While Tesla showed off a fantastic list of upcoming features for the 2024 Holiday Update, several things were left out. Now that the update has started rolling out in small numbers to the public, it’s our chance to find out about some of these smaller features and view others in action for the first time.
The Energy app has been updated for all models. For the first time, the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck receive the Consumption tab, which shows real-time energy usage and how the car performed over a certain period. Previously, only the Drive and Park tabs were available.
The consumption tab was already available on the Model 3 and Model Y, but it’s receiving some changes. The Y-axis (energy used/gained) now appears to adjust based on the data; however, the X-axis (distance) is now fixed at 200 miles or 300 km, and the user can no longer change it. Previously, you could switch the graph between a 5-, 10-, and 15-mile history, but now it appears to be static at 200 miles.
The Energy app also included buttons to view your average range over the selected distance or your real-time range. However, those buttons have been removed, and you can now only view your average range at the top of the app and see how it compares to the rated (EPA) range. You can also view your projected range (the distance you can travel at this rate), which shows up in the middle of the graph.
In addition to those metrics, the app also shows you the total amount of energy used in the bottom left corner, which is a nice addition.
The addition of the consumption tab to the Model S, X, and Cybertruck is great, but some users may not be fans of the simplified look and controls. Not being able to select the distance or see the instant energy usage is a little bit of a disappointment. We would’ve loved to see the ability to pinch in and out of the graph so that you can adjust the time period to practically anything you wanted, up to a maximum of the last 200 miles, but overall these are nice improvements.
Unfortunately, this does not bring the Energy app to legacy Model S and Model X vehicles.
Weather At Destination
As part of the Holiday Update, Tesla is including a new feature to show the weather at your arrival destination. Tesla added the ability to view live weather and weather forecasts in the 2024.26 update, and now they’re extending it so that you can also view the weather at your destination.
The UI is intuitive, and tabs are simply added so that you can switch between the weather at your current location and your destination.
Tesla will also highlight any significant weather differences between your current location and final destination.
This feature is available for the Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, and new Model S and Model X. It also includes Intel-based vehicles (MCU 2), but like the original weather feature, it requires Premium Connectivity.
Another big part of the Holiday Update is precipitation maps appearing as overlays on your vehicle map. When you tap the new precipitation icon on the right next to the satellite imagery button, a precipitation map overlay will appear, giving you insight into areas with incoming rain or snow. There is also an animated 3-hour forecast that shows weather patterns.
This particular portion of the Weather update requires an AMD (MCU 3) vehicle. Unfortunately, since Tesla is paying for this weather data, it’s only available if you have Premium Connectivity and using a hotspot or being on WiFi is not enough to enable the feature.
It’s available on all vehicles except the legacy Model S and Model X.
Boomerang Fu
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The new Boomerang Fu game will let you slice and dice your friends in a frantic physics party game. The game is available in Arcade > Boomerang Fu, and must be downloaded before being played. If you have Premium Connectivity, you’ll be able to download it on the go.
This new game requires an AMD Ryzen-based (MCU 3) vehicle and it’s available on the new Model S, new Model X, Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck.
Light Show Improvements
Tesla has really hit it out of the park with Light Show Improvements in the 2024 Holiday Update. The biggest change is the ability to start Light Shows directly from your mobile app (V4.39.5+), but there’s more. Tesla has added two new built-in Light Shows based on Cyber Symphony by Lionel Yu and Ready for Assault by Evgeny Bardyuzha.
Tesla is already adding the ability to control interior lighting for Light Shows by adding special color effects, which is sure to make Light Shows even more spectacular. Tesla has also extended the maximum allowed length of a Light Show with this update.
You can check out the music for Ready for Assault below.
Theater Updates
Theatre mode can now be interacted with via the rear screen on vehicles that have them, including the ability to edit playlists or play and pause videos.
But here’s the most surprising feature in the update. You’ll also be able to start a video in the web browser before you start driving and it’ll continue to play when you shift into drive only. The video will be disabled, but the audio will continue to play. So you’ll now be able to listen to YouTube-only podcasts.
Tesla is also giving us the ability to control the video with the media player, so you’ll be able to pause or start the content while driving.
