Photo: Tesla
Tesla's software team is on a roll this week, releasing new features across all EV models. After improving the charging experience for the Cybertruck owners, Tesla is testing internally another huge update. This includes Parental Controls, improved navigation and climate screens, as well as YouTube Music and Amazon Music services.
Tesla software trackers revealed that Tesla started internal testing the 2024.26 software update. The new software branch brings new features to Tesla vehicles and is rather packed in this regard. According to the release notes shared by Not a Tesla App, Tesla has added new music streaming options, with YouTube Music and Amazon Music joining Spotify, Apple Music, TuneIn, and Tidal. As usual, owners need to subscribe to these services to use them. Premium connectivity or an active Wi-Fi connection is required on the vehicle.
However excited owners are to ditch Apple Music or Spotify, it's another feature in the 2024.26 software update that made most people jump for joy. With the new Parental Controls, grown-ups will be able to keep tabs on their offspring's mischievous behavior behind the wheel. They will also be able to set a maximum speed limit and limit the acceleration mode to Chill to drive the poor teens nuts.
Finally, parents can configure Night Curfew to receive notifications through the Tesla app when the vehicle is driven past the curfew. Tesla also allows parents to lock safety features behind a PIN. This means that annoying stuff like Speed Limit Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Warning will be impossible to deactivate. Unless, of course, you use the same PIN as you always had for the past decade, making the new parental controls superfluous.
Tesla has also revamped the charging and climate menus. From the redesigned charging menu (or Tesla mobile app), owners can schedule more granular options for Charging and preconditioning. You can select a location, schedule a one-off, repeat specific times or days of the week, and control when charging starts and stops. To schedule your charge and precondition, tap Controls > Schedule.
A nice addition to the climate control will automatically lower the fan speed to reduce the sound of ambient noise during a phone call (works in Auto mode). Tesla also added local weather forecasts and air quality in the vehicle status bar. The vehicle shows an AQI symbol and index value when air quality is poor. If you tap the temperature on your touchscreen, you also see details about the local weather forecast, such as the weather conditions, highs and lows of the day, and the chance of rain.
Finally, the navigation has been improved for more accurate routing. When you enter a navigation destination, you can select a sub-destination for more precise routing. For instance, you can choose a specific airport terminal instead of the airport's generic position. The update is still being tested internally, and it might take a few weeks before being pushed to customer vehicles.
However excited owners are to ditch Apple Music or Spotify, it's another feature in the 2024.26 software update that made most people jump for joy. With the new Parental Controls, grown-ups will be able to keep tabs on their offspring's mischievous behavior behind the wheel. They will also be able to set a maximum speed limit and limit the acceleration mode to Chill to drive the poor teens nuts.
Finally, parents can configure Night Curfew to receive notifications through the Tesla app when the vehicle is driven past the curfew. Tesla also allows parents to lock safety features behind a PIN. This means that annoying stuff like Speed Limit Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Warning will be impossible to deactivate. Unless, of course, you use the same PIN as you always had for the past decade, making the new parental controls superfluous.
Tesla has also revamped the charging and climate menus. From the redesigned charging menu (or Tesla mobile app), owners can schedule more granular options for Charging and preconditioning. You can select a location, schedule a one-off, repeat specific times or days of the week, and control when charging starts and stops. To schedule your charge and precondition, tap Controls > Schedule.
A nice addition to the climate control will automatically lower the fan speed to reduce the sound of ambient noise during a phone call (works in Auto mode). Tesla also added local weather forecasts and air quality in the vehicle status bar. The vehicle shows an AQI symbol and index value when air quality is poor. If you tap the temperature on your touchscreen, you also see details about the local weather forecast, such as the weather conditions, highs and lows of the day, and the chance of rain.
Finally, the navigation has been improved for more accurate routing. When you enter a navigation destination, you can select a sub-destination for more precise routing. For instance, you can choose a specific airport terminal instead of the airport's generic position. The update is still being tested internally, and it might take a few weeks before being pushed to customer vehicles.
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