Tesla Releases 'Actually Smart Summon': Features & Videos [Now Includes HW3]

AIDRIVR

Early this morning Tesla released FSD v12.5.3 with Actually Smart Summon. The update is version 2024.27.20 and while the FSD release notes remain the same, we now have the long-awaited Actually Smart Summon feature (cute acronym here).

While this release is currently limited to hardware 4 (AI4) vehicles, it’ll be the first time that any type of Summon is available on vehicles without ultrasonic sensors. When Tesla removed ultrasonic sensors in the Model 3 and Model Y in October of 2022, those vehicles also lost access to features such as Summon (regular and smart), Autopark and Park Assist.

Tesla then rewrote the software for these features to remove its reliance on ultrasonic sensors and use only vision. Park Assist was publicly reintroduced for USS-less vehicles in March 2023 and later enhanced with High-Fidelity Park Assist. Autopark was reintroduced in March 2024, and now Smart Summon has finally arrived.

Rollout

The rollout of FSD v12.5.3 and Actually Smart Summon is currently going out to early-access customers, which mostly consists of popular influencers. However, it’s only going out to vehicles with AI4, and it’s not clear when it’ll be supported on HW3. When Tesla first rolled out FSD 12.5 to HW4 vehicles, it took about a month before it became available on HW3 cars. Since the hard work of porting the new FSD model to HW3 vehicles is already done, we don’t expect a huge delay in getting the improved Summon feature available on HW3.

Like all other Tesla rollouts, FSD 12.5.3 will be gradual. The recent rollout of FSD 12.5.1.5 was stopped, likely in favor of this version. Keep an eye on our rollout pages for FSD 12.5.3 to see when this update goes out to additional customers.

Update: Tesla has now begun rolling out the update to HW3 vehicles!

Actually Smart Summon Features

Actually Smart Summon includes several new features over the previous version of Smart Summon that was available on vehicles with USS. First, its capabilities seem to be greatly improved over its predecessor since it now leverages the newest FSD model in FSD v12 and uses end-to-end AI, instead of relying on hand-coded features to control the vehicles.

Tesla is now also providing a live camera view in the app as expected after an app update showed evidence of live camera feeds. When you open the Summon view from the app, you’ll be shown a matrix of four live camera views in the app.

Actually Smart Summon test #2 (Roundabout)

I'm officially impressed pic.twitter.com/GbiWcdFYpB

— ΛI DRIVR (@AIDRIVR) September 3, 2024

While using Smart Summon, you’ll be presented with a live video of the vehicle’s front camera, giving you even better access to the vehicle’s surroundings.

With the updated Summon, you have two choices. You can use the original summon, “Dumb Summon,” which only allows you to move your vehicle in a straight line — forward or back. Or you can use the new Smart Summon which allows you to have the vehicle go to your current location or a different spot you pick on the map.

To use Summon, you’ll need to hold down the “Come to Me” or “Go to Target” buttons. Whenever you let go of the button, the vehicle will stop. This lets you easily stop the vehicle when you notice an obstacle the vehicle may have missed.

Future Features

In the release notes, Tesla points out that there will be additional features coming to Smart Summon in the future. These features include HomeLink and MyQ garage support, which will allow the vehicle to open a garage door before it starts moving. It’s worth noting that this feature was available in the previous version of Summon, but Summon just didn’t work well enough to trust the vehicle to open the garage door before it started moving. Actually Smart Summon (just called Smart Summon in the app), will be a huge improvement, but whether you’ll want to trust it with opening and closing your garage door is still to be determined.

Tesla also says that it’ll improve the summoning experience by not requiring you to hold down the buttons in the app and that it’ll also support longer ranges in a future update. The current version of Summon is limited to about 65 meters (213 feet). While Tesla doesn’t specify the range of Actually Smart Summon, it’s expected to be about the same as the previous version with an even longer range coming in the future.

ASS (Actually Smart Summon) test #1 pic.twitter.com/qHLJ4Pvrdg

— ΛI DRIVR (@AIDRIVR) September 3, 2024

Eligibility & Regions

Actually Smart Summon is currently limited to users with FSD on the latest FSD update (2024.27.20). This update is expected to go out to additional customers with HW4 and FSD in North America, but it’s also expected to support HW3 soon.

Actually Smart Summon will be available outside of North America and to customers with Enhanced Autopilot or FSD in the future. However, this won’t happen until FSD 12.5.3 is stable and becomes a part of the regular Tesla updates. Tesla currently includes FSD 12.3.6 with the non-FSD specific updates. As we saw with Autopark, Actually Smart Summon is expected to roll out to North America first, then gradually roll out to additional countries. Autopark was first released in North America on an FSD-specific update in March 2024 and then became available in Europe in late June.

