Tesla usually packs a bunch of smaller, undocumented changes into every update, and this year’s holiday update isn’t any different. In fact, the holiday update contains massive improvements under the hood, especially for vehicles with the Intel Atom processor. The undocumented changes in this update are just as good as the features themselves, and for some owners, they may be even more of a gift than what Tesla has outlined in the release notes.
Come with us as we go through each feature that may have gone under the radar.
Update: Since we originally published this article, there have been an additional two undocumented changes found. They’re listed below.
Explicit Audio Content
The explicit content setting now applies to Apple Podcasts in addition to the 'Streaming'
Not a Tesla App
In the Audio Settings Options section, Tesla lets you block explicit content. Until now it only applied to the music service Tesla calls ‘Streaming,’ which is Slacker. However, with update 2023.44.30, this now applies to the new Apple Podcasts app as well. Unfortunately, it still does not apply to other streaming services such as Spotify or Apple Music yet.
More Wheel & Tire Options
New wheel options
Roz_420
Under the Wheel & Tire section, you can now select from additional wheel options. Tesla has added two new Gemini wheel options. Although the metallic aero wheels are only available in China, you can now select them from the Wheel & Tire menu in other regions as well. This will update your vehicle’s visualizations on screen and in the app to show these wheels instead of the vehicle’s default wheels.
The other new option introduced is the Gemini Cap Kit wheel option, which is the same Gemini wheel, but with the covers removed and with the bolt covers, known as the cap kit added.
Switching your wheels in these menus will cause the infotainment system to restart.
Improved Transition to Cellular
Tesla has improved their transition from Wi-Fi to cellular connections
Previously, if a vehicle was connected to WiFi, it would often not have an internet connection for a period of time until the cellular connection was established.
The transition from WiFi to cellular now appears to be instant. Tesla may be activating the cellular connection as you enter the car, instead of waiting until the vehicle is put into drive.
Improved Reverse Functions
These has made two improvements to the vehicle while in reverse
Not a Tesla App / KeaganGigatexas
There are two improvements to reverse in this update when the vehicle is in reverse.
The vehicle's visualization will now display reverse lane markers when the vehicle is in reverse, indicating the vehicle's path.
For vehicles equipped with ultrasonic sensors, the update brings an innovative feature - the distance to objects behind the vehicle will now dynamically change based on the steering wheel's position (video). For example, if the steering wheel is centered and will go straight backward, then the distance to an object will be for the object behind the vehicle. However, if the steering wheel is turned, then the distance will be for the object that is in the vehicle's direction.
View Supercharger Amenities on Map
When viewing details about a Supercharger in the vehicle, the amenity icons are now buttons that can be tapped to view the locations on the map. Before, Tesla would show you what type of amenities were nearby, but you can now view the exact shops or stores.
Autopilot / FSD Beta Strike Reset
FSD Beta strikes have been reset in the holiday update
Not a Tesla App
With the holiday update, FSD Beta strikes have been reset for everyone. This gives everyone a clean slate when using the updated system that now applies to FSD Beta and Autopilot use.
If your vehicle has a cabin camera, you’ll lose access to Autopilot and FSD Beta after accumulating five strikes. If your vehicle doesn’t have a cabin camera, then you’re limited to three strikes.
Cabin Camera Privacy
You can now view the features the cabin camera is used for
Not a Tesla App
You can now view which Tesla features have access to the cabin camera. Simply navigate to Controls > Software > Cabin Camera.
The vehicle will display all features that are enabled and have access to the vehicle's interior camera.
Dashcam Icons
Tesla has made various improvements to the vehicle's Dashcam feature
Not a Tesla App
The dashcam now features an icon that is more informative. The dashcam icon will now display these states:
Saving / Loading: This icon features a gray badge with arrows letting you know the dashcam is saving or retrieving footage to the USB drive.
Saved Footage: After successfully saving footage to the USB drive, a green checkmark badge will now briefly appear on the dashcam icon.
Error / Not Recording: If there is an error with your dashcam, USB drive or recording is turned off, there will be a gray badge with an 'X' that signifies that the dashcam is not actively recording.
Paused: A red pause badge shows up on the dashcam's icon if the dashcam is temporarily not recording, like if the Dashcam Viewer is actively being used.
Automatic Wipers
Windshield wipers no longer need to be set to Auto while in Autopilot
Not a Tesla App
Automatic windshield wipers can now be turned off, even while Autopilot or FSD Beta is enabled.
Previously, you could change the time interval between wipes, but you could not turn off the wipers completely.
Dashcam Viewer Improvements
Tesla's Dashcam viewer is now much faster
Not a Tesla App
Thanks to hardware video decoding, the Dashcam Viewer is now faster and more responsive. When scrubbing the progress bar, video is now smoother and jumps around less.
Tesla Theater Improvements
Thanks to hardware decoding, Tesla's video services are also seeing improved performance
Not a Tesla App
Similar to the Dashcam Viewer improvements, Tesla Theater is now much faster and smoother as well. Improvements are noticed while browsing content, playing content and minimizing Tesla Theater.
Automatic Emergency Braking, Now Required
If you have Autopilot or FSD enabled in settings, then AEB is now required
Not a Tesla App
Automatic Emergency Braking, which can help stop your vehicle for perpendicular dangers, or in reverse, must now remain enabled if your vehicle is set up to use Autopilot or FSD Beta, even if they are not active.
Ability to Turn Off Automatic 911 Calling
Automatic 911 calling is an optional feature
Not a Tesla App
With this update, your vehicle will automatically call 911 if airbags are deployed and your phone is actively connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth.
The vehicle shows a countdown in such as situation, which allows you to cancel the call, however, the feature is optional and can be turned off by navigating to Controls > Safety > Automatic 911 Call.
