First look at Tesla's new v11 UI

By Nuno Cristovao

This year started with a firework show of cold weather improvements. However, Tesla is now completely redeeming themselves in this holiday update.

V11 coming to Model 3/Y
V11 coming to Model 3/Y
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

This year's holiday update is easily the most exciting update of the year. It's feature packed with some of the most requested features and improvements.

It includes an updated UI, a customizable app launcher, blind spot camera, TikTok, new games and so much more. Be sure to check out the release notes for the holiday update to see everything included in this update.

One of the biggest features in the holiday update isn't explicitly mentioned in the release notes.

V11 is Finally Here

The holiday update is officially v11, at least for Model 3 and Model Y owners. It's not clear yet whether pre-refresh Model S or Model X cars will get the updated UI as well.

Thanks to Reddit user Emulsifide, we now have a great look into everything that's included in v11. Let's dive in and find out everything we know about the new UI.

New UI

The Model 3 and Model Y UI has been updated with a fresh new look. It looks very similar to the UI on the redesigned Model S.

The update also brings over some of the UI functionality from the Model S.

Rearranged icons
Rearranged icons
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

Speedometer and Visualization

The speedometer and "instrument cluster" areas of the Model 3 have been redesigned.

The visualization area on the left is the same size as v10 and unfortunately, there's no way to resize it.

The information at the top left corner of the screen has been reorganized. The PRND status is now laid out horizontally instead of vertically, which allows the speedometer to be pushed all the way to the left. Its now slightly closer to the driver.

The previous UI (left) compared to the new one (right)
The previous UI (left) compared to the new one (right)
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

The accelration/braking line now goes almost edge to edge on the left side of the screen, instead of appearing between the PRND indicator and battery status.

Car status lights such as headlights and high beams are in a similar locations as before, but the speedometer is now directly above them instead of the PRND indicator.

Other icons that appear near the top of the screen have been moved around as well.

The Autopilot icon that used to appear underneath the acceleration/braking line has been moved up next to the gear selection.

In order for the Autopilot icon to visually fit in that area, it's now much smaller, having about the same height as gear letters themselves.

The speed limit sign is now smaller and remains aligned to the right of the visualizations panel.

The cruise control/max speed icon has updated from the classic blue circle to more closely match the US speed limit sign. Instead of having the set speed with a blue circle around it, it's simplified to just the set speed with the word "MAX" underneath. The cruise control speed icon is also aligned to the right now.

All of the icons have been pushed over to the edges, creating some empty unused space in the middle, which creates some additional height for the car visualizations.

With the increased height available for visualizations, details that are further away can now be displayed. The car visualizations themselves appear to be unchanged in this release.

App Launcher / Bottom Navigation

Customizable apps
Customizable apps
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

One of the most significant changes to the UI is the new look and available options in the car's bottom navigation.

The bottom navigaton, known as the app launcher, can now be customized.

It features three distinct areas, fixed apps that can not be moved or rearranged, customized apps and what appears to be recent apps, much like the Model S.

There is a predefined list of apps that can be placed in the app launcher. Apps that can be added to the launcher include:

  • Dashcam
  • Energy
  • Calendar
  • Messages
  • Theater
  • Arcade
  • Toybox
  • Browser
  • Spotify
  • Bluetooth
  • Radio
  • Caraoke
  • Tune
  • TIDAL
  • Streaming
  • Backup Camera
  • Phone

To make room for customizable apps in the app launcher, many apps or features were removed.

For example, the wipers, seat heater and front and rear defrost options were removed from the launcher and can now be found in other locations.

Wipers are now accessible through the left stalk button or by going to Controls, where you're then able to choose from off, low speed, medium, fast or auto options.

Seat heaters are now automatic and the temperature setting will be based on your set cabin temperature and the actual temperature inside of the vehicle. You can still set seat heaters manually by going into the HVAC options.

Unfortunately, the launcher options that were removed are not selectable as apps you can add back to the launcher.

New Icons

Version 11 now uses the same colorful app icons as the redesigned Model S.

Although most users prefer the modern monochrome look of the previous icons, I can see how these colorful icons may make apps easier to find at a glance.

My biggest issue with the new icons is that they appear out of place. They don't appear to go together as package, but this is subjective and some owners may be fans of their new look.

Top Status Bar

Shortcut to Sentry Mode
Shortcut to Sentry Mode
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

The icons in the status bar along the top of the screen has been reorganized. Normally, you'd find quick access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LTE settings in this location, however these no longer appear under normal circumstances to provide a more streamlined look.

Other shortcuts in the top status bar such as Sentry Mode, Dashcam and Driver Profiles also aren't visible at all times.

Instead, these icons will only show up in the status bar whenever you're in Controls. When you're in any of the car's menus, you will then see all the familiar icons along the top of the screen.

Cards

The cards that you could swipe between on the visualization panel have been removed. Although some information will still appear in this area, you can no longer swipe to bring up the wipers, odometer, tire pressure or other items.

Most of these items have been relocated to be within the controls menu. For example, tire pressure now appears in Controls > Service.

Some alerts will continue to show up in the visualization area such as seat belt warnings and active call information.

