Photo: Tesla, u/Shygar via Reddit
Tesla delivered the first Cybertrucks last November, and the electric pickup has quickly become the coolest piece of technology besides the Apple Vision Pro. Still, not everything was perfect, and the software was Cybertruck's weak spot. It took Tesla more than two months to offer the first Cybertruck over-the-air update, but the changes it brought made it worth the wait.
Common wisdom teaches us that no new product is perfect, and in the car industry, this is the norm. Very few car models work perfectly from the get-go, and the software revolution has further complicated things. As more carmakers want a piece of the software-defined vehicle market, things become chaotic. As the pioneer in this field, Tesla has avoided embarrassment, being unanimously praised for its software quality.
Still, bringing new vehicles to market can be challenging even for Tesla, which is why the EV market leader opted for a cautious approach. The Cybertruck, for instance, started deliveries with some features deactivated. There's still nonfunctional Autopilot and FSD Capability, and charging speed has been harshly criticized. If experience taught us something about Tesla, it's that it quickly solves all the issues and starts improving features and performance in subsequent software updates. This is why everyone eagerly awaited the Cybertruck's first over-the-air (OTA) update.
This arrived as the 2024.2.3 software version and certainly did not disappoint. While it doesn't enable the most advanced driver assist features yet, it delivers in two key areas. Based on the release notes, Tesla improved ride and handling and optimized charging based on the DC fast-charging station's capabilities. Tesla does this by adjusting battery preconditioning to the power level of each DC charging station. This ensures faster charging, reducing the time spent at the station.
Tesla Cybertruck comes with an adaptive air suspension, so changing its parameters in software is one of the advantages owners enjoy. Tesla says the 2024.2.3 update ensures a more consistent response on different road surfaces and greater comfort on rough, winding pavement in Sport Mode. The improvements are also applied when Custom Ride & Handling is set to Focused. Handling in Off-Road mode is now improved, with reduced pitch and body roll.
The update also brings some quality-of-life improvements to all Tesla models, including an understated "Reminder to plug in at home." This has been requested by owners who often forget to plug their EVs overnight. Like other notifications, the feature will likely be offered on an opt-in basis. To receive the reminder, you must have your Home location set and charged there previously. The vehicle will notify you on your phone if you arrive home with less than half of your set charge limit and you forgot to plug it in for charging.
The update also brings the over-the-air recall fix for warning lights' text size to the Cybertruck, along with other changes that other Tesla models received with the previous 2024.2 software versions. An interesting feature coming to all vehicles is the new contextual unlock button that pops up in the vehicle's infotainment screen in certain situations. For instance, if the car is locked and someone is inside, an 'Unlock Vehicle' button will appear when someone tries to open the car from the outside.
Still, bringing new vehicles to market can be challenging even for Tesla, which is why the EV market leader opted for a cautious approach. The Cybertruck, for instance, started deliveries with some features deactivated. There's still nonfunctional Autopilot and FSD Capability, and charging speed has been harshly criticized. If experience taught us something about Tesla, it's that it quickly solves all the issues and starts improving features and performance in subsequent software updates. This is why everyone eagerly awaited the Cybertruck's first over-the-air (OTA) update.
This arrived as the 2024.2.3 software version and certainly did not disappoint. While it doesn't enable the most advanced driver assist features yet, it delivers in two key areas. Based on the release notes, Tesla improved ride and handling and optimized charging based on the DC fast-charging station's capabilities. Tesla does this by adjusting battery preconditioning to the power level of each DC charging station. This ensures faster charging, reducing the time spent at the station.
Tesla Cybertruck comes with an adaptive air suspension, so changing its parameters in software is one of the advantages owners enjoy. Tesla says the 2024.2.3 update ensures a more consistent response on different road surfaces and greater comfort on rough, winding pavement in Sport Mode. The improvements are also applied when Custom Ride & Handling is set to Focused. Handling in Off-Road mode is now improved, with reduced pitch and body roll.
The update also brings some quality-of-life improvements to all Tesla models, including an understated "Reminder to plug in at home." This has been requested by owners who often forget to plug their EVs overnight. Like other notifications, the feature will likely be offered on an opt-in basis. To receive the reminder, you must have your Home location set and charged there previously. The vehicle will notify you on your phone if you arrive home with less than half of your set charge limit and you forgot to plug it in for charging.
The update also brings the over-the-air recall fix for warning lights' text size to the Cybertruck, along with other changes that other Tesla models received with the previous 2024.2 software versions. An interesting feature coming to all vehicles is the new contextual unlock button that pops up in the vehicle's infotainment screen in certain situations. For instance, if the car is locked and someone is inside, an 'Unlock Vehicle' button will appear when someone tries to open the car from the outside.
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