The holiday update appears to have been a massive clean up by Tesla, where they not only improved performance but included many quality-of-life features. This is resulting in a smoother experience for owners and hopefully leaves some additional bandwidth for additional features in the future.
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With Tesla software update 2024.38 and up, Tesla and Spotify have added the ability to use Spotify in the vehicle with a free Spotify account. While this has been a downgrade in Europe and Oceania, in North America, it’ll be a welcomed addition.
Spotify Premium
Owners in North America were required to log in with a Premium Spotify account to use Spotify inside their Teslas.
However, starting with the 2024.38 update, users in North America can enjoy Spotify for free, but with some limitations. The free version of Spotify will include ads, have limited skips, and users will be unable to play songs in a specific order or organize their listening queue.
No More Free Premium
In Europe and Oceania, Tesla previously bundled a Spotify Premium subscription with Premium Connectivity, while in North America, Tesla offered a free premium version of LiveOne Radio (previously known as Streaming in the vehicle). However, both of these premium plans went away
This appears to be a cost-saving measure, but it’s not unexpected. Since Tesla now includes a variety of music streaming services in the vehicle and music subscriptions have become more popular, it makes less sense for Tesla to pay for a premium subscription for each owner.
That’s a lot of features, but only you can judge whether it’s worth the $99 yearly subscription cost. Depending on the feature, you may also be able to use it by connecting to your phone’s hotspot or a local WiFi network.
While the loss of a premium LiveOne or Spotify subscription will be a bummer to some, many users in North America will be able to access Spotify with a free account for the first time.
While a Premium version of Spotify costs $12/month, it does include ad-free music, higher audio quality, unlimited skips and more.
Overall, the one positive takeaway here is that anyone can now use their free Spotify account without also needing Premium Connectivity to take advantage of it. That’s a pretty good deal for those who use their phones to tether and provide Wi-Fi to their cars!
According to an article published by The Information in early October, Tesla intends to introduce four new types of 4680 batteries in 2026. We already know that Tesla has been working hard on new batteries. The Cybercell - the upgraded 4680, is already a new design meant specifically to get the Cybertruck and future vehicles off the ground.
Tesla has also been working on Solid-State Batteries, but even with Tesla’s technological and engineering prowess, that technology is still quite far out.
The 4680 Cell
To put things in context, the 4680 cell is Tesla’s replacement for the older 2710 cells present in most Model 3s and Model Ys. Tesla has been producing these cells for a long time and has optimized them considerably, both in terms of scale of manufacturing and engineering.
But the tech behind the 2170 cell is old, and 4680 will be Tesla’s next leap forward. They previously tried with the much-maligned 4680 Model Y, but it was quickly pulled from sale. They tried again with the Cybercell—and that went much better. So much better, in fact, that Tesla is working on enhancing the Cybercell even further—using a Dry Cathode Process to make the cell easier and cheaper to manufacture.
The Trouble with 4680
According to The Information, an inside source at Tesla has said that Tesla is losing 70-80% of its anodes—one of the two parts that move electrons from the cell to the vehicle—in test production. Tesla has been working hard to solve this, and they recently demoed a Dry Cathode Process Cybertruck.
First prototype Cybertruck with in-house dry cathode 4680 cells – making it an all dry electrode vehicle pic.twitter.com/NzJxKQrRBp
The 4680 cell is the next leap in large battery packs, but it's a difficult leap to make. Tesla is having trouble moving its research and development to engineering, but it's just a matter of time. Today, the 4680 is primarily made at the Fremont factory in California, but Tesla intends to move parts of its future battery chain production to a new area outside Giga, Texas.
With that new zone, they intend to establish the 4680’s dry cathode process production facility—to produce the 4680D Cell. According to Musk, that move will cut the 4680's production costs by nearly 30%.
The New Batteries
The four cells that Tesla plans to introduce in 2026 have some interesting code names. The first is “NC05.” The NC stands for New Cell, but we’re sure Tesla will come up with a witty name once it comes out of R&D.
NC05 Battery
This cell is intended to be the easy-to-manufacture cell that will power the Cybercab and will likely also power the lower-cost $25,000 model—which we’re still expecting to see sometime next year.
NC20 Battery
The next size up, the NC20, is intended to power Tesla’s SUV lineup and the Cybertruck. This will be a larger-format cell intended for moving larger and heavier vehicles and possibly optimized for towing—a constraint the Cybertruck, on its current 4680s, can find challenging in harsh winter conditions.
NC30 & NC50 Batteries
The NC30 and NC50 are the other two cells that The Information lists, but they’ll be drastically different. They won’t be using the standard cell materials that we’ve seen used up to this point. This is where the focus of Tesla’s R&D likely lies - they intend to introduce cells using silicon carbon into the anodes. Silicon Carbon, or SiC, can hold and move electrons faster than traditional anode materials.
These cells are likely where Tesla will make significant strides in both faster charging times and improved energy output. The advanced anode design, which allows for greater energy transfer, is poised to play a crucial role in Tesla's push for ultra-fast Supercharging.
The NC30 will eventually end up in the Cybertruck and Tesla’s future SUV lineup - maybe a refreshed Model X or Model Y.
The NC50, on the other hand, will be focused on performance and a smaller cell. It’ll power the new Tesla Roadster and likely Tesla’s performance models, such as the Plaid, Performance, and Beast variants.
The Information didn’t provide any information on whether Tesla will utilize this tech on its Powerwalls or Megapacks just yet, but it's likely that both of those two products will see further cost optimization and efficiency gains as well.
We’re excited to see where Tesla takes its battery tech in the future, as charging times and vehicle range are still one thing preventing the mass adoption of electric vehicles.
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