Reorganized Menus

New menus
New menus
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

The control menus have been changed and reorganized to make them more consistent with the new Model S UI and to bring consistent between the Model 3/Y and the Model S/X.

Instead of odometer and trip information being a swipeable card, it can now be found by going to Controls > Trips, similar to the Model S and X.

Wiper settings are now under Controls as well and tire pressure is located under Service.

Some menu items have been renamed. Driving has been renamed to Pedals & Steering, while Safety & Security has been changed to just Safety.

Quick Controls is now just known as Controls, similar to the Model S.

The new Controls menu now includes buttons for features that can't be accessed anywhere else.

For example, Controls is now where you set your wiper speed, turn on Sentry Mode and Dashcam, open your glovebox and more.

The charging app was removed from the app launcher, so charge settings can now be found by going to Controls and then the new Charging menu.

The dedicated glovebox button that appeared at the bottom of all the menus has now also be moved to the Controls menu. Although it now appears within a menu, it is still still two taps to open the glovebox.

Blind Spot Camera

Blind Spot Camera
Blind Spot Camera
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

One of the features that is getting a lot of attention in this update is the new Blind Spot Camera feature.

It's an optional feature that will automatically show you the live camera view from your blind spot when you your turn signal is activated.

The car will automatically show you the left or right fender camera feed when the appropriate turn signal is used.

The camera feed will appear underneath the driving visualization, where the cards used to appear.

The camera feed will also automatically be dismissed when your turn signal is turned off.

HVAC Quick Controls

HVAC Quick Controls
HVAC Quick Controls
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

There is a new quick controls menu that appears when you change the cabin temperature.

Previously, when you adjusted the cabin temperature, you would get a slider to adjust the temperature and a button to enable Split mode.

However, now there are some additional options in this menu. Apps that were removed from the app launcher such as HVAC settings, seat heaters and front and rear defrost now appear in this quick menu.

If you want to get to the full HVAC settings, you can tap on the gear icon.

This will take getting a little used to as the full HVAC settins are now a swipe and tap away and feel more hidden.

Overall V11

Many owners have been looking forward to v11 to match what the Model S offers today.

Although not all the features that the Model S offers are here, the visual refresh is a welcome one. Some elements of the Model S such as window docking, the music mini-player are not available in this release.

The same apps remain on the Model 3
Emulsifide (Edited by Not a Tesla App)

The existing apps in the Model 3 remain unchanged. For example, the music player still looks and functions the same as it did before and it can only appear on the right side of the screen.

Tesla has added many features over the years. Three years ago when the Model 3 was introduced, Sentry Mode, Dashcam, Dashcam Viewer, Tesla Theater and so many other features didn't exist.

Adding these features to the UI started making it crowded in certain areas.

Tesla took this as an opportunity to reorganize and declutter some of the UI so that it remained clean and intuitive

Some of the new buttons may take some getting used to, but it's exciting to officially see v11 running on a Model 3.

Tesla Preparing to Expand Robotaxi Geofence As Validation Vehicles Spotted

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla appears to be preparing to expand its Robotaxi geofence in Austin, Texas, with numerous engineering vehicles taking to the road. One of the most interesting sights, between the short and tall LiDAR rigs, was a Cybertruck validation vehicle, which we don’t often see.

Tesla’s expansion is moving the Robotaxi Network into downtown Austin, a dense urban environment that is currently outside the geofence. It appears Tesla is content with the latest builds of Robotaxi FSD and is ready to take on urban traffic.

The inclusion of a Cybertruck in the validation fleet is noteworthy, as the rest of the vehicles are Model Ys. This suggests that Tesla may be addressing two challenges simultaneously: expanding its service area while also addressing the FSD gap between the Cybertruck and other HW4 Tesla vehicles.

Using LiDAR

Recent sightings have shown a fleet of Tesla vehicles, equipped with rooftop validation sensor rigs, running routes throughout downtown Austin and across the South Congress Bridge. While these rigs include LiDAR, it’s not a sign that Tesla is abandoning its vision-only approach.

Instead, Tesla uses the high-fidelity data from the LiDAR as a ground truth measurement to validate and improve the performance of its cameras. In short, it essentially uses the LiDAR measurements as the actual distances and then compares the distances determined in vision-only to the LiDAR measurements. This allows Tesla to tweak and improve its vision system without needing LiDAR.

Additionally, the validation vehicles are likely scouting for the new, pre-determined, selectable pick-up locations that have just rolled out as part of the Robotaxi app.

Expanding the Geofence

This data collection in a new, complex environment right outside the Robotaxi geofence is an indicator that plans to expand the geofence. Tesla has previously indicated that they intend to roll out more vehicles and expand the geofence slowly. Given that their operational envelope includes the entire Austin Metro Area, we can expect more locations to open up gradually.

Once they expand the operational radius to include downtown Austin, they will likely also have to considerably increase the number of Robotaxis active in the fleet at any given time. Early-access riders are already saying that the wait time for a Robotaxi is too long, with them sometimes having to wait 15 minutes to be picked up.

With a larger service area, we expect Tesla to also increase the number of vehicles and the number of invited riders to try out the service.

