Tesla is finally getting ready to release support for the Apple Watch and presumably Android wear devices. It’s anyone’s guess if development for smartwatches has been in the works or if the Tesla team found out at the same time as the rest of us. Despite this request being made several times before, Elon Musk recently responded to the request with a simple “Sure.” Although the response is short, Musk has a good record of delivering on items he has said “sure” or “okay” to on X/Twitter. A few examples are agreeing to add WiFi garage door support, a glovebox PIN feature, disabling mirror auto-dimming, and many others. When Musk responds to these requests, in all likelihood, they’re already on Tesla’s product roadmap.
The days of living in fear of your phone running out of juice and not having your key card may be numbered. X user @dani_elle831 described that exact situation: “well it finally happened. my phone died & I got locked out of my tesla thankfully the massage place let me use their phone & hubby unlocked it from his phone not sure why the car can’t be unlocked using an Apple Watch or other smart watch. any chance this could be incorporated @elonmusk?”
One of the big advantages Apple Watch and Android Wear support could bring is the ability to use your watch as a vehicle key. From the context of the post on X, it’s not clear whether this will be included, as the post simply talks about unlocking the vehicle when you don’t have a working phone on you. It could mean having full-fledge key support on your watch, or simply being able to unlock and start the vehicle over the internet like you can already do through the app when you’re outside of Bluetooth range.
There’s no doubt that having ‘phone key’ support would be the best option, as it would work seamlessly and not require an internet connection, although it’s not clear what Tesla’s intentions are. Tesla has not added support for Apple’s CarKey and is unlikely to add it at this point. However, Tesla could add phone key support in the same method they already support on iPhones and Android devices.
Phone key leverages Bluetooth to unlock the vehicle when it’s nearby, and Tesla recently added ultra-wideband support, which brings even more precision to phone key. However, ultra-wideband is only available on newer devices, such as the iPhone 11 and later, some Samsung Galaxy 21 devices and later, as well as select other models. It also required a new Model 3, Cybertruck, or a newer Model S or X, with these sensors built in. Unfortunately, the previous generation Model 3 and the current Model Y do not include ultra-wideband support.
It is interesting to note that the Apple Watch has had ultra-wideband support since the Series 6, including the new Ultra models. Hopefully, we’ll be in for a treat and will see full phone key support through Bluetooth and Ultra-wideband, but either way, it seems like we’ll at long last be able to unlock the vehicle from our smartwatches in some form.
From Widgets to Watch Support
Tesla added lock screen widgets to the iPhone back in 2022
Not a Tesla App
Tesla rolled out lock screen widget support on iPhones in app update 4.14, and we’re likely going to see these same lock screen widgets supported on the Apple Watch and possibly on Android Wear devices. Tesla has two lock screen widgets that display relevant vehicle information. The larger one displays the range left on the vehicle, the name of the vehicle and a progress bar showing the charge level. If you have more than one Tesla, you’ll need to choose which vehicle is displayed in the widget, however, you can have multiple instances of the same widget. There is also a smaller widget that is half the size and simply displays the vehicle’s state of charge. Both of these would adapt well to ‘complications’ on the Apple Watch..
Smartwatch Support Expectation
Another concept of a Tesla app on the Apple Watch by @niccruzpatane
@niccruzpatane
We don’t know what Tesla is developing and it could be anything from a full-fledged Tesla app for smartwatches that allows you to access most commands available in the Tesla app such as charging, unlocking, starting the climate, setting charge level (as shown in the concept above), and even include full phone key support. However, it could also be a slimmed-down app that introduces watch widgets and allows you to access the most important commands and information about the vehicle, such as seeing the vehicle’s range, unlocking it, and starting a charge. Smartwatch support has been a long time coming, and even if Tesla releases the latter, it will be a great addition.
Other Manufacturers
Tesla's development of smartwatch apps is a welcome step, but surprisingly a step behind the competition, which is unlike Tesla in terms of software. Companies like Porsche, BMW, Dodge, Toyota, and Ford have already introduced support for smartwatches. These apps offer a range of features such as remote engine start and stop, door lock and unlock, car finder, vehicle status, and parking meter assistance.
Timing is Everything
Tesla's consideration of a smartwatch app comes at an intriguing time, closely following Apple's announcement to cancel its electric vehicle project, which would’ve competed directly with Tesla. It’s likely a coincidence, and it could have more to do with the recent addition of ultra-wideband, as this new tech provides significant improvements in energy usage and precision. We should find out more soon, so stay tuned.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
Tesla recently introduced Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment options in the United States and Canada for items in the Tesla Shop, letting owners pay later for new vehicle accessories.
However, with Tesla app update 4.46, they’re expanding support to a much more critical area — Tesla Service. Qualifying owners in the U.S. and Canada will now be able to use Pay Later options for service performed by Tesla, which includes maintenance or repairs.
Services are provided by Affirm and Klarna, as per Mark Fonte, a Senior Software Engineer working on the Tesla app.
The new feature is seamlessly integrated into the existing service workflow within the Tesla app.
On the Service Estimate, before work on the vehicle begins, you will see a new message on the estimate screen: Pay over time - see if you qualify.
Tapping this link opens the payment calculator, which allows you to view potential payment structures and monthly costs. This provides a clear picture of what a payment plan would look like before you commit to servicing your vehicle.
Additionally, after service is complete and you are ready to pay, the final payment screen will present Affirm and Klarna (region-dependent) as selectable payment methods, alongside the usual options of Tesla Credit or your primary payment card.
Tapping Affirm or Klarna here will reopen the payment calculator, and a confirmation prompt will appear before selecting either BNPL option.
