Tesla is officially calling the feature 'Tesla Profiles.' With this latest update, you'll be given the option to tie your driver profile to your Tesla account.
If you decide to connect your profile to your Tesla account some of your vehicle's settings will be able to travel with you from one Tesla to another.
Settings such as mirror, seat and wheel positions will be synced across other supported vehicles. So if you're lucky enough to have multiple Teslas in your household and adjust your seat in one vehicle, then the setting will automatically be synced to the other vehicle.
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.
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 unexpected, like roll, it could lead to confusion.
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.
Tesla Profiles will go beyond just seat adjustments. It'll also include some vehicle settings, such as Autopilot, driving preferences, and climate control settings.
According to Tesla's release notes, navigation, media and data sharing preferences will also be tied to your Tesla account and sync over to other vehicles.
Synced settings will also include navigation favorites and recent destinations.
You'll be able to distinguish whether you're using a cloud profile or a local profile in your vehicle because Tesla Profiles will now include your profile photo from your Tesla app instead of the standard person silhouette. Your profile photo will appear next to your driver's profile name.
Tesla's release notes for this feature state:
Keep your settings and preferences synchronized across all supported vehicles using your Tesla account, including:
Mirror, seating and steering wheel adjustments
Autopilot, driving and climate control preferences
Navigation, media and data sharing preferences
You can set up your Tesla Profile from Driver Profile settings and change your profile picture from the Tesla Mobile app.
Tesla introduced a wrap-around ambient lighting strip to its new Model 3
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If you look up ambient lights for Tesla, you'll see several ads for third-party light kits. Perhaps this is why Tesla added its own Ambient Lights feature to the new Model 3. So, let's get enlightened.
Tesla's ambient lights are thin light strips that are embedded in each of the vehicle's doors near the top edge. It also curves around the dashboard near the windshield, giving passengers a near 360-degree light effect.
Supported Models
Tesla new ambient light feature is available on the new Model 3 (2024+), and will be available on the Cybertruck in a similar manner. With a refresh ongoing for the Model Y, known as Juniper, it will likely also have ambient lights. That just leaves out the most luxurious flagship vehicles, the Model S and X, for now.
The Model S and Model X could be due for a minor refresh that would not only add ambient lighting, but also include a front-bumper camera that the Cybertruck has and the new Model 3 is expected to have in the near future.
Customization
Tesla introduced a wrap-around ambient lighting strip to its new Model 3
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The ambient light settings allow you to light up the interior in a color that reflects your mood or preference. Under Controls > Lights > Accent Lights, you are handed the freedom to choose virtually any color to adorn the interior of your Tesla.
You have control over whether the ambient lights are on, off, or set to an "Auto" setting, though not fully clarified, seems to promise intelligent lighting adjustments akin to our control over dome lights, offering a reduction in reflections during drives.
While the ability to control the brightness level seems missing, Tesla did include color presets, letting you curate a series of your favorite colors.
It should be noted that the changes are confined to the light strips on the doors and dash, steering clear of the footwell lights and other interior lighting.
Future Enhancements
With Tesla, we can be assured there will be enhancements to this feature in a future update. In fact, the Tesla community is already busy coming up with useful suggestions. Some owners thought Tesla should take advantage of the lighting to provide driver feedback, such as automatically changing the ambient lighting to a red hue when there's a vehicle in your blind spot. Tesla could also glow the light strip on a door if it's not closed properly, or use the lighting to provide feedback when Sentry Mode is enabled.
Other uses could be more fun, such as cycling the light through various colors when the 'Rainbow Road' easter egg is activated.
Ambient Lighting in Action
While the possibilities are endless and Tesla engineers will surely have fun coming up with creative uses for the feature, the biggest improvement we can hope for in the near future is the ability to adjust the light intensity.
Tesla's new Model 3 received a host of exterior and interior upgrades
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Tesla outdid itself with the refreshed Model 3, known as the Highland. Despite all the fantastic upgrades, something is missing - the Performance version or perhaps the Plaid. The letter "T" has shown up on vehicle certificates in Europe, and despite Elon Musk's sense of humor, it is unlikely this is a Mr. T reference.
Deciphering the 'T'
A new document shows the new Model 3 Performance will have a dual motor
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Diligent scrutiny of the European Type Certificate, issued by the Dutch vehicle authority RDW and shared on the TFF Forum, revealed a subtle yet pivotal alteration — including the letter 'T' in the eighth digit of the Model 3 Performance's VIN.
This seemingly minor detail, indicative of the vehicle's motor/drive unit type, sparked curiosity and speculation on the forum. Could it be a tri-motor setup to usher in a new Plaid version of the Model 3? This vehicle has already got endless amounts of zip, but three motors? May The Schwartz Be With You!
This could also explain the Model 3+ badging that was spotted during the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China inspection of the refresh. However, the regulatory filings highlighted just two distinct variants of the car: a rear-wheel drive (RWD) with a 194 kW motor and an all-wheel drive (AWD) dual-motor setup that combines to deliver a formidable 331 kW of maximum power.
Initial conjectures leaned towards the possibility of a tri-motor setup, drawing parallels with the Plaid variants of the Model S and Model X. However, a deeper dive into the certification document clarified that the Model 3 Performance retained its Dual Motor setup, dispelling the possibility of a tri-motor upgrade.
Strategic Enhancements: A Glimpse into Potential Upgrades
Given the documented specifications, it becomes plausible that Tesla has strategically enhanced one of the dual motors, potentially aligning it with the advanced motor found in the Model S/X Plaid. This modification is poised to augment the top-end speed and acceleration of the Model 3 Performance, addressing its comparative limitations in extended races against traditional gas-powered supercars.
Meanwhile, the Model 3 refresh has become the new Bigfoot of the roads of North America, with rare sightings posted on social media. However, it appears the continent is excluded from the initial launch of the Model 3 Highland. Internal communications within Tesla suggest North American enthusiasts might have to exercise patience until 2024.
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