Dashcam Viewer & Sentry Mode Improvements
@g3st4l1
The Holiday update is packed with features, but one of the most useful will be the ability to view your dashcam and Sentry Mode videos directly from your phone.
You’ll be able to access all of the content on your USB drive from your phone. The vehicle will stream the video from your USB drive, so the vehicle will need an active WiFi or cellular connection in order for the feature to work.
You’ll be able to change cameras, jump to Sentry Mode alerts, and even save clips onto your phone, making it much easier to save that important data.
Sentry Mode Improvements
Sentry Mode also received a batch of improvements. Tesla already sends mobile notifications for critical events - like an alarm going off. Now, Tesla will notify you if Sentry Mode is active and a door handle is pulled on a Model 3 or Model Y. In addition, if someone attempts to open the trunk by pressing the button - or open the Cybertruck’s vault - you’ll get a notification for that too.
The update is currently only going out to vehicles that don’t have access to FSD. However, we expect it to soon be available to users on FSD 12.5.4 and later available to those on FSD 12.5.6 and FSD v13.2.
If you’ve noticed any undocumented features in this update, definitely let us know through the Contact Us link at the bottom of this page.
Tesla has begun installing a new set of anti-theft measures on some Supercharger cables. This is a two-part process, and includes an exterior-wrap called DyeDefender, as well as engravings on the actual copper of the Supercharger cables themselves.
Superchargers, just like other high-speed electric vehicle charging stations, have been consistently subject to both vandalism and theft. While vandalism is something that can be reduced by increasing policing and security in the area, theft is a different beast to tackle.
Thieves are usually after the copper inside the charging cable - which is densely packed and valuable when taken to a scrap yard. So how is Tesla tackling this?
DyeDefender
First up is a field trial of a product called DyeDefender. You can find this product online to secure ICE catalytic convertors, but the overall premise is fairly simple. A pressurized staining dye is housed inside a stainless steel hose, which is laid overtop or around the object you need to protect - in this case, the Supercharger cable.
The stainless steel cable itself is called CatStrap - and is extremely difficult to cut through. If you do manage to cut through, the dye squirts out, coloring you blue quickly. The dye itself is harmless, but helps to identify potential thieves. Tesla’s Head of Charging - Max de Zegher, confirmed that this is only a trial rollout - instead, Tesla is considering another alternative.
Tesla has begun installing new anti-theft measures on some Supercharger cables, consisting of an exterior wrap called DyeDefender and engravings on the copper wiring inside the cables.
Like other high-speed EV charging stations, Superchargers have been frequent targets of vandalism and theft. While vandalism can often be mitigated through increased security, theft presents a bigger challenge. Thieves primarily target the copper inside the charging cables, which is densely packed and valuable as scrap metal.
DyeDefender
To address this, Tesla is trialing DyeDefender, a theft deterrent system commonly used to protect catalytic converters. It consists of a pressurized staining dye housed within a stainless steel hose called CatStrap, which wraps around the Supercharger cable. The CatStrap is highly resistant to cutting, but if breached, it releases a bright blue dye. While harmless, the dye is difficult to remove, making it easier to identify suspects.
In addition to DyeDefender, Tesla is also engraving the actual copper wiring inside the cables, making stolen material harder to sell since scrapyards often reject marked metals.
Engraved Cables
This alternative is more scalable, more cost effective, and doesn’t impact service operations or the customer experience - and its simply engraving the copper inside the cables. Superchargers cables will state “Property of Tesla” on them - engraved right into the cable from the factory in Buffalo, New York.
Engraved -
Not a Tesla App
Recycling companies and scrap yards will see that the cables belong to Tesla - and won’t accept them. Instead, they’ll reach out to Tesla to inform them that they have received stolen goods. While that may not have an impact immediately - as thieves learn that the copper they steal from Superchargers is worthless and could risk them getting in trouble, they’ll be less likely to go ahead and try.
It is definitely interesting to see Tesla try out some rather unique options to keep Supercharger sites safe and functional. Tesla will likely focus the deployment of DyeDefender in areas that experience continual theft - but again, this is only a trial. The impact of cable engraving will likely take some time, but it’ll pay off in the long run.
