Tesla has improved the transition from WiFi to cellullar when starting the vehicle
Not a Tesla App / KeaganGigatexas
Tesla’s recent holiday update keeps giving as a couple of undocumented yet significant changes have been introduced. The 2023.44.30.8 update improves the transition from WiFi to cellular data in Tesla vehicles. Many may not notice this subtle update, but it ensures constant connectivity for Tesla drivers. It also took a few double takes to see another interesting update in the holiday update that will change how Tesla drivers reverse.
Seamless Transition: The End of Connectivity Gaps
Previously, Tesla owners experienced an everyday inconvenience. While backing out of their garage or simply driving away from their homes, the vehicle would turn off its WiFi connection, resulting in a short period where voice commands and other connected features were unavailable until a cellular connection was established. However, the latest update addresses this issue. When the vehicle is put into drive or reverse, it seamlessly switches from WiFi to a cellular connection, eliminating connectivity gaps.
The mechanics behind this improved transition suggest that Tesla may proactively activate the cellular connection when the driver enters the vehicle. This approach differs from the previous protocol, where the car waited until it was put into drive to establish a cellular connection. By keeping the cellular connection active or turning it on upon the driver's entry, Tesla ensures that the vehicle remains constantly connected, enhancing the overall user experience.
Owners have reported noticeable improvements in connectivity since the update. Our tests corroborate these findings, demonstrating a significant enhancement in WiFi speeds and a smoother transition to cellular data. This improvement is especially beneficial for features that rely on internet connectivity, such as voice commands and navigation, ensuring they remain functional even when transitioning from a home network to cellular data.
Improved WiFi Speed
A reader also alerted us of improved WiFi speeds, which we were able to replicate in our own tests over 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. The signal strength remained similar to previous tests, but the throughput was noticeably higher than in previous vehicle updates.
Intuitive Reverse Lane Markers
The holiday update introduces reverse lane markers in the vehicle's visualization. Similar to those seen in the reverse camera, these markers now appear in the main display, clearly indicating the vehicle's path while reversing. X user @KeaganGigatexas discovered the change while turning the wheel.
For vehicles equipped with Ultrasonic Sensors, the update brings an innovative feature - the displayed distance to nearby objects now dynamically changes based on the steering wheel's position. This feature gives drivers a more accurate sense of their surroundings, especially in tight parking scenarios.
Interestingly, vehicles without USS no longer show distances to objects, coinciding with the introduction of high-fidelity park assist. While these vehicles benefit from the new lane markers, they do not display the distance of the 'aimed' object, differentiating the experience for drivers with different Tesla configurations.
While the 2023 holiday update paled compared to previous holiday updates, Tesla continues to sneak in more subtle changes, further improving the vehicle free of charge.
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We’ve known for a while now that Tesla has been using a custom build of FSD to allow its newly produced vehicles at Giga Texas and Fremont to autonomously navigate themselves from the production line to the outbound delivery lot.
While we knew they were using a custom build of what was likely FSD Unsupervised, thanks to a recent post from Tesla AI on X, this has now been confirmed. Tesla has also confirmed it has accrued over 50,000 driverless miles, totalled from vehicles autonomously driving themselves to delivery lots.
Giga Texas production now uses FSD Unsupervised to deliver cars from end of line to the outbound logistics lot.
Over 50,000 driverless miles have been accrued between California and Texas factories so far pic.twitter.com/79zKY0U6Ox
For most of Tesla’s vehicles - that’s a 1.4-mile trip that is shared with pedestrians, cars, trucks, and construction equipment. You can see in the video that the Teslas are navigating public roadways and encountering real human drivers.
That’s great news, because many were wondering whether Tesla would receive approvals to operate autonomously like this once their first Robotaxi network launched in the town right outside - Giga Texas - in Austin.
That’s great news, especially since many were wondering whether Tesla would secure the necessary approvals in time to launch their Robotaxi network in June.
Increased Confidence
Following Tesla’s post to X, Musk followed up by saying that when Tesla launches FSD Unsupervised soon, it will be the first time there will be a generalized, pure AI solution to autonomy. Tesla and several executives continue to post more content about autonomy and the Robotaxi network, leading us to believe they’re feeling confident in the June launch.
Model Ys autonomously navigate a 1.4 mile trip on a road shared with pedestrians, cars, semi trucks, construction equipment & more pic.twitter.com/iPx2fs78v2
Back when Tesla initially announced the autonomous travel of its vehicles from production to loading lots, they mentioned that the Cybertruck was the only vehicle at Giga Texas not receiving that same treatment.
Now, that’s changed - Cybertruck is now also navigating through the Cybertunnel to make its way from the factory directly to the loading docks, all on Unsupervised FSD. And that’s making us even more excited, especially because Tesla was supposed to launch an FSD Update for the Cybertruck a little while ago - but it hasn’t made it to production yet. This update is set to bring Start FSD from Park, as well as Actually Smart Summon - bringing the Cybertruck to feature parity with Tesla’s other AI4 vehicles.
