Tesla vehicles are some of the most connected and well-updated vehicles in the industry. Part of this connectivity is the rollout of regular over-the-air updates to add features to the vehicle.Ā
Over the last few years, Tesla has rolled out a special āholiday updateā over-the-air update which includes regular feature upgrades and at times some special ones as well.
The 2023 holiday update features have been teased by the company, highlighting an upcoming feature that has been requested by many owners over the last few years. That is the ability to get a 360-degree birdseye view formed by the cameras around the car.Ā
The 2023 Holiday Update rolls out next week
Hereās whatās coming…
Custom Lock Sounds
Replace the horn lock sound of your vehicle with another soundālike a screaming goat šLAN Party on Wheels
Play your favorite games on the rear touchscreen š®Rear Screen Bluetoothā¦ pic.twitter.com/Xl2Q6YgS2b
— Tesla (@Tesla) December 8, 2023
Teslaās equivalent of the 360-degree view feature is part of the next update for its vehicles. It will be known as āHigh Fidelity Park Assistā and on X, the company describes this feature as āSee a 3D reconstruction of your surroundings while parkingā.
Not a lot more information has been shared by Tesla on this feature and itās likely that the first glimpse of how the high-fidelity park assist feature works will be seen when owners across the world start to receive this update in the coming weeks.
On the safety front, a few other requested features are also being added. The first includes blind-spot indicators on the blind-spot camera view while changing lanes. The camera view will show a shade of red if there is another car in the vehicleās blind spot.
Teslaās blind spot warning in this yearās holiday update
— Not a Tesla App (@NotATeslaApp) December 7, 2023
Continuing with the safety features, the car will automatically call the authorities in case of an accident that triggers an airbag. Tesla describes this feature as: āYour vehicle will automatically call 911 if an accident triggers the airbagsā.
Itās unclear at this stage if this is only for US customers or if it be rolled out to other markets like ours in Australia.
Other features included in the custom locking sound that allows the sound played when the vehicle is locked to other options aside from the horn lock sound.
In-car navigation will also include new points on the map like speedĀ cameras, stop signs & traffic lights.
With the launch of the newly refreshed Tesla Model 3 that has a rear screen, Tesla is now also allowing passengers in the rear to play games that are normally found on the main infotainment screen of the vehicle.
Teslas are known for their entertainment factor for passengers and observers. The light show feature is also being updated as part of the holiday update. This update will bring a new light show which the company calls āThe Arrivalā.Ā
In previous years, Tesla has bought features around the holiday period that have included some classic games like Sonic the Hedgehog. Others included the ability to see interior cameras while in Sentry mode.
As the fleet of Tesla EVs grows rapidly, many more people will be able to experience this upcoming update, making the ownership experience safer and more enjoyable.
RizĀ is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.