Tesla's New 'Tap to Park' Autopark Feature [Updated With Video]

Tesla is launching its improved Autopark feature

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has released the much-anticipated new Autopark feature that is expected to be based on the new neural networks that power FSD Beta v12.

Teslas have had Autopark capability for several years, although it has several shortcomings, besides not being available to any recent vehicles that do not include ultrasonic sensors (USS).

This refined version of Autopark is available as part of update 2024.2.11, although the update appears to be limited to employees at this time.

This new iteration of Autopark is expected to be a big improvement over the previous version. According to Musk, it contains “major improvements” over the previous version.

Video

Update: The first video of the new Autopark feature is now available thanks to X user Space Cat, who drives a Model Y with Enhanced Autopilot and without ultrasonic sensors. In the video below you can see the new parking visuals and how easily the vehicle detects parking spots, something the current Autopark feature struggles with.

The driver can pick from any of the highlighted spots. It’s impressive how the vehicle shifts to drive or reverse depending on what’s needed. This appears to be similar behavior to what we’ll see in FSD, according to Tesla’s Autopilot director.

Tesla made the process to initial Autopark easy with this release. The vehicle automatically displays available parking spots and defaults to one nearby. All the driver has to do is stop the vehicle and tap ‘Start’ on the screen to start Autopark. There’s no need to tap a button to have the vehicle detect parking spots or even to select a particular spot, unless you have a preference.

Tesla autopark for vision only non-USS Model Y! At long last! So far I'm pretty impressed. It's way better than the old autopark.@AndyZeGerman @28delayslater pic.twitter.com/Hi25l7T1XL

— Space Cat 🐈🚀 (@raderje) March 24, 2024

Tap a Parking Spot and Exit the Vehicle?

Musk has been talking about the new ‘Tap to Park’ feature for several months. In December 2023, Musk said "We are working on a feature where the car identifies probable viable parking spaces. You tap on one, exit the vehicle and it parks there."

The release notes in this version don't mention the ability to exit the vehicle before the vehicle starts parking, although it sounds like that's Tesla's goal for this feature. This first iteration could be Tesla's MVP (Minimal Viable Product) that they'd like to ship and they'll slowly add on features as the feature is refined.

There are several hints beyond Musk's comment that Tesla will eventually support tapping a parking spot on the screen and allow the driver to exit the vehicle while the car parks itself.

A look under the hood at Tesla's recent app update showed that Tesla is building Autopark features into the app, hinting that you may even be able to initiate Autopark directly from your phone in the future.

This is very similar to what you can already do with Summon on vehicles with USS. From your device, you can wake up the vehicle and have it drive a short distance to you. It's not far-fetched to think that Tesla has sights on being able to do this in reverse.

Available to Vehicles Without USS

Tesla has been delivering vehicles without USS, Autopark, and Smart Summon for over a year now. This updated feature is expected to have improved vision to make up for the lack of USS. A similar situation occurred with Park Assist, where vehicles without USS could no longer show distances to objects when parking.

Tesla then introduced High-Fidelity Park Assist in the holiday update and surprised everyone with what they were able to accomplish. Instead of just displaying distances to objects, Tesla created 3D models of surrounding objects and colored them based on the vehicle's proximity.

High-Fidelity Park Assist is still limited to vehicles without USS, but we know Tesla is working on adding the feature to vehicles that include ultrasonic sensors as well. It's not clear whether the new Autopark may also only be rolled out to vehicles without USS, or if it'll be available to all vehicles at the same time.

Autopark is part of Tesla’s Enhance Autopilot (EAP) suite, so only users with EAP or FSD are expected to receive the feature when it rolls out.

Improved Visuals and Selection

The image Tesla released shows an improvement in Autopark visuals. The current iteration of Autopark only shows one parking spot at once, and it's difficult to even have that come up on the screen.

This new version appears to be a drastic improvement, not only outlining a parking spot on the display but also displaying various parking spots at once - including parallel spaces.

According to the release notes, the parking spots will appear any time you're driving slowly through a parking lot, although the exact speed isn't specified.

Improved Autopark

Musk previously talked about a vast improvement in the new Autopark, which he called Tap to Park. This new Autopark is expected to be based on the same neural networks that power FSD Beta v12, which has been a drastic improvement over FSD Beta v11.4.9. We should see a much improved Autopark experience when this feature becomes available to Tesla owners.

Although the previous version of Autopark worked, it was difficult to have it detect a parking spot and display it on the screen. It often also parked very slowly, making it less almost useless if there were other vehicles around. However, the result was usually quite good, with the vehicle parking safely and well between the parking lines. We expect the two shortcomings of the current Autopark to be drastically improved in this latest revision.

Public Roll Out / Release Date

Just a few days ago, Musk revealed that Tesla would release a new version of Summon (Actually Smart Summon) and a new Autopark feature with "major improvements" next month (April).

It's surprising to see this feature added to update 2024.2.11 when Tesla is already rolling out 2024.8.4. This leads us to believe that this update may be currently in a testing phase with employees and is not yet ready to go to a public release.

When Tesla is ready to ship this feature to owners, we'll likely see it introduced in a revision to 2024.8, or even the next major update, which could be 2024.12.

Either way, it looks like we'll be getting it fairly soon, and if the new Autopark has anywhere near the improvements in Tesla's FSD Beta v12.3, then we're in for a real treat.