Service Now, Pay Later
Overall, the integration of BNPL providers for service is a thoughtful one for vehicle owners. The terms can vary widely, so it’s important to compare them to other payment options you may have access to. The additional financial flexibility, when faced with a large repair bill, allows more owners to get their vehicle professionally and properly serviced by Tesla.
For those getting larger work done, such as high-voltage battery pack replacements, this is an excellent option to spread payments over a longer period, helping reduce the burden of vehicle repair.
With the launch of Tesla’s Robotaxi Network, we didn't just get a peek into the future of transportation—we got a detailed look at the next version of FSD.
Videos from early access riders revealed some additional capabilities over current public FSD builds, showing off how it handles emergency vehicles and more.
Safety First for First Responders
One of the biggest changes in FSD’s capabilities is its improved handling of emergency vehicles. During a ride in Austin, Robotaxi is seen identifying an approaching ambulance using a combination of visual and audio data, activating its turn signal, and smoothly pulling over to the side of the road to let the ambulance by (video below).
This is a driving task that requires more than simple awareness of laws. It requires reasoning skills to determine where to move the vehicle to create a safe path, as well as the ability to quickly identify an ambulance or another emergency service vehicle with its sirens and lights activated. Understanding the context and executing a safe and predictable maneuver is crucial, as a wrong maneuver could actually make matters worse.
For FSD and Robotaxi to gain both public trust and regulatory approval, this skill is non-negotiable, and Tesla demonstrated its advancements right here. It’s not surprising Tesla added this ability before Robotaxis made it to public roads.
How does a fleet of Robotaxis keep its eyes clean without constant human intervention? Well, a clever new feature that Tesla has previously hinted at in their FSD release notes provides the answer. Robotaxi can now trigger a specific wiper and washer fluid sequence designed to clean the main front-facing cameras.
This might seem like a small detail, but it’s a brilliant solution to one of Tesla’s primary challenges - maintaining sensor clarity. While the vehicle could simply wipe the windshield multiple times, this is a clever solution to clean the most important area of the windshield as thoroughly as possible by focusing extra wiper fluid and wipes on that area.
Complex Maneuvers
Two areas where current builds of FSD V13.2.9 sometimes show hesitation are U-turns and navigating busy parking lots. The latest Robotaxi build appears to improve on both of these areas.
This first video shows a Robotaxi performing a flawless U-turn with no hesitation, and then smoothly switching lanes to take a turn.
Another video on X shows FSD’s updated confidence in navigating a complex parking lot for a precise drop-off. Today’s builds can sometimes struggle in parking lots, being slow and overly cautious when not needed, or too confident elsewhere. This appears to have been improved in these Robotaxi FSD builds with improved path planning and confidence.
Tesla Robotaxi service is just so smooth. Handles parking lots very well, noticeably better than the competitors pic.twitter.com/D5OxSrajCW
We’re also likely to see FSD begin to handle more complex destination options, including parking garages and driveways, which have been promised features for almost a year. The Robotaxi FSD build has also gained the ability to safely pull over on a road, similar to the ambulance example above, but it uses this capability to drop off and pick up passengers. This is a feature that was mentioned in FSD v13.2’s Upcoming Improvements section.
Better Nighttime Performance
Driving at night presents additional challenges, including headlight glare and reduced visibility. The latest version of FSD appears to handle it with almost the same grace as it does during the day. Remember that Tesla’s Robotaxis are available up until midnight. Early access riders mentioned that FSD is far smoother and is a step up from the behavior of current FSD builds.
Impressive nighttime performance from Tesla Robotaxi, dropping us off at In-N-Out as smoothly as it did during the day. pic.twitter.com/yQOhphtR0q
Now, what happens when a passenger feels unsafe or has a critical question? Tesla has placed two key buttons on the rear screen for just those purposes. Users are given control over the ability to Call Support, which almost instantly connects them with a real human agent at Tesla’s Robotaxi Operations Center via video call.
Here’s what happens when you hit the support button in Tesla’s Robotaxi’s.
While it isn’t a fundamental driving feature, it does mean that Tesla’s team can provide support to Robotaxi vehicles remotely, like issuing directive commands to have a vehicle proceed straight, rather than attempting to turn through a gated community.
The other option, Pull Over, allows a rider to immediately request the vehicle to safely pull over, which it will do when it can find a safe and open location. At this point, you can either continue your trip or get out of the Robotaxi.
Both options prompt you with an “Are You Sure?” button before letting you continue, which means you won’t have your Robotaxi ride come to an abrupt stop if you tap the ‘Pull Over’ button by accident.
What This Means for Tesla Owners
These features are likely to be included in future FSD builds. This is essentially the new benchmark by which to judge FSD, at least once it begins rolling out to customer vehicles.
Many of the core driving improvements, such as the more confident maneuvering and emergency vehicle response, will make their way to the wider fleet in upcoming FSD updates.
Remember - Robotaxi isn’t just a service, it is also a preview of Tesla’s driverless FSD builds.
![Tesla Autonomously Delivers Its First Vehicle to Customer — And It’s More Impressive Than Expected [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/model-y-2025/newmodely_77.jpg/382e0312c769d0bb2e1234f7ac556fad/newmodely_77.jpg)
![First Recorded Tesla Robotaxi Intervention: UPS Truck Encounter [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2025/robotaxi_model_y.jpg/3036d8b53214c2d071c978c42911e451/robotaxi_model_y.jpg)
![First Look at Tesla's Robotaxi App and Its Features [PHOTOS]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/tesla-app/robotaxi-app/robotaxi-app-tips.webp/e643a61975bf712d18dc9aa9a48fdb01/robotaxi-app-tips.jpg)
