Tesla is as much of a software company as they are a car manufacturer. In a Tesla, you'll find some of the most exciting features in any car, ranging from video streaming like Netflix to live footage of your car while it's parked.
Below are some of the top features in almost every Tesla.
A look at Tesla Features
Autopilot
Tesla's Autopilot offers traffic-aware cruise control (TACC) and autosteer. With TACC Tesla vehicles will automatically speed up and slow down depending on how close the vehicle in front is.
The driver just sets the maximum speed and the following distance and the car will automatically control its speed and distance from other vehicles.
Autosteer is a combination of TACC and the ability for Teslas to remain in their lanes.
If you have standard Autopilot, then the vehicle will steer itself so that it remains in its lane. If you have the Full Self-Driving (FSD) option, then your vehicle will perform additional functions, such as change lanes, get off and on highway ramps, and respond to traffic lights and stop signs.
Tesla is testing additional functionality with their FSD Beta program in the US that allows the vehicle to drive itself on city streets with driver supervision. The vehicle can perform unprotected left turns, wait for other vehicles, go around stopped cars or pedestrians, and more. However, the feature is currently in its early stages and requires the driver to take over often.
Each Tesla is fitted with eight external cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a powerful onboard computer to provide an additional layer of safety to guide you on your journey.
Sentry Mode
Sentry Mode is one of Tesla's most innovative features. It adds a unique layer of protection to the vehicles by continuously monitoring the environment around a car when it's left unattended.
When enabled, Sentry Mode enters a "standby" state, like a home alarm system. It uses the car's external cameras to detect potential threats. If it detects a minimal threat, such as someone leaning on the vehicle, Sentry Mode switches to an "alert" state. It'll flash the car's lights and displays a message on the touchscreen, warning bystanders that its cameras are recording.
When you return to the car, you'll be presented with recordings that had activity in them.
Sentry Mode is a great security feature and deterrent for prospective thieves. In addition, you can select if you want Sentry Mode to always be enabled or only enabled when you're not near certain locations like your home.
Dashcam
With the built-in Dashcam, there is no need to purchase a third-party solution. Instead, Tesla will constantly record from four different cameras around the vehicle while driving.
The videos are saved to a USB drive, making it easy to access them if needed. You can also view the videos directly in the vehicle.
Footage from the dashcam is automatically overridden after an hour unless you specifically choose to save it.
You can save the last ten minutes of footage by tapping the dashcam icon.
You can also have the car automatically save recordings for you if you're in an accident or when you honk the horn.
Connectivity
Connectivity is an essential part of all Tesla cars. There are two connection plans available. The first is the standard free plan that provides navigation, live traffic, the ability to connect to the car from your phone. Additional services are also available if you're connected to Wi-Fi or connected to your phone's hotspot.
The second plan available is Tesla's Premium Connectivity package. For $10 a month, you get access to a heap of features. These include live traffic visualizations, satellite-view maps, video streaming while in park (including Netflix, YouTube, etc), caraoke, music streaming (Spotify, Slacker, Tidal, and others), live camera access, and internet browsing.
Tesla Theater
Teslas come with a ton of entertainment options. They include video and audio streaming, games, easter eggs, and more.
Tesla vehicles are equipped with a video streaming that could be accessed while the vehicle is parked, or on a rear screen of a new Model S or Model X.
Video streaming includes Netflix, YouTube, and Twitch. Hulu, Disney Plus, and other subscription-based services are also available in some countries.
Tesla Theater is a great way to pass the time while charging on a long trip or while waiting for someone.
Music Streaming
There is also a variety of music streaming services available that you could use to listen to music while driving. They allow you to play any song through the use of playlists, searching, or even using your voice.
Tesla currently offers TuneIn, Slacker, Spotify, and TIDAL. FM radio is also available and the Model S and Model X also have SiriusXM.
Karaoke
Tesla's Caraoke feature
There is a Tesla version of karaoke called Tesla Caraoke. You'll be able to play and sing some of the most popular karaoke songs right in your car. With Caraoke, song lyrics will appear directly on the screen without interfering with the critical information the driver needs to drive safely. In addition, song lyrics can be displayed either with or without any vocals. Unfortunately, it does not have a microphone or the ability to record your voice.
Games
There are many games built into a Tesla. They include games like Super Breakout, Cuphead, Sonic the Hedgehog, 2048, Fallout Shelter, and many more. Tesla even supports connecting a controller to the car to play some of the games.
Romance Mode
Teslas feature several easter eggs. One of them is Romance Mode; and while uou can't roast marshmallows by an open fire in your car, you can still cozy up with your loved ones by this virtual fireplace. While in Park, access Romance Mode from your Toybox and queue up the music.
Santa Mode
Tesla's Santa Mode can be entertaining during the holidays
Santa Mode puts you in the Christmas spirit by transforming your on-screen visualizations into Christmas-inspired variants. Your vehicle transforms into Santa's sleigh, other cars become reindeer, and pedestrians become elves. There are a lot of little details added that make this one of the best Tesla easter eggs.