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Tesla's New Model Y to Receive Adaptive Headlight Support in U.S. Soon

@DriveGreen80167 on X

In the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, confirmed that the new Model Y will feature adaptive headlights.

As Moravy was talking about the updated headlights in the vehicle, which now sit a few inches lower than before, he stated that in a couple of months, Tesla will add adaptive headlights in the U.S.

While Tesla has already introduced adaptive headlights in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, the feature has yet to make its way to North America.

Originally delayed in the U.S. due to regulatory issues, manufacturers have been able to implement adaptive headlights since mid-2024. Meanwhile, competitors like Rivian and Mercedes-Benz have already rolled out their own full matrix headlight systems, matching what’s available in other regions.

Update: This article has been updated to clarify that adaptive headlights will indeed be launched in the U.S., shortly after the vehicle launching in March.

Adaptive Headlights

Back in October 2024, Lars confirmed that matrix headlight functionality was just around the corner for North America. However, as we enter 2025, it’s still unclear when Teslas with matrix headlights will receive the feature.

Currently, Tesla in North America supports adaptive high beams and automatic headlight adjustment for curves, but full matrix functionality has yet to be rolled out. Meanwhile, matrix headlights are already available in Europe, where they selectively dim individual beam pixels to reduce glare for oncoming traffic and adapt to curves in the road.

It was surprising that matrix functionality wasn’t included in the comprehensive 2024 Tesla Holiday Update. This feature would likely improve safety ratings, so we can only assume Tesla is diligently working to secure regulatory approval.

Adaptive Headlights on Other Models

Lars didn’t confirm whether the refreshed Model Y comes with the same headlights as the new Model 3 and the Cybertruck, instead simply calling them "matrix-style” headlights.

The headlights on the new Model Y appear very similar to those available in the 2024+ Model 3, possibly meaning these other models will also receive adaptive headlight capabilities in the next couple of months.

For vehicles with older-style matrix headlights, it’s unlikely that adaptive beams support will launch at the same time, but they will hopefully become available soon afterward.

You can check our guide here to see if your vehicle includes matrix headlights.

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Tesla Starts Underwriting Its Own Insurance: Will They Insure Their Own Robotaxis?

Not a Tesla App

For the first time since launching Tesla Insurance in 2019, Tesla will begin underwriting its own policies, starting in California.

Tesla Insurance originally debuted in California and has since expanded to several U.S. states. Until now, policies were underwritten by State National, a subsidiary of the Markel Insurance Group. However, Tesla is now transitioning to fully in-house underwriting, beginning with its home state.

As part of this shift, California Tesla Insurance customers who receive an in-app offer to switch will be eligible for a one-time 3% discount on their next term’s premium—covered entirely by Tesla Insurance.

What is Underwriting

Underwriting is the process an insurance company uses to assess risk and determine whether to offer coverage, at what price, and under what terms.

Insurers evaluate factors such as driving history, credit score, age, vehicle type, and location. In Tesla’s case, vehicle driving data (not available in California) also plays a key role in risk assessment. These factors help classify drivers into risk categories, which influence their base premium.

From there, coverage limits, deductibles, and policy inclusions or exclusions can further adjust the final premium up or down.

Robotaxi and Other Benefits

At first glance, underwriting insurance might seem like a complex and costly process for Tesla. However, there are several compelling reasons why this move makes sense.

Insurance Income: Insurance is a highly profitable industry. Companies set rates based on risk, offering lower premiums to safer drivers and higher rates to riskier ones. This not only maximizes profitability but also incentivizes safer driving behavior, reducing overall claims.

Data Advantage: Tesla collects vast amounts of driving data through its Safety Score system. While California doesn’t allow Safety Score to impact premiums, Tesla can still use this data in the underwriting process to refine risk assessments and pricing for its vehicles.

Control Over Repair Costs: By underwriting its own policies, Tesla gains direct control over repairs and total loss decisions. This allows them to dictate when, where, and how repairs are done, optimizing costs for parts, labor, and service while ensuring vehicles are fixed according to Tesla’s standards.

FSD-Driven Discounts: Tesla has already begun offering insurance discounts for drivers using Full Self-Driving (FSD). By underwriting its own policies, Tesla could expand these incentives, potentially offering greater discounts to frequent FSD users in the future.

Preparing for Robotaxi: Perhaps the biggest long-term reason for this shift is the June launch of the Robotaxi fleet. How will Tesla insure these vehicles? The answer is simple—by underwriting its own policies and assuming liability.

Tesla’s decision to underwrite its own insurance isn’t just about cutting out middlemen—it’s a step toward lowering costs, increasing profitability, and preparing for the future of autonomous driving, a risk many insurance companies may be unwilling to make.

Further Expansion

This could be a strong sign that Tesla is preparing to expand its insurance offerings now that it has taken on the underwriting process itself. In July 2024, Tesla hired a former GEICO insurance executive to lead the expansion of Tesla Insurance and help reduce costs—a move that now appears to be paying off.

Rather than a traditional expansion, Tesla has instead made a bold move by bringing underwriting in-house, something few expected. However, it aligns with Tesla’s strategy of vertically integrating and controlling key aspects of its business, whether in manufacturing, software, or now, insurance.

If this pilot program proves successful, it could pave the way for Tesla Insurance to launch in more states—and potentially even other countries. With 2025 shaping up to be a pivotal year, we may see Tesla accelerate its insurance expansion sooner than expected.

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