Tesla's High Fidelity Park Assist: Strengths and Areas for Improvement [VIDEO]

By Kevin Armstrong
Tesla released its high fidelity park assist feature during its 2023 holiday update
Tesla released its high fidelity park assist feature during its 2023 holiday update
YouTube/AI DRIVR

A new video on YouTube (posted below) provides an in-depth look at Tesla's High Fidelity Park Assist. Viewers can get a good look at the system’s ability to accurately visualize and interact with the car's surroundings for improved parking assistance but also understand its weaknesses.

Urban traffic and limited parking spaces have made parking challenging, often leading to congestion and increased risk of accidents. Tesla's High Fidelity Park Assist is not just about making parking easier; it's about transforming it. Tesla is just cameras to create a 3D visualization of the car’s surroundings, enabling precision parking like never before.

Breakthrough Features of Tesla's Park Assist

AI DRIVR notes the visual accuracy and the clear view of the surroundings. It vividly shows barriers, crosswalks, parking spots and more. It goes beyond objects that FSD could identify, and even for objects that can’t be identified, they are still displayed on screen in 3D. AI DRIVR also does a great job of pointing out some weaknesses in the current system and determining its accuracy.

Upcoming Improvements

As we know, Tesla is constantly improving, but the first version of this system shows where the following upgrades may further advance the technology. Future versions are expected to offer even more precision and more accurate visual representations. The video presenter suggests the system might even cover larger areas and shift away from gray tones by overlaying images on the 3D objects.

The feature is currently limited to vehicles without ultrasonic sensors (USS), but Tesla’s director of Autopilot already said that the feature will also come to vehicles with USS. However, it’s not clear whether the feature will be limited to vehicles equipped with Ryzen-powered infotainment systems (MCU 3).

Tesla’s improved Park Assist is also currently limited to lower speeds (below about 3 mph), however, this could be expanded as well. One day FSD visualizations could be completely based on this technology instead of relying on pre-made 3D models.

Accuracy and Limitations

The technology accurately renders objects like cones and curbs, but the presenter notes that the system's accuracy diminishes with proximity to objects. Another area for improvement will be hardware and, obviously, the addition of a front bumper camera. Cars with front bumper cameras will benefit far more from this technology. However, there are no future retrofits, and only the newest production models are equipped with front cameras, such as the Cybertruck. The video notes that the system needs to improve in showing objects directly in front of the car.

Interestingly, the video shows the system performs much better backing into places. It’s likely due to that wide-angle camera. If you or your teenagers have gone through any driver’s training lately, you probably know that backing into spaces is recommended. It allows for a much safer departure from the space, and the new High Fidelity System is set up very well for that.

The High Fidelity Park Assist system represents a significant improvement in Tesla’s Park Assist. These vehicles were previously limited to Park Assist with questionable accuracy. Its ability to now accurately visualize surroundings in real-time offers a safer and more efficient parking experience. The system's ongoing development promises continual improvements, potentially leading to more precise and reliable parking assistance than currently available with ultrasonic sensors. This technology sets a new standard in the evolution of Tesla’s Park Assist.

Tesla’s Hands-Free Frunk and Trunk – Features & How to Set Them Up

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Having the ability to open your trunk hands-free can be incredibly useful when your hands are full, especially in a busy parking lot.

Tesla vehicles now support opening the vehicle’s trunk or frunk completely hands-free — no foot waving required.

What is Hands-Free Frunk and Trunk?

Tesla implemented its hands-free feature by leveraging your phone’s position in relation to the vehicle. When you stand still behind your vehicle, the trunk will automagically open for you.

While this functionality isn’t available on every vehicle, it’s available on every vehicle Tesla manufactures today, including the new Model Y, the Cybertruck and other recent models.

With a compatible device and a supported vehicle, you can now open your Tesla’s trunk hands-free.

How It Works

Tesla’s hands-free feature requires the use of ultrawide-band (UWB) in the vehicle and on your phone. Apple and Samsung have supported ultra-wideband for a number of years and most flagship Android devices also support the low-energy feature.

Ultra-wideband allows another device to precisely detect its relative location. In this case, the vehicle is tracking where the driver’s phone is in relation to the vehicle. Since the vehicle is able to more precisely track the phone’s location, ultra-wideband also improves Tesla’s phone key feature.

Since the vehicle depends on your phone, you’ll need to have your phone on you in order to activate the hands-free feature. Simply stand within 2.5 to 3 feet from the front or rear of your vehicle for the frunk or trunk to open. You’ll then hear a couple of chimes. If you continue to stand still, then your frunk or trunk will open automatically.

The chimes serve as a warning that the trunk will open if you don’t move, which helps reduce accidental openings.

Hands-Free Trunk in Action

The video below shows how Tesla’s hands-free trunk feature works.