Until then, make sure to keep reporting any downed Supercharger sites. You can do that in the Tesla App through Location > Charging >Select Site > Report an Issue. If you have any other neat ideas on how Tesla can stop vandalism and theft, let us know in the comments or in the forums!
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This solution is more scalable, cost-effective, and doesn’t disrupt service operations or the customer experience—it simply involves engraving the copper inside the cables. Supercharger cables will be permanently marked with “Property of Tesla Motors,” engraved directly at the factory in Buffalo, New York.
Recycling companies and scrap yards will immediately recognize that the cables belong to Tesla and refuse to accept them. Instead, they may notify Tesla that they’ve received stolen goods. While this may not have an immediate impact, over time, as thieves realize that stolen Supercharger copper is unsellable and could get them caught, they’ll be less inclined to target them.
It’s interesting to see Tesla experiment with unique ways to protect Supercharger sites. While the company will likely focus on DyeDefender deployments in high-theft areas, this remains a trial phase. The full impact of cable engraving may take time to materialize, but it should prove effective in the long run.
In the meantime, continue reporting any downed Supercharger sites through the Tesla app by navigating to Location > Charging > Select Site > Report an Issue.
If you have any creative ideas on how Tesla can prevent vandalism and theft, share them with us on social media.
Tesla has released software update 2025.2.6, and while minor updates typically focus on bug fixes, this one introduces a major new feature. With this update, Tesla has activated the in-cabin radar, a sensor that has been included in some vehicles for more than three years but remained unused until now.
Why Not Vision?
Unlike vision-based systems, radar can precisely measure object dimensions and even detect movement behind obstacles by bouncing radio waves off surrounding surfaces. This allows for more accurate and reliable measurements of objects that vision may not even be able to see, such as behind the front seats.
What Tesla Announced
Tesla recently highlighted the 4D radar in the new Model Y, explaining how it will improve passenger safety. Tesla executives stated that the radar would be used to properly classify passengers and improve the way airbags deploy.
Tesla went on to say that in a future update, Tesla will use the in-cabin radar to detect any potential passengers left in the vehicles. Since radar can even pick up on heartbeat and breathing patterns, it can provide a much more accurate method of detecting children left in a vehicle. Tesla talked about how the vehicle will send owners a notification via the Tesla app and enable the HVAC system if it detects a passenger in the vehicle. It’ll even call emergency services if needed.
New Feature in Update 2025.2.6
Tesla has officially named this feature in update 2025.2.6, “First-Row Cabin Sensing Update,” which appears to align with the first portion of what Tesla discussed in the new Model Y video.
In the release notes, Tesla describes the update as:
“The first-row cabin sensing system has been updated to use cabin radar, which is now standard in all new 2025 Model Ys. Your Model Y was built pre-equipped with the necessary hardware, allowing Tesla to also bring this technology to your vehicle.”
For now, it appears that Tesla is using the radar to detect and classify passengers in the front seats. This could eventually replace traditional seat sensors, reducing the number of hardware components and lowering production costs.
Tesla plans to expand the feature later this year, bringing rear-seat passenger detection in Q3 2025. While Tesla talked about the feature for the new Model Y, we expect it to be available for all vehicles with the in-cabin radar.
Supported Models
Although Tesla is vague in their release notes, this feature is being added to all Model Ys that include a cabin radar. Tesla started including the cabin radar in 2022, but its availability may vary by region and model. The Model 3 didn’t receive the cabin radar until it was redesigned in 2024, while all Cybertrucks already include it.
The owner’s manual for the redesigned Model S and Model X doesn’t specifically mention the interior radar, although Greentheonly believes the vehicles also include one, so we’ll have to wait to determine whether those vehicles also receive this new feature.
At this time, the feature appears to be only going out to Model Y vehicles, but we expect it to become available on other supported models soon.
We love to see these kinds of updates. Tesla is increasing the safety of existing and new vehicles through a software update while also making them more affordable to own.
![The Design & Engineering Behind the New Model Y [Video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/model-y-2025/2025-model-y-speaker.webp/e933556c6b2b4ce77ab652524f3a8ac0/2025-model-y-speaker.jpg)
