Tesla: Highlights from our upcoming Spring Release below

[APotatoGod]

Teslas's got us so spoiled with updates, my previous car never got a single update (other than maybe behind-the-scenes recalls at service appointments), but I'm also sad to see that I'm not going to be getting many of the latest and greatest features anymore.

They offered a retrofit from the MCU1 to MCU2 system, so I'm still hopeful they'll offer similarly so we can eventually upgrade to MCU3 (or MCU4, etc, when it's released). Similarly although there's no FSD HW3 to 4 upgrade path, they could still offer a backwards-compatible format option for HW5. The car itself is a much more long-term purchase than a phone, but it's not necessary for the computer within the car to follow the same upgrade cycle.

 

[bdwalters]

Why do we need larger visualizations? I thought that was cool for like a week. I would rather have that screen space for the map or something else actually useful. It’s just FSD advertising. I have an Atom, so I’m guessing this is a feature I won’t get, which is cool by me. The Spotify updates are great. I like to listen to podcasts at 1.5x.

 

[Durzel]

When I was last in the local service centre they had both a 6ft or so pull up banner advertising that software updates make the car "better over time" (that was the slogan). The same poster was seen elsewhere on the wall, and I saw it appear on the TV that was looping as well.

It's all well and good saying that other manufacturers just expect you to buy a new car to get a new UI, but those manufacturers aren't leaning hard into the "software makes your car better" philosophy.

Now, there have been updates that have added things to the car, stuff you wouldn't get on other manufacturers, so I'm not saying that they are in breach of any kind of contract, but as has been said already cars are a significantly greater expenditure than phones, or even computers, so it's not completely unreasonable to smart that a ~2 year old car is no longer going to receive UI updates.

 

[bdwalters]

Tesla might start doing this to nudge people to buy new cars from them.

 

[drift]

Walking behind the vehicle doesn't sound like standing still at the trunk...


That is what Car Wash mode is for. (Not that washing the back of your car is standing still either.)

I had this feature on a Hyundai Sonata and it became a real PITA. It would open the trunk when I didn't want it to and I had to check to make sure the trunk hadn't opened. It was nice when that feature broke.

 

[arbitrage000]

Thankfully with Tesla if you have a car that gets the auto-trunk opening you will be able to turn it off and never use it. So I don't know why people are concerning themselves over a feature that we don't even know how well it will work yet. If it is amazing, use it. If it sucks, don't use it. Myself with a MY will never get to experience it one way or the other.

 

[cptnslo]

Reminds me of the CT https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaLounge/s/OuQILi3GCn

 

[MOE J]

another killer kick ass update oh I can’t wait for this one.

 

[MOE J]

Is it just for 202

My guess would be the UWB support in these models ?

My guess would be the UWB support in these models ?

I hope they include 2021-23 model 3: this seems to an essential feature and easy to implement. Keeping my fingers crossed and hope it’s not just for 2024 highland

 

[JuanF1]

With only Bluetooth, and no UWB, your car/phone will not know where you are standing… So I fear the automatic trunk will not come to cars without UWB

 

[Goobers]

With only Bluetooth, and no UWB, your car/phone will not know where you are standing… So I fear the automatic trunk will not come to cars without UWB

Except it can "know" where you are.

All it has to do is watch you from one of its cameras (in addition to phone key)... most likely a crotch shot.

The BT will let the car know the phone key is close and the camera can (attempt?) distinguish where you are.

Without cameras, it does have a vague idea where you are... as I've found out when my rear hatch would not unlock for me until I had a it fixed at a service center. There are at least two, if not more BT antennae. Specifically, the trunk has its own antenna for the phone key to unlock. Other BT antenna(e) will be too far to detect the phone key when you're behind the trunk.

Add in the aforementioned crotch shot and it should work, even without UWB.

 

[JuanF1]

Except it can "know" where you are.

All it has to do is watch you from one of its cameras (in addition to phone key)... most likely a crotch shot.

The BT will let the car know the phone key is close and the camera can (attempt?) distinguish where you are.

Without cameras, it does have a vague idea where you are... as I've found out when my rear hatch would not unlock for me until I had a it fixed at a service center. There are at least two, if not more BT antennae. Specifically, the trunk has its own antenna for the phone key to unlock. Other BT antenna(e) will be too far to detect the phone key when you're behind the trunk.

Add in the aforementioned crotch shot and it should work, even without UWB.

The last thing we want is our car to start guessing where we are or if it's the person at the trunk (if it would use the camera) that's holding the phone key... With BT only, you just have no clue about the location.

Just to give an example, my M3 is parked in front of my house, and if I keep BT on, in different rooms of my house (at the side where my car is parked) my phone key is connected to the car. In not a single case, I would like to risk that my phone key is connected to the car and at the same time any person would be standing behind my car which would open my trunk.

With UWB on the other hand, the car knows exactly the position (and distance) of the phone key, at least this is how it works with Apple's solution with for example AirTags.

 

[Goobers]

The last thing we want is our car to start guessing where we are or if it's the person at the trunk (if it would use the camera) that's holding the phone key... With BT only, you just have no clue about the location.

Just to give an example, my M3 is parked in front of my house, and if I keep BT on, in different rooms of my house (at the side where my car is parked) my phone key is connected to the car. In not a single case, I would like to risk that my phone key is connected to the car and at the same time any person would be standing behind my car which would open my trunk.

With UWB on the other hand, the car knows exactly the position (and distance) of the phone key, at least this is how it works with Apple's solution with for example AirTags.

My question to you is… even though it says it’s connected, have you checked to see if it actually unlocks?