Supported Models

Since Tesla uses ultra-wideband to power the hands-free feature, only vehicles with the needed hardware are supported. The list of supported vehicles includes:

  • 2021 Model S and later

  • 2021 Model X and later

  • 2024 Model 3 (Highland) and later

  • 2026 Model Y (Juniper) and later

  • All Cybertrucks

Supported Phones

Your phone will also need to support UWB. Luckily, most manufacturers have included UWB in their devices for several years.

Apple: All Apple devices since the iPhone 11 have included UWB, except for the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). The iPhone 16e also has UWB.

Android: Most Android phones - especially flagship devices - already support and use UWB for other uses, but it’s not available on all phones. If you have a Google Pixel 6 or higher, Samsung Fold 2 or higher, Samsung S21+, or other recent Android phone, then your phone already supports ultra wideband.

Which Models Support Hands-Free Frunk

Unfortunately, not every supported model supports the hands-free frunk and trunk feature. The hands-free frunk feature is only supported on the Model S, Model X, and the Cybertruck. In addition, the Cyebrtruck is the only vehicle with a powered frunk, so while the Model S and Model X will unlock the frunk for you, you’ll still need to lift it and close it manually. The Cybertruck will open the frunk for you, much like the trunk on another Tesla.

Which Models Support Hands-Free Trunk

While most supported Tesla vehicles can use the hands-free trunk, it excludes the Cybertruck, which doesn’t have a powered trunk.

Enable Hands-Free Trunk / Frunk

If you plan to use your vehicle’s hands-free trunk feature, you’ll need to enable it in settings, as it’s off by default. Simply open Controls by tapping the vehicle icon in the bottom left corner, then navigate to the Locks section.

Within the Hands-Free section, you’ll find a few options, depending on your model. You’ll be able to choose whether to enable the hands-free frunk or trunk and whether you’d like to disable the feature at home.

Preventing Accidental Opening - Exclude Home

Although the hands-free feature requires you to stay still in front or behind your vehicle for a couple of seconds, it can still be triggered accidentally if you’re working around your garage. To prevent accidental opening of the frunk or trunk, Tesla allows you to disable the feature while your vehicle is parked at home.

Tesla determines your home location by the address that’s set in your vehicle. However, it also adds a buffer, meaning that your hands-free trunk feature will also not work in your driveway or at your neighbor’s home. The exclude home feature is located in the same spot as other hands-free trunk features, Controls > Locks > Hands-Free > Exclude Home.

If you have a recent Tesla that’s supported, go ahead and give the feature a try.

Tesla to Provides an Update on Powershare Feature

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Powershare is a feature that is currently exclusive to the Cybertruck and one of the truck’s best selling points. With its massive 123kWh battery, the Cybertruck can supply power to your home when paired with a Tesla PowerShare setup. This system also includes automatic backup failover, ensuring seamless power during home outages.

Powershare Limitations

One major limitation has been that Tesla Powerwall owners couldn’t use the PowerShare feature due to software conflicts, which took a while to resolve.

However, the challenge wasn’t just software-related—Tesla also had to navigate several regulatory hurdles. A key issue was that homes with solar integrated into their backup solution couldn’t use PowerShare. This meant homeowners had to choose between powering their home with solar or their Cybertruck, rather than combining both sources.

Solar Update

Thanks to a recent update, PowerShare is now available for customers with solar in their backup circuit, allowing them to power their home with solar energy and even charge their Cybertruck during an outage—seamlessly and automatically.

Additionally, PowerShare is now enabled for customers with a backup switch, provided they are in an approved utility region.

Powerwall Update

PowerShare will be available to Powerwall owners using a Wall Connector Gen 3 or Universal Wall Connector starting in Q3 2025. While still a few months away, this is great news for Powerwall users looking to leverage the Cybertruck’s large battery as an extended backup power source for their homes.

Wall Connector Gen 3

Interestingly, Tesla has now enabled PowerShare for the Wall Connector Gen 3, a change that appears to be driven more by regulatory approvals than hardware or software limitations.

Currently, Tesla requires customers in the U.S. and Canada to use the Universal Wall Connector for PowerShare, even if they already own a Gen 3 Wall Connector. However, this policy will likely change in the coming months as the Gen 3 Wall Connector gains official support.

Author’s Note - Powershare Pricing

We’d love to see Tesla reduce the cost of PowerShare installation. The author received a quote for a home setup with two Wall Connectors in a standalone garage with its own breaker panel. Since the home already had an automatic Generac backup failover switch, much of the required electrical work was already in place.

Despite this, the final quote for installation came in just under $12,000 CAD (about $8,500 USD at the time). This covered only the installation of a Tesla Gateway, replacing a single Gen 3 Wall Connector with a Universal Connector, and some additional wiring. Even with the Foundation-Series discount of $3,500 CAD, it won’t be cheap to install.

While this update is a great step forward, Tesla needs to make PowerShare more accessible—both by expanding it to more vehicles and by lowering installation costs. It’s an incredibly useful feature that will help sell vehicles, but affordability remains an issue.

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