A Look at the 22 Unlisted Improvements in Tesla's 2024.14 Update

May 28, 2024

By Not a Tesla App Staff

Tesla Theater sees a face lift in update 2024.14

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Every Tesla update comes filled with smaller improvements that go unlisted in the official release notes. Tesla update 2024.14 was a huge update that brought several new designs such as the new parked visualization and an improved media player, but it also brought a record of 22 changes that went undocumented.

If you love following Tesla software and the changes in each update, you’ll enjoy this list.

Entertainment Apps UI

At one time there was a single 'Entertainment' app which made the tabs make sense

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Tesla Theater, Toybox and Arcade were all part of the "Entertainment" app, even though there were separate icons for each of these services.

With this update, the tabs at the top that let you quickly jump from Arcade to Toybox and Theater have been removed across the three entertainment apps to provide a more streamlined look.

Tesla Theater UI

Tesla Theater now looks a lot nicer

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Tesla Theater app icons have been updated to be much larger. At the top it now says Tesla Theater in large letters to clarify which app you’re in. The icons are now at the bottom of the screen and the app names below the icons have also been removed.

Navigation Path

The path in the navigation now turns gray behind you

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When using the navigation system, the route's path will now turn gray for areas that your vehicle has already completed.

If your vehicle has Premium Connectivity, the path's color ahead of your vehicle will continue to be based on traffic density. If you're not subscribed to Premium Connectivity, then the path will remain blue, while the path behind your vehicle will turn gray.

This is a nice to have improvement which makes it easier to navigate areas where the paths cross.

Driver Profile

Tesla is now encouraging users to create profiles through the Tesla app

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When adding a new Driver profile, Tesla now displays a graphic that encourages users to add a driver profile through the Tesla app, which makes it a cloud-based Tesla Profile. A cloud profile is stored on Tesla's servers and lets you sync and use your profile across your other Tesla vehicles, loaner vehicles or Tesla rentals.

You can still create a local profile that is limited to the vehicle that it's created on.

Cybertruck New Feature Icon

New feature icons turns square on the Cybertruck

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The blue icon that highlights new or improved features after a Tesla update has been updated for the Cybertruck. It's now a simple square that matches the Cybertruck's design.

FSD Version in App

You can now tell which version of FSD you're on through the app

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With Tesla car update 2024.14 or higher, the app will now display the FSD version at the bottom of the app.

Tesla has slowly been adding more software version information to the app. It now displays:

V12 - The vehicle's software version, which is only incremented with large user interface changes. Think of this like Windows 11

2024.14.6 - The vehicle's specific update version, much like one of Windows major updates

FSD 12.3.6 - FSD version number. This could be thought of as the version of Chrome that your vehicle is using.

Vehicle Visualization

Intel users are also getting a slight update to the visualization

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When you're parked and rotate the vehicle in the visualization, there are now dots that you can touch that reveal buttons to access various parts of the vehicle such as the frunk, trunk or charge port.

Vehicles with Intel processors also get the new buttons in this visualization.

Nav App

Tesla now has a dedicated icon for maps

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There's a new icon for the navigation app. The app is available in the All Apps menu and can be pinned to the dock at the bottom of the screen.

Instead of having to minimize apps by swiping down, or tapping the icon for the app that's open, users can now simply tap the Nav icon to go back to Tesla's navigation screen.

Climate Icon

There's also a Climate icon that you can put in the dock

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In the All Apps menu, there is now a Climate icon that you can add to your vehicle's dock. Tapping the button brings up the vehicle's climate menu and is an alternative to tapping the climate temperature.

This may be a new default icon that is placed in the vehicle to make it more obvious to new owners how to access the climate controls.

Explicit Apple Music Content

Apple Music can now block explicit music

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The Explicit Content setting under Audio Settings > Options now also applies to Apple Music in addition to “Streaming” and Apple Podcasts. This is a nice addition for those with young kids.

Pedals & Steering Menu Updated

The Pedals & Steering Menu sees some updates

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The Pedals & Steering Menu is now called Dynamics- which lets you set your acceleration and regeneration levels, stopping mode and more.

Steering Mode has been renamed 'Steering Weight,' and the choices are now Light, Standard and Heavy instead of the previous, Comfort, Standard and Sport. The functionality remains the same.

Quick Controls Updated

Quick Controls have been rearranged and updated for some vehicles

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The Controls menu has been updated to make it easier to find and select various options. The glovebox option has been moved down to make the buttons for Fold Mirrors, Child Lock and Window Lock larger.

The wiper controls now have Off and Auto next to each other instead of at opposite corners. Car Wash Mode has been added to the list of options for the Model 3 and Model Y.