Cybertrucks autonomously navigate a 0.6 mile route traversing beneath one of America's fastest highways, emerging through a steep 17% grade to reach their destination pic.twitter.com/3ZMYCRPhIj
Now that Tesla is confidently using a build of Unsupervised FSD to navigate the tight confines of the tunnel and park, we’re pretty sure that Tesla will likely launch the expected FSD update in the near future.
FSD Update Soon?
It’s been a while since any FSD hardware variant has received an FSD update. It appears that Tesla has been focused on Unsupervised FSD and launching FSD outside of North America.
It seems like we may get a new FSD update soon, and we don’t believe it’ll be just for the Cybertruck. Those who have the opportunity to sign up for Tesla’s new Early Access program will likely be some of the first recipients to receive the FSD update, so stay tuned.
Lars Moravvy, Tesla's Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, recently took to X to pose a question to the community: “Let's make Teslas better… what do you all want for 2026?”
The question absolutely took off, and there were tons of fantastic suggestions about what Tesla owners would love to see from their vehicles in the future.
There were more than 12k suggestions, so let's take a look at some of the most popular feature requests.
Top Suggestions
CyberSUV - A classically styled SUV with a stainless steel exterior.
Faster Charging & Better Charge Curves - Tesla vehicles start off with fast charging speeds, but usually taper off quickly in comparison to other brands. This is especially true when compared to some Chinese brands, which sustain 500 kW charging at up to 70% state of charge. Let's get improved charging speeds on Teslas as well, especially with the 500 kW Superchargers coming in Q3.
450mi / 500mi range vehicles - Lots of customers want longer range vehicles, even though Tesla's analysis says the 300-mile range is ideal for 90% of its customer base. Range really does matter - especially for customers in more rural locations or those who choose to tow or haul with their vehicles.
Ambient Lighting Reacts to Music - This one is pretty straightforward, and it's surprising we don't already have this feature. Having basic integration with the currently playing audio is a neat feature, and really helps to make the entire experience even more seamless and premium.
Refresh Model 3 Signal Stalk Retrofit - Some people really love their signal stalks. While there aren't retrofits available just yet, we do recommend the Enhauto Stalks. For those who want an official retrofit, there is now some hope - Lars responded and said he'll try.
Lumbar Support in the Profile - Right now, lumbar support is the only seat item not saved to the Tesla Profile. This may change soon, as Lars followed up and mentioned that there are a few technical issues preventing it, but Tesla could make it work with some of their magic.
Model 3 Track Pack - The Model S has an exclusive Track Pack as a post-factory retrofit offered by Tesla, including premium brakes, tires, and wheels. The Refreshed Model 3 Performance is a killer track vehicle - but getting real track support from Tesla would be a game-changer for those who love to race.
Some of Our Favorites
Sentry Mode Improvements - Several users suggested adding B-pillar recording to Sentry Mode. And it looks like Tesla has already been working on this, and it'll be available in the upcoming 2025 Spring Update, which will be update 2025.14. Unfortunately, it'll be limited to what appears to be HW4 vehicles due to the additional processing.
Massaging Seats - A touch of luxury for Tesla's most premium models would be nice. Tesla actually used to offer it as a feature in the past, so we'd love to see it come back, as many other luxury brands already offer it.
Powershare for More Vehicles - Powershare is a fantastic feature, and bringing it to every Tesla is a must, especially as many other brands, including Ford, Kia, and Hyundai, offer either Vehicle to Load or Vehicle to Home capabilities as an option on their EVs. Tesla recently introduced the Mobile Connector with Powershare capabilities and an Outlet Adapter, but it's still exclusive to the Cybertruck for now.
Starlink Integration - Tesla currently uses cell networks for connectivity, which can sometimes be spotty. Starlink is a clear, high-tech solution that could provide data to vehicles when they have a clear line of sight to the sky.
Grok in Vehicles - Musk has already confirmed that Tesla will be integrating Grok into Tesla vehicles. We expected it to be included in Tesla's Spring Update, but it looks like they'll need a little bit longer. One of the lead xAI/Grok developers mentioned the request with a wink emoji, so it's clear it’s a feature that Tesla and xAI are actively working on. The way users will be able to naturally talk to AI will be game-changing for many users who are used to driving alone.
There was a lot of positivity in the comments, as well as a ton of interesting requests that could eventually be implemented in Tesla vehicles. Lars also responded to quite a few of the comments, which was nice to see.
While nothing is certain, some of these popular requests may come in a future update, while others may need hardware changes if Tesla wants to implement them.
2026 may seem far away, but there's already plenty of coming this year with a cheaper vehicle and the launch of the Robotaxi network.
If you love reading about feature suggestions, we also recently covered the top feature requests for Tesla, based on the many requests we hear about.
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