We don't have any details yet, but it looks like one of the new features in the 2022.12 update will be additional launcher customizations.

In v11 Tesla introduced the ability to customize the bottom launcher. Unfortunately, many buttons that were previously available in the launcher were removed and could no longer be added in the new customizable version.

This included some critical vehicle functions such as wipers, seat heaters and window defrost.

With 2022.12, we're going to see some of these buttons re-introduced into the launcher. The launcher will remain customizable, so only those owners who need or want these buttons will have them show up in the launcher.

Front and rear window defrost and windshield wipers are almost certainly going to be included in this update, and it's likely that seat heaters will be added as well.

Before v11, the launcher contained icons for, Controls, Music, Apps, Driver seat heater, Climate, Passenger seat heater, front windshield defrost, rear windshield defrost, and volume.

The Tesla launcher before v11

With v11 the launcher changed to Controls, Driver climate, Customized apps, All apps, Recent apps, Passenger climate, and Volume.

On a Model 3 and Model Y, the UI lets you add up to four customized buttons. The number of recent apps will vary depending on how many apps you have customized, but you'll always have at least one.

The number of buttons in the launcher before and after v11 is almost the same. One reason why the v11 launcher appears to contain less is that Tesla split up their music app into separate apps. Instead of having a single Music app like before, we now have multiple icons for Bluetooth, FM radio, Spotify, etc.

While this makes it more convenient to jump directly to the source you want to listen to, it does require more room in the launcher, leaving less room for other buttons such as wipers and seat heaters.

Hopefully, Tesla allows for additional buttons in the launcher or finds ways to conserve space.

Some possibilities include combining some of the buttons, such as front and rear window defrosts, or only showing the passenger climate icon when there's a passenger in the seat. Tesla could also allow the removal of the volume control, move it to another location or also only display it when there is a passenger.

I wouldn't expect 2022.12 to include everything we're looking for in the launcher, as Tesla probably has further improvements they'd like to make.

However, I expect 2022.12 will include the return of many of the buttons that some of us have been missing for the last several months.

Be sure to check out the additional features in the 2022.12 software update.

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Tesla Introduces Hands-Free Frunk Opening in Update 2024.32.3

Not a Tesla App

In Tesla’s upcoming update, 2024.32.3, Tesla has added hands-free support for opening the vehicle’s frunk. This follows the Spring Update (2024.14), which added Hands-Free Trunk support for certain vehicles.

When hands-free trunk support was added earlier this year, it was supported on vehicles that include an ultra wideband chip, which includes the refresh Model S, new Model X, and the 2024 Model 3. Due to the hardware requirement, these will be the same vehicles that support the new Hands-Free Frunk feature. Legacy vehicles without UWB will unfortunately not support either feature due to the hardware requirement. UWB enables far more accurate tracking of the phone key, allowing Tesla to pinpoint its exact location relative to the vehicle.

The Cybertruck interestingly also includes an ultra wideband chip, however, it didn’t include the automatic opening of the gate earlier this year. However, we expect the Cybertruck to also receive the hands-free frunk opening in this 2024.32.3 update or relatively soon afterward.

Update: The Cybertruck is receiving hands-free frunk support in the 2024.32 update as well.

Hands-Free Frunk

The Hands-Free Frunk works similarly to the trunk feature – with an iPhone 11+ and a recent version of the app, you’ll be able to stand in front of your vehicle, and the Frunk will unlatch after sounding a chime. On some vehicles, the frunk will immediately open after being unlatched, however, you’ll need to manually close it.

This new feature isn’t enabled by default – you’ll need to go to Settings > Locks > Hands-Free Frunk to enable it.

At this time, Tesla doesn’t support UWB on Android devices, though both the Hands-Free Trunk and Hands-Free Frunk support will come to Android users in a future app update, according to Tesla.

Exclude Home

With the addition of the hands-free frunk opening, Tesla has also added a new option. You can now choose to disable the automatic opening when your vehicle is located at home to prevent you from accidentally opening. This will apply to the automatic frunk and trunk. In addition, in the Model X, you’ll also be able to disable the self-presenting doors at home. This is a great addition as many people have kept the hands-free feature disabled due to it awkwardly opening in the garage.

In the 2024.32.3 update, Tesla also mentions that they’ve improved the detection of the phone key, which should make the feature more reliable and faster when approaching the vehicle from the front or rear.

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Tesla’s Referral Program Launches in Europe

Not a Tesla App

Following its recent launch in the United States and Canada, Tesla has launched their referral program in several European countries as well.

The program is available in Germany, Norway, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and possibly others. The program is almost the same as the one available today in North America, with rewards for each referral and a discount for those referred. The cap in Europe is also ten per year.

This program comes right on the heels of a 0% financing offer for the Model Y in Sweden and France. While referrals aren't currently available in Sweden, the 0% financing still is.

European Referrals

The European Referral program accounts for country and local currency, where applicable.

The referral reward program is comparable to the one available in North America. After exchange rates, there is only an approximately 10% difference between the available rewards in the US and EU.

Other Countries

We expect this program to start rolling out to other European countries over the next few days or weeks, as Tesla continues to expand its referral program.

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