Car Wash Mode
Tesla's Car Wash Mode gives the status of several features
Tesla has a Car Wash Mode that's in the service menu that makes taking your car to an automatic car wash easy. When this is activated, all the windows are closed, the charging port is locked, and the automatic windshield wipers, sentry mode alerts, walk-away door locks, and parking sensors are disabled.
Dog Mode
Tesla's Dog Mode maintains the cabin temperature while you're gone
Tesla's Dog Mode keeps the car's air conditioner or heater on when the owner leaves their pet in the car.
This feature can be accessed through the car's climate control. Then, select "Dog" on the far-right side of the "Keep Climate On" settings by selecting the fan icon at the bottom of the 15-inch screen. As soon as you exit your Tesla, a message appears that states: "Don't worry! The heater [or air conditioner] is on, and it's XX degrees." The temperature stays where you set it for as long as you are away from the car, which is one of the benefits of having a giant battery onboard.
When the battery of the Tesla goes below 20 percent, and the owner is gone for an extended period, a push notification is sent to the owner's phone.
There is also a Camp Mode that keeps the main display on, USB ports powered and the climate on.
Valet Mode
With Valet Mode is activated, Tesla's operating system restricts the vehicle's functionality. The car's maximum speed is also limited to 70 mph, and its acceleration is reduced. Autopilot is also disabled while Valet Mode is activated.
However, that isn't all, as Valet Mode also locks the glove compartment and front trunk automatically. It also blocks certain kinds of personal information from being displayed on Tesla's display screen. For example, the "places" function is disabled, so the car owner's home address, contact information, and scheduled meetings will not appear on the screen.
Furthermore, while Valet Mode is engaged, Tesla's navigation function, Homelink access, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth settings are also disabled.
Tesla Phone App
The Tesla app is very well designed and has some great features. For example, you can sync your phone to the Tesla, allowing the phone to become your car key. The car will detect the phone and automatically unlock the doors as you approach the car. As you walk away from the vehicle, it will also lock all the doors.
Another great feature of the app is turning on the air-conditioner, so the car is nice and cool when you get into it. Those who live in cold or hot climates will know what a great feature this is.
Additionally, you can also view your vehicle's live camera feeds (not available in all countries) via the app, check on your car's location, contact Tesla service, install software updates, and much more.
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When viewing details for a Point of Interest (POI) on the map, you can now tap on “Nearby Parking’ to get directions to nearby parking lots or garages. This should make it easier to find parking for big events or busy areas.
Lower Volume in Reverse
@g3st4l1
Tesla has added a new option under Controls > Safety that lets the vehicle automatically lower the volume of any audio being played when the vehicle goes into reverse. The option is right next to Joe Mode, which lowers the volume of all sounds like turn signals and Autopilot beeps.
Set Arrival Energy
@g3st4l1
You can now choose the amount of energy you’d like to arrive with at your destination. Tesla will then take this into account when determining charging stops and charging times.
The Set Arrival Energy is a new option under trip details which you can get to by swiping up (or pressing the …) in the navigation module that shows your destination and ETA.
Adjust Passenger Seat On Screen
@g3st4l1
Tesla has added a new Seats option to its settings. It appears that it has several purposes, not only letting you turn on/off seat heaters, but also letting you move the passenger seat forward and backward. This could be especially useful if you have a baby seat behind the passenger seat and sometimes need the extra room.
Unfortunately, there are no presets or memory, so you’ll need to adjust the seat each time. It does not allow you to adjust other seat functions, such as the seat back or lumbar support.
For the Model X, it also lets you move the middle seats backward or forward.
Vehicle Maintenance Summary
@tslaway
Owners can now view their vehicle's maintenance history. This builds upon the Maintenance History feature Tesla added recently, which lets you add digital vehicle records when maintenance is performed. It includes a wide variety of items, from adding windshield washer fluid to replacing the vehicle’s battery or motor.
However, with the Holiday Update, Tesla is adding an easy-to-view “consumer” version of vehicle history that lets owners view maintenance records without having to go into Service Mode. The Vehicle Maintenance Summary is under Controls > Service > Maintenance and provides a read-only view for vehicle owners. You’ll have to go into Service Mode to add any maintenance records, which are permanent and can not be erased, even after a factory reset.
@tslaway
When viewing the owner version of Maintenance Summary, owners can quickly view when tires were last rotated, when the cabin filter was replaced and more.
Autopilot Lane Changes
Not a Tesla App
In Europe, Tesla has added a new indicator light that shows which automatic lane changes are available. Whenever Autopilot is enabled, the vehicle will now display a light indicating which lanes are available for Automatic Lane Changes. The icon will start off gray, then turn green and show an arrow to the left, right, or both sides.
If you want to see other Holiday Update features in action, be sure to check out part 1 of this series, where we take a look at all the features of Tesla’s Holiday Update. You can also read the release notes for the Holiday update, version 2024.44.25.2
If you’ve noticed any additional changes in this update, definitely let us know. Thanks to Zer and teslaway for the photos of the new features.
While Tesla showed off a fantastic list of upcoming features for the 2024 Holiday Update, several things were left out. Now that the update has started rolling out in small numbers to the public, it’s our chance to find out about some of these smaller features and view others in action for the first time.
