Tesla's 2023.12 update is full of small enhancements
Not a Tesla App
Tesla's 2023.12 software update brings many new features and improvements, but the undocumented changes are some of the most intriguing. These minor, lesser-known updates enhance the user experience and showcase Tesla's commitment to continuous innovation. So far, we have spotted ten undocumented changes in the latest build.
Automatic Emergency Braking
Automatic Emergency Braking has been improved and will now stop for vehicles traveling perpendicularly and supports higher speeds, up to 124 mph (200 km/h). It also has limited support while traveling in reverse.
Reverse Camera
Tesla has updated the reverse camera app slightly, there is now a separate button on the top right corner to show or hide your repeater cameras. Hiding and showing your repeater cameras previously required swiping up or down on the reverse camera feed.
Parked Visualization
The vehicle visualization that appears when parked can now be rotated for different viewing angles. This one doesn't have any real world use, but it's fun to view all the details Tesla has put into the visualization.
Nav Improvements
Each search result will now display the distance from your current location
Not a Tesla App
When you're searching for a destination, each search results will now display the distance from your current location. Tesla has also made the pin look more like a button, to make it clear that it's a separate button. Tapping on the name will route directly to the destination, while tapping the pin will bring up more detail about the destination, including reviews, phone number and photos.
Rename Vehicle in App
You can now rename your vehicle from the app
Twitter/Walgermo
Owners can now rename their vehicles directly through the Tesla app. Simply tap the current name, input the new one, and press "OK."
Speedometer Font
The speedometer is now more visible
KyleCoolky
The font of the speedometer has a little more weight to it, making it more visible at a glance.
Wiper Speed Adjustment
You can finally adjust your windshield wipers without having to go through menus
LexBarker
Drivers can adjust wiper speed without touching the touchscreen at all. On a Model 3 or Y, you'll need to tap the button at the end of the left stalk. This will wipe the windshield once and bring up the wiper controls on screen. You can then tilt the steering wheel's left scroll wheel to cycle through the various wiper speeds.
Air Suspension
Users have more control over air suspension settings, including toggling height and speed adjustments on and off for a given location.
Music Favoriting
A plus sign (+) icon replaces the heart for favoriting songs. Same functionality, but for some reason Tesla felt a plus sign worked better across the various music services.
Tesla Theater Icons
Tesla Theater icons are now square, app-like icons instead of horizontal logos, which happen to match the WeChat apps Tesla released in China. Could this mean something more?
App Drawer
When you open the app drawer by tapping on the ellipsis in the launcher, all available options are now displayed. A Customize button is also included at the top for easy access.
Updated Charging Screen
The charging menu has been revamped
Drill/TFF Forum
The charging menu in Controls > Charging has also been given a facelift. The unneeded vehicle visualization is now gone, which makes the battery slider much larger and easier to use. It's also much more fluid than in previous versions.
New Labels
You've likely already noticed this one, but Tesla has started to add 'New' labels to each new option or function. Tesla will likely continue to add these labels in future updates to make owners more aware of any changes.
Tesla 2023.12 update has been the largest and most exciting since the 2022 Holiday Update. This update includes the ability to answer your phone with the steering wheel, as well as adjust popular functions such as change acceleration mode and modify the HVAC fan speed, all without touching the screen.
It also included the ability to change the size of text on the screen, which has been a feature that has been requested for quite a while now.
With the 2023.12 update, Tesla continues to enhance the driving experience for its users. Explore the full range of features and undocumented changes of this update by checking out our Tesla release notes for 2023.12.
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Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
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