After all, Tesla’s goal is to expand the Robotaxi Network to multiple cities within the United States by the end of 2025. Tesla has already been running an employees-only program in California, and we’ve seen validation vehicles as far away as Boston and New Jersey, on the other side of the country.

Cyber FSD Lagging Behind

One of the most significant details from these recent sightings is the presence of a Cybertruck. Cybertruck’s FSD builds have famously lagged behind the builds available on the rest of Tesla’s HW4 fleet. Key features that were expected never fully materialized for the Cybertruck, and the list of missing features is quite extensive.

  • Start FSD from Park

  • Improved Controller

  • Reverse on FSD

  • Actually Smart Summon

It may not look like a lot, but if you drive a Cybertruck on FSD and then hop in any of the rest of Tesla’s HW4 vehicles, you’ll notice a distinct difference. This is especially evident on highways, where the Cybertruck tends to drift out of the lane, often crossing over the lane markings.

We previously released an exclusive mentioning that a well-positioned internal source confirmed with us that a new FSD build for the Cybertruck was upcoming, but we never ended up receiving that particular build, only a point release to V13.2.9. The AI team’s focus had clearly shifted to getting the latest Robotaxi builds running and validated, and while a flagship, the Cybertruck fleet was small and new, and really a secondary task.

The Cybertruck’s larger size, steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering, and different camera placements likely present a bigger set of challenges for FSD. Deploying it now as a validation vehicle in a complex environment like downtown Austin suggests that Tesla is finally gathering the specific data needed to bring the Cybertruck’s capabilities up to par. This focused effort is likely the necessary step to refine FSD’s handling of the Cybertruck before they begin rolling out new public builds.

When?

Once Tesla’s validation is complete, we can probably expect the Robotaxi Network to expand its borders for the first time in the coming days or weeks. However, we’ll likely see more signs of the expansion, such as Robotaxi vehicles driving themselves around the area, before the expansion actually happens.

Hopefully, the Cybertruck will also learn from its older siblings and receive the rest of its much-needed FSD features, alongside an FSD update for the entire fleet.

Tesla Updates Robotaxi App: Adds Adjustable Pick Up Locations, Shows Wait Time and More [VIDEO]

By Karan Singh
Nic Cruz Patane

Tesla is rolling out a fairly big update for its iOS and early-access-only Robotaxi app, delivering a suite of improvements that address user feedback from the initial launch last month. The update improves the user experience with increased flexibility, more information, and overall design polish.

The most prominent feature in this update is that Tesla now allows you to adjust your pickup location. Once a Robotaxi arrives at your pickup location, you have 15 minutes to start the ride. The app will now display the remaining time your Robotaxi will wait for you, counting down from 15:00. The wait time is also shown in the iOS Live Activity if your phone is on the lock screen.

How Adjustable Pickups Work

We previously speculated that Tesla had predetermined pickup locations, as the pickup location wasn’t always where the user was. Now, with the ability to adjust the pickup location, we can clearly see that Tesla has specific locations where users can be picked up.

Rather than allowing users to drop a pin anywhere on the map, the new feature works by having the user drag the map to their desired area. The app then presents a list of nearby, predetermined locations to choose from. Once a user selects a spot from this curated list, they hit “Confirm.” The pickup site can also be changed while the vehicle is en route.

This specific implementation raises an interesting question: Why limit users to predetermined spots? The answer likely lies in how Tesla utilizes fleet data to improve its service.

Release Notes

While the app is still only available on iOS through Apple’s TestFlight program, invited users can download and update the app.

Tesla included these release notes in update 25.7.0 of the Robotaxi app:

  • You can now adjust pickup location

  • Display the remaining wait time at pickup in the app and Live Activity

  • Design improvements

  • Bug fixes and stability improvements

Nic Cruz Patane

Why Predetermined Pick Up Spots?

The use of predetermined pickup points is less of a limitation and more of a feature. These curated locations are almost certainly spots that Tesla’s fleet data has identified as optimal and safe for an autonomous vehicle to perform a pickup or drop-off.

This suggests that Tesla is methodically “mapping” its service area not just for calibration and validation of FSD builds but also to help perform the first and last 50-foot interactions that are critical to a safe and smooth ride-hailing experience.

An optimal pickup point likely has several key characteristics identified by the fleet, including:

  • A safe and clear pull-away area away from traffic

  • Good visibility for cameras, free of obstructions

  • Easy entry and exit paths for an autonomous vehicle

This change to pick-up locations reveals how Tesla’s Robotaxi Network is more than just Unsupervised FSD. There are a lot of moving parts, many of which Tesla recently implemented, and others that likely still need to be implemented, such as automated charging.

Frequent Updates

This latest update delivers a much-needed feature for adjusting pickup locations, but it also gives us a view into exactly what Tesla is doing with all the data it is collecting with its validation vehicles rolling around Austin, alongside its Robotaxi fleet.

Tesla is quickly iterating on its app and presumably the vehicle’s software to build a reliable and predictable network, using data to perfect every aspect of the experience, from the moment you hail the ride to the moment you step out of the car.

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