The Energy app has been updated for all models. For the first time, the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck receive the Consumption tab, which shows real-time energy usage and how the car performed over a certain period. Previously, only the Drive and Park tabs were available.
The consumption tab was already available on the Model 3 and Model Y, but it’s receiving some changes. The Y-axis (energy used/gained) now appears to adjust based on the data; however, the X-axis (distance) is now fixed at 200 miles or 300 km, and the user can no longer change it. Previously, you could switch the graph between a 5-, 10-, and 15-mile history, but now it appears to be static at 200 miles.
The Energy app also included buttons to view your average range over the selected distance or your real-time range. However, those buttons have been removed, and you can now only view your average range at the top of the app and see how it compares to the rated (EPA) range. You can also view your projected range (the distance you can travel at this rate), which shows up in the middle of the graph.
In addition to those metrics, the app also shows you the total amount of energy used in the bottom left corner, which is a nice addition.
The addition of the consumption tab to the Model S, X, and Cybertruck is great, but some users may not be fans of the simplified look and controls. Not being able to select the distance or see the instant energy usage is a little bit of a disappointment. We would’ve loved to see the ability to pinch in and out of the graph so that you can adjust the time period to practically anything you wanted, up to a maximum of the last 200 miles, but overall these are nice improvements.
Unfortunately, this does not bring the Energy app to legacy Model S and Model X vehicles.
Weather At Destination
As part of the Holiday Update, Tesla is including a new feature to show the weather at your arrival destination. Tesla added the ability to view live weather and weather forecasts in the 2024.26 update, and now they’re extending it so that you can also view the weather at your destination.
The UI is intuitive, and tabs are simply added so that you can switch between the weather at your current location and your destination.
Tesla will also highlight any significant weather differences between your current location and final destination.
This feature is available for the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, and new Model S and Model X. It also includes Intel-based vehicles (MCU 2), but like the original weather feature, it requires Premium Connectivity.
Another big part of the Holiday Update is precipitation maps appearing as overlays on your vehicle map. When you tap the new precipitation icon on the right next to the satellite imagery button, a precipitation map overlay will appear, giving you insight into areas with incoming rain or snow. There is also an animated 3-hour forecast that shows weather patterns.
This particular portion of the Weather update requires an AMD (MCU 3) vehicle. Unfortunately, since Tesla is paying for this weather data, it’s only available if you have Premium Connectivity and using a hotspot or being on WiFi is not enough to enable the feature.
It’s available on all vehicles except the legacy Model S and Model X.
Boomerang Fu
@g3st4l1
The new Boomerang Fu game will let you slice and dice your friends in a frantic physics party game. The game is available in Arcade > Boomerang Fu, and must be downloaded before being played. If you have Premium Connectivity, you’ll be able to download it on the go.
This new game requires an AMD Ryzen-based (MCU 3) vehicle and it’s available on the new Model S, new Model X, Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck.
Light Show Improvements
Tesla has really hit it out of the park with Light Show Improvements in the 2024 Holiday Update. The biggest change is the ability to start Light Shows directly from your mobile app (V4.39.5+), but there’s more. Tesla has added two new built-in Light Shows based on Cyber Symphony by Lionel Yu and Ready for Assault by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
Tesla is already adding the ability to control interior lighting for Light Shows by adding special color effects, which is sure to make Light Shows even more spectacular. Tesla has also extended the maximum allowed length of a Light Show with this update.
You can check out the music for Ready for Assault below.
Theater Updates
Theatre mode can now be interacted with via the rear screen on vehicles that have them, including the ability to edit playlists or play and pause videos.
But here’s the most surprising feature in the update. You’ll also be able to start a video in the web browser before you start driving and it’ll continue to play when you shift into drive only. The video will be disabled, but the audio will continue to play. So you’ll now be able to listen to YouTube-only podcasts.
Tesla is also giving us the ability to control the video with the media player, so you’ll be able to pause or start the content while driving.
Dashcam Viewer & Sentry Mode Improvements
@g3st4l1
The Holiday update is packed with features, but one of the most useful will be the ability to view your dashcam and Sentry Mode videos directly from your phone.
You’ll be able to access all of the content on your USB drive from your phone. The vehicle will stream the video from your USB drive, so the vehicle will need an active WiFi or cellular connection in order for the feature to work.
You’ll be able to change cameras, jump to Sentry Mode alerts, and even save clips onto your phone, making it much easier to save that important data.
Sentry Mode Improvements
Sentry Mode also received a batch of improvements. Tesla already sends mobile notifications for critical events - like an alarm going off. Now, Tesla will notify you if Sentry Mode is active and a door handle is pulled on a Model 3 or Model Y. In addition, if someone attempts to open the trunk by pressing the button - or open the Cybertruck’s vault - you’ll get a notification for that too.
The update is currently only going out to vehicles that don’t have access to FSD. However, we expect it to soon be available to users on FSD 12.5.4 and later available to those on FSD 12.5.6 and FSD v13.2.
If you’ve noticed any undocumented features in this update, definitely let us know through the Contact Us link at the bottom of this page.