Robotaxi Event

This weekend we shared the news that Tesla will be holding its Robotaxi event at an outdoor, city-like movie studio where they’re expected to show off the Robotaxi in action and even let attendees ride along in the vehicle. Tesla also started gathering additional data in some of the public areas of the movie studio to help improve Robotaxi performance at the event (Robotaxi concept designs).

Actually Smart Summon could be one of the reasons the Robotaxi event was moved from August 8th to October 10th. We’re now only a little over a month away from this event now, and Actually Smart Summon may be our first glimpse into what the Robotaxi will be capable of.

My first time sitting in the back seat while FSD drives me around in my new Model 3 Performance $TSLA pic.twitter.com/OM9qnntpj8

— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) September 3, 2024

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Tesla Wireless Charging to Feature Automatic Docking

Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s upcoming Home Wireless Charging Pad – the so-called “Project Garfield,” will get special Autopark support. Vehicle backup cameras will be able to locate the Wireless Charging Pad and then Autopark the vehicle in the best spot for the charging session to begin.

This information comes from Gizmodo China, who found this information from a reputable local source. We previously looked into Tesla’s Wireless Charging Patents in-depth and how Tesla intends to make this a simple and easy-to-use system, but one that’s also fairly high performance.

Automatic Docking

Similar to your robotic vacuum automatically docking to charge, eventually, your Tesla will be able to automatically locate your Home Wireless Charging Pad, and then maneuver itself into the perfect spot to take advantage of the highest charging speeds with the least energy leakage.

Automatically docking the vehicle is a fantastic solution to the woes of Wireless Charging, where even minor misalignment creates heat and wastes lots of energy. This fixes that issue at the vehicle level, so owners won’t have to move their wireless charging pads under the vehicle or move their vehicle around to find the perfect spot on their own.

In combination with Tesla’s patent to automatically adapt to variations in wireless charging layouts and systems, it seems that Tesla will be able to adapt to most circumstances that previous wireless EV charging companies were having difficulties with. Tesla will be able to vary the coil induction across its Wireless Charging Pad to “steer” or aim the wireless charging at different parts of the inductive coil inside the vehicle, enabling them to reduce heat, reduce waste energy, and accommodate variances in how vehicles line-up with the Wireless Charging Pad.

This feature may be limited to owners or subscribers of Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving, which come with AutoPark as a standard feature. It could also be a software-level feature that’s enabled when a Home Wireless Charging Pad is detected nearby—which could also be an excellent option. We don’t know how Tesla plans to implement this just yet, but it will be very cool.

While we expect Tesla’s upcoming Robotaxi to feature the first Wireless Charging tech inside an EV, the Cybertruck already has the connectors for it and is ready to be retrofitted with the induction coils in a future update. The upcoming Model Y Juniper may also bring Wireless Charging en-masse to EVs.

We’re super excited to hear more about Tesla’s Home Wireless Charging Pads, as they’ll add even more convenience to owning a Tesla.

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Tesla to Add Smart Child Seat Support to Their Vehicles

Rendering of what Tesla's integration could look like

@dkrasniy

Tesla is adding support for Smart Child Seats in an upcoming update. Greentheonly, who typically decompiles and analyzes Tesla’s software updates, found references to smart car seats in update 2024.32. Tesla will sometimes release code in a software update that isn’t exposed to end users. There could be various reasons for this, such as Tesla wanting to collect data and running the feature in shadow mode, which is often the case with features like Park Assist, Autopark, or Autopilot changes.

Tesla also has the capability to turn on a certain feature in a remote configuration, letting them enable or disable the feature at their discretion. Whatever the case, Tesla appears close to releasing support for these new car seats that help alert parents of potential dangers.

Smart Child Seats

The Smart Child Seat in the preview image is the Babyark Convertible Car Seat, which retails for approximately $1,200 USD. In the code of Tesla’s update, they specifically refer to an “ISOFIX” base. ISOFIX is a standardized car seat fitting system that automatically locks onto a car seat.

The Babyark comes with a slew of smart features, including real-time notifications, buckle alerts, status notifications, and approximately how much time your baby has spent in the seat. Additionally, the Babyark can remind owners of reconfiguring the seat as your child grows. One of the key features of Babyark is a forgotten child alert – which prevents parents from leaving their child in the car.

At this point, we’re not quite sure exactly how many of these smart features will be integrated into Tesla’s UI, but most likely the forgotten child alert will be integrated, as well as possibly a means to automatically recognize when an ISOFIX style seat is installed. Currently, child seats need to be manually marked in the UI – which will dismiss the seatbelt indicator for that seat.

Tesla has time and time again placed a huge focus on safety features, and this upcoming support for smart child seats is another interesting integration to help ensure that parents can keep their children safe. And when they grow up – you can use Tesla’s parental controls to ensure that they drive their Tesla in a safe manner.

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