Tesla FSD V13 Makes Big Improvements Around Emergency Vehicles, School Buses and Speed Zones [VIDEO]

HABiBtheDWEEB / bilalsattar

Tesla’s FSD V13.2.2 continues its rollout to the HW4 fleet, now complete with holiday goodness that makes it available to all HW4 vehicles. While FSD V13 is capable of some incredible feats, such as three-point turns, there are some additional capabilities Tesla hasn’t talked about yet.

Emergency Vehicle Handling

First up, better handling for emergency vehicles. While Tesla works on gathering audio data to make emergency vehicle detection even better, Tesla improved how it handles emergency vehicles with FSD V13.

FSD previously had issues handling emergency vehicles - sometimes pulling over and stopping on V12, other times requiring driver intervention to do the job. This led to lots of user interventions when an emergency vehicle was detected. Ensuring you’re out of the way of an ambulance can save precious seconds - which is enough to save lives.

V13 now does a much better job of pulling overly safely to the side for emergency vehicles. Check out the video below of FSD pulling the vehicle over to the side of the road.

First time ever witnessing FSD pull over for an ambulance! @edgecase411 pic.twitter.com/pZlort36PF

— Bilal Sattar (@bilalsattar) December 21, 2024

School Buses

Another issue that FSD had trouble handling previously was school buses. Previously, FSD would ignore the stop sign and flashing lights and attempt to drive around the bus.

School buses often required driver intervention, but it seems Tesla has dedicated time to training FSD V13 to handle them properly now. Check out this post of FSD now successfully stopping and waiting for a school bus.

FSD v13 stopped for a school bus! Waited till the stop sign folded in and then proceeded forward! pic.twitter.com/ReU4enxnNB

— HAB!B (@HABiBtheDWEEB) December 19, 2024

Speed Zone Handling

Reduced speed zones, including school zones, have had mediocre handling by FSD in previous versions. Now, some initial speed zone handling has arrived in V13.2. However, while it does handle some speed zones with blinking signs, it doesn’t necessarily handle all speed zones. For now, while Supervising, drivers will need to make sure their vehicles don’t exceed the speed limit, especially in school zones. In the meantime, look at this speed video of the vehicle handling a speed zone with FSD V13.

Slightly better video of FSD V13 responding appropriately to flashing yellow lights indicating it’s temporarily a 20mph zone. It didn’t exceed 25 despite being set to a much higher max speed

Wish I had it engaged before the turn though, my brain wasn’t working pic.twitter.com/D091lqmROh

— Geoff Coffelt (@Skate_a_book) December 20, 2024

Camera Cleaning

As part of V13, Tesla included some interesting features addressing hardware - namely camera cleaning, The initial changelog was slightly vague: “Improved Camera Cleaning” and nothing else.

It turns out this actually refers to the camera heating elements around the vehicle, including those around the B-Pillar. According to FSD engineer Yun-Ta Tsai, this is far more complex than just heating the camera up.

The system integration team does a lot of energy and thermal optimization across the entire vehicle, to optimize autonomy.

This is just one example. The heating is actually more complex than just heating it up.

Yes, real world AI cares about these things, a lot!

Join us, if… https://t.co/EprJ805FYi

— Yun-Ta Tsai (@YunTaTsai1) December 21, 2024

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Tesla Addresses Cybertruck Tonneau Cover Leaks with New Rubber Seals

The new Rubber Seal on the Aero Flap

theMONK11/Reddit

The Cybertruck features an automatic tonneau that lets you lock in valuables. It rolls back and forth along a track and is somewhat water-resistant. Tesla never said that the tonneau would be waterproof, but many owners have encountered a lot of water flowing into their tonneau covers.

The place where the glass roof meets the plastic strip - the aero flap- seems to be the location where most of the water gets in, and this has been noted by many as a constant source of leaks - while the rest of the bed stays mostly dry.

Tesla has attempted to fix this by adding additional slats to the tonneau, which ensures that there are slats left over underneath the aero cover, thereby providing some additional water resistance. However, it looks like they’re doing more now to prevent these leaks. 

New Rubber Seals

Tesla intends to issue a service code - the term they use for service bulletins to fix common problems - for this particular issue. This service code will include the removal of the old aero flap and the installation of a new aero flap that has additional rubber seals - similar to the ones used on windows. Thanks to theMONK11 on Reddit for catching this and providing the photo.

The service code hasn’t gone live yet, so it looks like Tesla is only testing this new part for owners who have complained about excessive water intrusion. We’ll likely see this new flap, with the additional rubber seals, become a standard part on newly built trucks to resolve this issue.

For everyone else, you’ll need to put in a service ticket with Tesla, but we would recommend waiting a few weeks before doing so. That will give them time to finalize the process and have the new part sent around to service centers across North America. Given that this isn’t a critical issue to the functionality of the vehicle, Tesla likely will not issue a recall for this - so it’ll be up to owners to create a service ticket and have the new applique installed.

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Tesla FSD V13.2.2 Arrives With Holiday Update Features; Rolling out to HW4 Models

Not a Tesla App

FSD users can now join in the Holiday revelry, as FSDS V13.2.2 has started rolling out to customers, and it includes all the 2024 Telsa Holiday Update features.

Tesla’s VP of AI - Ashok Elluswamy, previously mentioned that the Holiday Update would be making its way to FSD users sometime this week. Ashok’s timelines have been right on point. All models with AI4/HW4 vehicles in North America are starting to receive the updated FSD release alongside all the features of the Holiday update.

This new build is update 2024.45.25.5, which should make its way throughout the fleet over the week.

Holiday Highlights

The Holiday update has a ton of new features in it, including new app features like Apple Watch support, the Dashcam and Sentry Mode Viewer and the ability to start Light Shows.

We also received rear cross-traffic alerts, while navigation received Search Along Route, Arrival Energy at Destination and Weather at Destination, and Precipitation Maps.

On the entertainment side, the Holiday Update brings the SiriusXM streaming app to the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck, as well as an updated TuneIn player. Of course, there are new Cybertruck-specific features such as custom Cybertruck Wraps (don’t worry it’s coming to all models), a new Cyber Santa Mode, and Santa and Rainbow Road ambient lighting support.

Video of FSD V13.2.2

Here is our first look at FSD V13.2.2. While the release notes don’t point out any new features for FSD, it’s expected to include several unknown fixes and improvements.

Here is highlight clip #1 from my FSD Supervised v13.2.2 First Impressions Drive on the AI4 Model Y. This was an amazing example of EGO getting itself out of a bad situation very quickly. Bravo @Tesla_AI pic.twitter.com/gogzNswiTq

— Chuck Cook (@chazman) December 21, 2024

Already on the Holiday Update?

If you’re already on Tesla’s Holiday update, version 2024.44.25.2, and you have a HW4 vehicle, then this version now qualifies you to receive FSD V13.2. We expect all HW4 vehicles with FSD to migrate to this version in the coming week or two.

If you have HW3, then look out for a future update, including FSD v12.6.

FSD V12.6 for HW3 Soon

For Hardware 3 owners, FSD V12.6 is also right around the corner - it should be launching no later than the end of the year, according to Ashok. We’re expecting the new tech stack for highway driving, the updated speed profiles, including Hurry Mode, as well as improvements from V12.5.6 to land for HW3 soon.

If you’re excited about that, go read our in-depth look at V12.5.6 to see a preview of what you’ll be getting in V12.6.

We’re looking forward to seeing the demo drives of V13.2.2 from some of our usual influencers, but the good news is the update has already started rolling out to the general public, so expect larger waves soon.

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