I’ve checked the distance it takes for the car to automatically lock and I also know that my phone can say it’s connected while being much further… which implies to me, being connected doesn’t equal being unlocked. Otherwise, my car would’ve unlocked the trunk before I had it fixed, since the “connected” range was further than that.

There were two setups I used to show the trunk failure to the service advisors. One was walking up from behind, after confirming it was locked a while, I could not open the trunk until I moved my phone far enough forward above the hatch glass (or close enough to open a door). The other was straight up opening a door, then closing it, walking to the trunk itself and just wait… it would auto-lock. At which point, I couldn’t open the trunk. Of course, if I immediately had attempted to open the trunk the before it auto-locked, then I could since it was just still unlocked.

As I said, this implies there are (at least) two separate Bluetooth antennae and relevant to your point, the range for at least the one(s) for the doors are so short you couldn’t open the trunk, without a separate antenna there.

Unless you’re saying that your phone, in your house, is closer than someone standing at your trunk.

On a side note, if you think someone could “auto open” your trunk with your conditions… shouldn’t you be worried someone else could already just manually open your trunk or any door if they simply tried, just because it’s “connected?”

 

[JuanF1]

You are correct I should check when and how (when I’m in my house) someone would be able to open the door or trunk.

At least for the moment I manually disable my BT when arriving at home so it’s no issue. I do this because I noticed an important standby consumption otherwise (up to 1-2% per day) because my phone would connect everytime I walk the stairs.

In case of 2 BT signals, I guess it may help the positioning based on signal strengths. Anyhow, for the time being it seems the functionality will be limited to UWB compatible iPhones.

 

[Goobers]

You are correct I should check when and how (when I’m in my house) someone would be able to open the door or trunk.

At least for the moment I manually disable my BT when arriving at home so it’s no issue. I do this because I noticed an important standby consumption otherwise (up to 1-2% per day) because my phone would connect everytime I walk the stairs.

In case of 2 BT signals, I guess it may help the positioning based on signal strengths. Anyhow, for the time being it seems the functionality will be limited to UWB compatible iPhones.

Well, energy consumption is a different matter.

I just did a quick test. My phone said it was connected from my dining room table. From there is about 8 ft to the first wall in the direction of the car, then about 18 ft of driveway between my house and my garage where my MYP sits. My Honda Fit (Jazz) sits in that part of the driveway too, but I’m not sure it matters. Leaving my phone on the table, I opened the garage door, walked up to and tried to open the driver’s door of the MYP… and instantly triggered Sentry mode. It would not unlock the door for me.

I wasn’t implying it needed two BT signals either, just the fact the range is so short that the front antennae doesn’t pick up the phone key from the trunk area, that’s all it really needs as one condition. Then just needs the camera to verify.

You were the only person to mention UWB so far in this thread, so where did you see that it’s limited to it? The person you responded to with that first mention said “new” S/X, but the post that shows a screenshot shows 2021 and up, and I don’t recall UWB being a feature since that model year. It was only recently as of February of this year that it was support, though that doesn’t say anything about when hardware was implemented.

 

[MP3Mike]

You were the only person to mention UWB so far in this thread, so where did you see that it’s limited to it? The person you responded to with that first mention said “new” S/X, but the post that shows a screenshot shows 2021 and up, and I don’t recall UWB being a feature since that model year. It was only recently as of February of this year that it was support, though that doesn’t say anything about when hardware was implemented.

It is 2021+ Model S/X and 2024 Model 3. All of which support UWB. (It is just that Tesla only started using it recently.)

There is also the non-official release notes:

Which says it requires iPhone 11+, and that you need to go through the "upgrade your phone key" process, which I think correlates with UWB availability and support.

 

[DanCar]

Autopilot full screen:

https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/1c7zydi/v12_autopilot_view_upcoming_spring_update

 

[vipros]

Yes, Tesla does use Bluetooth signal strength to determine whether it should unlock the door. Tesla has changed the strength recognition back and forth multiple times in previous releases. I recall in one of the releases last year, Tesla didn't recognize if I was at the door if I had the phone in my back pocket.

Next step would be phoneless instead of keyless entry: using facial recognition via cameras could be a better way for Tesla to identify owners or authorized drivers, even when they don't have their phone with them. This could improve security and convenience for Tesla owners.

 

[JuanF1]

Leaving my phone on the table, I opened the garage door, walked up to and tried to open the driver’s door of the MYP… and instantly triggered Sentry mode. It would not unlock the door for me.

One unknown: do you have the Motion & fitness sensor (if using iPhone) activated, so your door opens only if your phone detected recent movement? If yes, letting it on a table should it indeed avoid unlocking the door.

Not at home, but I’ll do the test as well. Anyhow good to know how it reacts in different use cases

 

[Goobers]

One unknown: do you have the Motion & fitness sensor (if using iPhone) activated, so your door opens only if your phone detected recent movement? If yes, letting it on a table should it indeed avoid unlocking the door.

Not at home, but I’ll do the test as well. Anyhow good to know how it reacts in different use cases

Don’t have an iPhone. I have a Samsung ZFlip3.

While @MP3Mike’s post is more assumption based on an un-official post, it’s not like I’m saying they “won’t” do it that way, just that it could be done without it.

For the time being, I’m just happy my trunk opens without me having to trigger the front antenna. Before the service, I thought it was “normal” that I had to occasionally trigger the front.

If it does require UWB, then it’s just one more reason to upgrade my phone (the screen separation is getting worse).

Edit: just as a check, I walked out to my MYP, placed the phone on top of the roof and stepped away for a few seconds… about as long as I figured it took to walk from my table to the car. The door opened, so as far as my phone is concerned, there’s no motion detection check.