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Tesla's Holiday Update Is Now Turning Cars Into Megaphones

Tesla has released a new feature as part of its annual holiday software update that lets drivers turn their cars into megaphones. It's more of a fun feature rather than a practical one, but nonetheless, some Tesla drivers will have a blast with it.
Tesla's new update allows drivers to turn their cars into megaphones when parked 6 photos
Photo: @ryanshawtech on Twitter
Tesla's new update allows drivers to turn their cars into megaphones when parkedTesla's new update allows drivers to turn their cars into megaphones when parkedTesla's new update allows drivers to turn their cars into megaphones when parkedTesla's new update allows drivers to turn their cars into megaphones when parkedTesla's new update allows drivers to turn their cars into megaphones when parked
Tesla is known for rolling out fun updates around the holidays. Last year, Tesla owners got a Boombox mode for Christmas. As the name suggests, the feature lets drivers change the sound of their car while driving. They can swap out the car's horn sound or play loud music from the car.

This year, Tesla's holiday software update includes a Lightshow feature, a TikTok integration in Tesla Theater, an auto blind spot camera, and it even adds playable Sonic the Hedgehog. Recently, the carmaker pushed out another feature called "Megaphone," which is actually an upgrade within the Boombox mode.

However, the feature is only available in newer Tesla vehicles that are equipped with an external speaker, reports Electrek. Tesla started equipping its vehicles with external speakers in 2019 when the NHTSA passed the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 meant to help protect pedestrians.

A new video posted by Ryan Shaw on Twitter shows the Megaphone feature in action. The external speakers repeat what the driver says in a much lower voice, and it comes a bit delayed. In the video, you can also see that the person is not using it while driving, and it's actually specified in the notes that it works "when parked."

So you don't have to worry about adding to the chaos in traffic. But it's still recommended to check the local laws when using the feature in public. While it's interesting to see it played out, its uses are quite limited when you think about it. It's either a cool party trick or another way to annoy people – depends if you're the driver or the pedestrian (although some pedestrians will sure find it fun too).

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About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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