Photo: Mr. Mitsubishi via YouTube
For all the smart things a Tesla can do, some popular features were introduced very late or not at all. With the latest 2023.26 update, Tesla introduced the ability to lower ventilation fan speed while on a call, something that owners of other cars have enjoyed for years.
Tesla software is considered one of the best in the automotive industry and one of the reasons people love their electric vehicles. Still, many features are missing from a Tesla, even though it would be easy to implement them in software. Thankfully, over-the-air updates are sent regularly to the cars, solving software issues or adding new functions. Some of them have been requested for a long time by Tesla owners, especially as other car models have been offering them for a long time.
Last month, Tesla fans discovered that a feature-packed update with version number 2023.26 was about to be sent to their cars. The release notes were rich in improvements and new functions, including a multi-view camera stream and the Charge on Solar feature to make use of the house's solar panels and Powerwall. Many changes were documented in the release notes, but also several features that Tesla omitted.
The most exciting change for Tesla geeks was the addition of more features in the Service Mode. According to Not a Tesla App, the new screens include tests for the steering wheel stalks, the low-voltage battery, airbags, and other vehicle diagnostics. The Airbags screen displays the location of each airbag and shows whether it's operational or there are known faults. You can also check the pitch of every vehicle's cameras to verify whether they need calibration or a service appointment.
A new feature hidden in the 2023.26 update was discovered by Tesla owner NinerByNature, and reporting it caused an uproar on social media. Thanks to the update, Tesla can now reduce the ventilation fan speed when talking on the phone inside the vehicle. This is meant to improve the call experience by reducing the ambient noise in the cabin. As exciting as it sounds, this is a feature that almost all other car models on the market have had for years.
The owner's manual included with the update also hints at the possibility of repositioning the backup camera feed on the center display. This is not yet possible for now, at least with the 2023.26.1 update that rolled out to Tesla cars on July 19. The driver can choose which camera to display on the screen, including the repeater cameras. Still, there's no way to drag and reposition the camera feed on the screen.
Another feature introduced with the update is the ability to pause the sound of the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS). This system emits a sound when moving below 19 mph or in reverse to alert pedestrians. Electric vehicles are legally required to emit such sounds, considering they don't have a noisy engine. The feature to pause PWS is only available on cars built between September 2020 and November 2021.
Last month, Tesla fans discovered that a feature-packed update with version number 2023.26 was about to be sent to their cars. The release notes were rich in improvements and new functions, including a multi-view camera stream and the Charge on Solar feature to make use of the house's solar panels and Powerwall. Many changes were documented in the release notes, but also several features that Tesla omitted.
The most exciting change for Tesla geeks was the addition of more features in the Service Mode. According to Not a Tesla App, the new screens include tests for the steering wheel stalks, the low-voltage battery, airbags, and other vehicle diagnostics. The Airbags screen displays the location of each airbag and shows whether it's operational or there are known faults. You can also check the pitch of every vehicle's cameras to verify whether they need calibration or a service appointment.
A new feature hidden in the 2023.26 update was discovered by Tesla owner NinerByNature, and reporting it caused an uproar on social media. Thanks to the update, Tesla can now reduce the ventilation fan speed when talking on the phone inside the vehicle. This is meant to improve the call experience by reducing the ambient noise in the cabin. As exciting as it sounds, this is a feature that almost all other car models on the market have had for years.
The owner's manual included with the update also hints at the possibility of repositioning the backup camera feed on the center display. This is not yet possible for now, at least with the 2023.26.1 update that rolled out to Tesla cars on July 19. The driver can choose which camera to display on the screen, including the repeater cameras. Still, there's no way to drag and reposition the camera feed on the screen.
Another feature introduced with the update is the ability to pause the sound of the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS). This system emits a sound when moving below 19 mph or in reverse to alert pedestrians. Electric vehicles are legally required to emit such sounds, considering they don't have a noisy engine. The feature to pause PWS is only available on cars built between September 2020 and November 2021.
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