Tesla Holiday Update Rolls Out With Autosteer Fix, FSD Beta 11.4.9, and Surprise Features

Update: I modified the last paragraph to make it clear that Tesla did, in fact, add the High Fidelity Park Assist feature with the 2023.44.30.1 update, which is a minor bug fix for the Holiday Update. Watch it in action in the video at the bottom of this page.

Tesla usually offers a comprehensive software update toward the end of the year, which people affectionately call "the Holiday Update." This year was no different, with the coveted package starting internal testing on December 6. Although the release notes were supposed to be super-secret, some people just couldn't resist seizing their moment of fame and sharing the juicy details the very next day. I already wrote about the new features introduced with the Holiday Update (software 2023.44.25), so I won't repeat myself.

However, unlike other years, the 2023 update was considered a little thin, so people started complaining about the lack of breakthrough features. Elon Musk caught this on the fly and admitted in an X post that Tesla should step up its software game. Intriguingly, the EV maker immediately published the official release notes, including a couple of features that were not on the leaked feature list.

Among them was the "High Fidelity Park Assist," a feature that might pave the way for an improved Autopark feature, and the "LAN Party on Wheels." The latter makes use of the rear screen for entertainment and even playing collaborative games using the two screens in the car. The 2023 Holiday Update was scheduled to roll out this week, and now we have it, but with a twist. Because on December 12, Tesla admitted to a voluntary recall, the Holiday Update comes with a few extras while bumping the software version to 2023.44.30.

Autosteer recall: Here's everything you need to know

The most important thing in the new over-the-air update was the promised fix to the Autosteer voluntary recall. This was meant to improve safety by preventing drivers from abusing the Autosteer. Tesla announced enhanced checks and controls to make sure the drivers remain alert at all times while driving. At the same time, it introduced a strike-out feature to remove Autosteer access for those who still try to abuse it.

The 2023.44.30 release notes now detail the changes introduced to appease the NHTSA. This includes increasing the warning text size when the driver isn't paying attention or Autosteer is degraded and also moving the notifications to a more prominent position on the screen. The option to activate Autopilot with a single stalk depression instead of two, announced last month, will also be rolled out to all Teslas with the Holiday Update.

The Autopilot system will become particularly picky about maintaining the driver's attention when approaching traffic lights and stop signs off-highway. If improper usage is detected, say, the driver receives several audio and visual warnings for inattentiveness, the Autopilot disengages itself for the remainder of the trip. If you receive five forced Autopilot disengagements, you'll be locked out of Autosteer for a week. This is similar to how FSD Beta strikes work.

This is an excellent feature, and I can relate to NHTSA approving it for broad deployment. Not only will it ensure drivers pay attention to traffic at all times, but it will vastly improve Tesla Autopilot safety records. It could virtually eliminate crashes while the Autopilot is on because it will force the driver to stay alert. And if they don't comply, the Autopilot simply disappears as an option, and whatever happens next is entirely on the driver.

To determine whether the driver is, in fact, focused on driving the car, Tesla enhanced the cabin camera features. You can say that the Autopilot computer has an eye on you at all times, and if it catches you looking at your phone or being distracted in any way, it will trigger an alarm. Camera images are processed in-vehicle, so no data is sent to Tesla unless you enable data sharing.

One build to rule them all: FSD Beta 11.4.9

While everyone eagerly awaits FSD V12, Tesla is still testing the feature internally. Those hoping to get the latest automated driving feature in time for Christmas are probably disappointed, especially as Musk promised in mid-November that the FSD V12 would arrive "in two weeks." Technically, this really happened, but only for Tesla employees. For the rest of the Tesla owners, the Holiday Update still arrived with the FSD Beta V11.4.9.

If you're wondering, it's a small bump over the V11.4.8 build we already talked about in detail a month ago. The release notes don't contain any new features, so it must be mostly a bug-fix release. The earlier V11.4.8 build introduced a new video module that allows for increased performance and lower latency than before. This enables FSD Beta V11.4.8 to process more data more efficiently, improving control precision and object detection while reducing errors. It can also access ten times more HW4 data, tripling resolution and increasing the overall stability of measurements.

Still, the most important feature of FSD Beta V11.4.9 is that it brings all FSD Beta branches under the same software version. Thus, all FSD Beta users should receive this update, whether they are on the 2023.27 software branch (cutting-edge FSD V11.4.8.1 build currently) or the 2023.38 software branch (regular FSD V11.4.4 build currently). That is unless Tesla decides to diverge again when it needs to test a newer FSD Beta release.

New feature: Alternate routes while driving

The list of features in this year's Holiday Update is long, but even so, it misses at least one element. Compared to the previously released update log, Tesla added "Alternate Routes While Driving." This should also be in the 2023.44.25.1 Holiday Update, which was tested by Tesla employees, according to Not a Tesla App.

As the name reveals, this provides the driver with alternate route suggestions while driving. It is useful when you encounter traffic or construction zones on your route and are looking for a faster way. Previously, the driver had to pick one of the three routes offered at the start of the trip, a feature introduced last September with the 2022.28 software update.

The new function is an improvement, but still not on par with what Google Maps offers. Unlike the latter, Tesla drivers need to request alternate routes instead of being provided with them. Tesla should consider the option to calculate alternate routes continuously and offer the driver estimates about how much time they can save, similar to how Google Maps does.

For all the changes included in the 2023.44.30 update, there's still something missing. Tesla doesn't mention the High Fidelity Park Assist in the release notes anymore. This means there's a high chance it will not be included in the Holiday Update. I don't know what made Tesla give up on this feature that got owners high on emotions. We'll probably learn more about this change over the weekend. Tesla added the High Fidelity Park Assist feature in the 2023.44.30.1, and it's awesome. See for yourself in the video below.

Tesla High Fidelity Park Assist used in Dubai Mall just now 2023.44.30.1 ???? pic.twitter.com/ouEQyHUrWH

— Ross Wynne (@RossWynne) December 16, 2023