Search Menus

Search is now at the top of the Menu instead of being an option to the left

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The search box in settings has been moved to the top of the menu instead of being the first section.

This creates some additional space and makes the search box persistent since you can now scroll through the sections, which have included WiFi and Bluetooth since update 2024.8.

Sentry Mode Video

Sentry Mode continues to improve

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When a Sentry Mode event is detected, it will now create a one-minute event video file called event.mp4 on your USB drive.

This one-minute video is in addition to the other video files that are already created when there's a Sentry Mode event. It's also the same video that is available in the Tesla app when a Sentry Mode event occurs.

New Media Player

Tesla made some big improvements to the media player

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There’s a new media player that’s larger and easier to use. By increasing the size of the media player, Tesla is now able to fit additional options that were hidden previously, such as EQ and audio settings, the search button and shuffle and repeat options.

The new media player appears while the vehicle is parked, driving or while the visualizations are in full-screen mode.

The media player can be minimized as before, but it now remains in the visualization area as a small strip incase of going down into the dock.

Status Bar Icons

Status bar icons have been rearranged

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The status bar icons have been rearranged when parked so that the driver profile, WiFi and Sentry Mode icons are closer to the driver and the time and temperature readings are further to the right.

New Auto Shift User Interface

The UI for Auto Shift has been updated in the new Model 3

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The Auto Shift user interface has been updated to be more compact so that it doesn't take up the entire left side of the screen.

It now leaves room above for the gear indicator and doesn't go all the way down to allow for a larger media player.

Charging Display

The charging meter is now on the left side

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While your vehicle is charging, the screen will now display additional information about the vehicle's charging status.

It includes the charge limit, current power, total energy added, number of phases, and the current amperage and voltage.

There is also a new animation on the left side where the new power meter appears while driving. This vertical line mimics the vertical green lights on Tesla's Wall Connector that scroll up and down while the vehicle is charging.

Pause Trunk Opening

You can now pause the trunk opening

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In the vehicle's new visualization, after you tap Open Trunk, you'll now be given the option to "Pause" the trunk opening so that it remains open to the current height.

This could be useful when opening the trunk where there may not be enough overhead space.

You can always set the maximum height for the trunk to open, limiting how far the trunk lid goes up whenever you're at that specific location.

This feature is also available on vehicles with Intel processors as long as the vehicle contains a powered trunk.

Larger Speedometer

Speedometer font in update 2024.14

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The font size of the speedometer has been increased, making it easier to see.

Regen Meter

The regen meter is now vertical and on the left side of the display

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The power/regeneration bar in the Model 3 and Model Y is now placed vertically along the left side of the screen instead of horizontally on top.

Improved Autopilot Visualizations

There are more Autopilot visualizations besides having the ability to go full screen

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Autopilot visualizations have been improved while in the standard view or full-screen. The vehicle will now detect and display more vehicles as well as showing when a vehicle's turn signals or brake lights are on.

Improved visualizations are available on Intel and AMD vehicles.

Videos

You can also check out videos of the best Tesla features in update 2024.14, including a look at the improved wiper controls in this update.

We also have a closer look at the changes to Auto Shift for the new Model 3 and an in-depth look at the changes to the improved media player.

Tesla To Launch Four New Battery Cells in 2026

October 17, 2024

By Karan Singh

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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
— Cybertruck (@cybertruck) August 2, 2024

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.

We're Launching Our Redesign: See What's Included

October 17, 2024

By Karan Singh

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We’ve been working behind the scenes on a few updates for our readers. We recently saw the unveiling of the Robotaxi and even some leaks of the Model Y refresh. This time, it's our turn for a refresh.

Let’s take a quick peek at the changes coming next week.

New Navigation

One key feature of our site refresh is an updated navigation. The new nav better organizes our content under one of three sections: News, Software Updates, or Guides. Once you tap on a category, you’ll be presented with the pages for that section.

This will also allow us to expose a lot more of our news content — letting you dig down into Robotaxi news, Project Juniper, or specific models. In a future update, we’ll also introduce a new Popular section, letting you easily catch up on news by viewing the best content on the site.

Dark Mode+

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Along with the new navigation and some tweaked site colors, we’re also happy to introduce an updated dark mode with new, smoother colors that will be easier on the eyes. It’ll keep our night owls happy and keep your eyes nice and comfy whether you’re using it during the day or night.

Auto-Updating Statistics

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We recently also launched auto-updating statistics for each of Tesla’s software updates. These stats let you view the number of installations and rollout of each Tesla update, giving you a better idea of which updates are still rolling out and which are paused.

More Features

We’re also actively working on a couple of other projects, so stay tuned for more features coming soon.

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