Photo: @WholeMarsBlog, @DriveTeslaca via X
Tesla made some behind-the-scenes updates to its app that brought a better-organized interface and the addition of a virtual assistant. Dubbed Tesla Assist, the tool provides quick answers to common questions Tesla owners may have about their vehicles. If you're already on the latest Tesla App version (4.30), launched last month, there's no need to update to get the new features.
Tesla launched the 4.30 version of its app in mid-January with significant changes and improvements. Following the update, Tesla owners were offered more detailed Wall Connector charging charts and a revamped view of the last Supercharger session. On Monday, the EV maker also operated significant under-the-hood changes to bring even more features and a revamped interface. These server-side changes don't require updating the app, but they won't appear if you're on an older app version than 4.30.
The most obvious change in the app interface affects the way you access your vehicles. Besides the horizontal swipe option, Tesla offers a drop-down menu to select your Tesla products, including vehicles and home energy. This provides easier access for people with many Tesla products in their app. Tesla also updated the app's homepage, providing a new menu instead of the user's profile picture. This should make it more intuitive to access the app settings. The information in the profile section has been reorganized for easier access and clarity.
Tesla also moved the Charging section from the Account page, making it a top-level feature. This is where you'll find the revamped charging information introduced earlier with the 4.30 app update. You can also manage the payment method and view the Supercharger history on the same page. Finally, the My Products section is where you add, delete, and manage your vehicles and Home Energy products.
Still, the most important change introduced on Monday is a new virtual assistant. Named "Tesla Assist," this helps with day-by-day questions that owners might have about their vehicles. The tool is still in beta, so don't expect miracles. It can provide helpful information, like how often you should service your Tesla EV, but not much more. You can access the assistant whenever you see a question mark in the top right corner.
While many thought this was powered by artificial intelligence, Tesla Assist is a simple tool providing basic info and pre-determined answers to frequently asked questions and nothing more. xAI is one of Elon Musk's companies that developed a large language model (LLM) rivaling ChatGPT, which could have powered Tesla Assist.
Although more advanced functions could arrive later, Tesla Assist is not powered by Grok just yet. Therefore, don't expect it to be able to have a meaningful conversation. In the worst-case scenario, the virtual assistant will refer to a list of articles that may (or may not) help you with what you're looking for.
The most obvious change in the app interface affects the way you access your vehicles. Besides the horizontal swipe option, Tesla offers a drop-down menu to select your Tesla products, including vehicles and home energy. This provides easier access for people with many Tesla products in their app. Tesla also updated the app's homepage, providing a new menu instead of the user's profile picture. This should make it more intuitive to access the app settings. The information in the profile section has been reorganized for easier access and clarity.
Tesla also moved the Charging section from the Account page, making it a top-level feature. This is where you'll find the revamped charging information introduced earlier with the 4.30 app update. You can also manage the payment method and view the Supercharger history on the same page. Finally, the My Products section is where you add, delete, and manage your vehicles and Home Energy products.
Still, the most important change introduced on Monday is a new virtual assistant. Named "Tesla Assist," this helps with day-by-day questions that owners might have about their vehicles. The tool is still in beta, so don't expect miracles. It can provide helpful information, like how often you should service your Tesla EV, but not much more. You can access the assistant whenever you see a question mark in the top right corner.
While many thought this was powered by artificial intelligence, Tesla Assist is a simple tool providing basic info and pre-determined answers to frequently asked questions and nothing more. xAI is one of Elon Musk's companies that developed a large language model (LLM) rivaling ChatGPT, which could have powered Tesla Assist.
Although more advanced functions could arrive later, Tesla Assist is not powered by Grok just yet. Therefore, don't expect it to be able to have a meaningful conversation. In the worst-case scenario, the virtual assistant will refer to a list of articles that may (or may not) help you with what you're looking for.
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