Tesla software update 2021.40 to add 'Live Camera Streaming'

October 14, 2021

By Nuno Cristovao

Tesla is on a roll with it's app lately. We've seen numerous releases since the app was updated to version 4.0 back in August. Just yesterday Tesla released version 4.2.0 with quick action buttons in one of its widgets and much better interior details of the vehicle.

Tesla to let you stream cameras from your car directly to the app

@OlympusDev/Twitter

With this same release, it looks like Tesla is starting to prepare to release a much anticipated feature in the near future, the ability to stream live video from your car.

Live Stream Video From Car

With the release of software update 2021.40, Tesla will allow you to stream live camera feeds from your car directly to your phone. You'll be able to view any of the cameras that are included in Dashcam or Sentry Mode, which include the front and rear cameras and the two side fender cameras.

"manage_permissions_bml_switch_firmware": "Available with Firmware 2021.40 and up", "vehicle_controls_cameras": "Live Camera",

Save Video

View live camera link

@OlympusDev/Twitter

When viewing the live feed from your car, you'll also be given the chance to save the video directly to the car. It's possible that Tesla will allow you to save it to your phone, but judging by the fact that Tesla is requiring your car to have a USB drive in order to stream video and that there is a new API endpoint to save dashcam footage, it's likely that the recorded video will be saved to your car instead of your phone.

View Sentry Clips and Dashcam Footage

In addition to being able to view live video from your car, and notably more useful. You'll now be able to remotely view Sentry Mode clips instead of having to wait until you get back to your car.

You'll likely be presented from a similar interface that appears in your car to view Sentry Mode and Dashcam clips and you'll be able to view and delete them.

Requirements

There will be a few requirements before you're allowed to stream video to your phone. Your car will obviously need to have the ability to use the Dashcam and Sentry Mode features, which require a vehicle with FSD HW 2.5 or higher. It will also require your vehicle to have software update 2021.40 or higher.

In addition, before being able to initialize the video stream, Tesla will require that your car be in park, have all doors closed and for no one to be in the car. Tesla is making these requirements presumably for privacy concerns around spying on individuals in a private environment.

Premium Connectivity Required

It's strongly suspected that your vehicle will need to be subscribed to Tesla's Premium Connectivity or be connected to WiFi in order to stream live video or remotely view Dashcam or Sentry Mode videos.

Tesla will very likely not introduce a higher priced connectivity option. Tesla already allows you to stream video services for unlimited periods. The bandwidth required to stream your car's cameras will be fairly small when compared to streaming video.

Limitations / Daily Limit

Tesla will impose a daily viewing limit on how long you can remotely monitor your vehicle with video. This is likely to prevent users from live streaming video for long periods of time. For example, if they went out to dinner, started a live stream and set their phone down.

I suspect the daily limit will be more than reasonable and you'll be unlikely to reach the limit unless you're trying to use your car as a security camera.

Talk to Car From Your Phone

When monitoring your car remotely, you'll be able to talk directly to your phone and have your voice come out of the car. This will require your vehicle to be equipped with the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS). Basically, if you have the Boombox feature, then you have the PWS.

In addition to being able to talk to the car from your phone, you'll also be able to honk the horn and flash your car's lights to alert anyone around your vehicle.

This snippet was found in the latest Tesla app:

"Tesla allows you to use your microphone to speak through your car or attach videos when scheduling service for your vehicle",

If you don't, then for some models Tesla can retrofit the PWS for a couple hundred dollars, although it's not available on all model years. Your car will need to already be wired to support the outdoor speaker.

I can see this feature being fun, but also useful. If there's someone seriously looking at your vehicle with ill intent, then what better way to deter them then to talk to them. They'll likely think that you're walking up to the car and walk away.

Of course, I'm sure there will be lots of humorous ways owners will use this feature as well.

Unfortunately, because Teslas do not (yet) have external microphones, this will be one-way audio. So you'll be able to talk to the individuals, but unfortunately unable to hear their surprised or funny reactions.

In-Car Purchases

As we talked about back in August, Tesla is adding in-car purchases. Features that you can buy directly on your phone today will become available in the vehicle as well. Features such as adding the FSD subscription, Performance Boost and others will now be only a couple taps away.

According to information in the latest iOS app, this feature will also be added in the 2021.40 software update.

As the owner of the vehilce, you'll see be able to limit in-car purchases as well, much like you can limit in-app purchases on other platforms.

Software updates have contained slightly less than usual lately as Tesla focuses on FSD and catching up on the new Model S software, but 2021.40 is surely to be an exciting release, even if this was the only feature in it.

Stay tuned for more.

First Look at Tesla’s New 'Blind Spot While Parked' Feature [VIDEO]

November 22, 2024

By Karan Singh

Automobile Propre

Tesla software update 2024.44.3 has started rolling out to customers in larger waves recently and it brings several new features - including Actually Smart Summon to Europe and the Middle East, as well as improvements to Autopark. But that’s not all, it also adds a new Blind Spot Monitoring feature to the new Model 3, and potentially the Cybertruck, but that’s still to be determined.

We previously covered the Blind Spot Warning While Parked as part of our preview notes for update 2024.44, but now that it's going out to customers, it's time to see it in action.

New Anti-Door-Opening Feature!@TeslaNewswire @NotATeslaApp @Tesla #tesla #model3 pic.twitter.com/B4YkclRDx2
— Max Bracco (@max_bracco) November 21, 2024

Blind Spot Monitoring While Parked

If the vehicle’s door open button is pressed, and a vehicle or object is near or incoming, the vehicle’s Blind Spot Warning Light (2024 Model 3 and Cybertruck) will illuminate, an audible tone will ring and the door won’t open. A message will also be displayed on the center displaying, letting driver’s know why the door didn’t open.

Pressing the button a second time will allow you to override the warning and open the door normally, providing a way to get out in case you just parked close to a nearby vehicle or obstacle.

The object detection for this new feature includes cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and other objects - like things including traffic cones, bollards, strollers, and other large obstacles that FSD and vision-based Autopark detect during normal operation. Of note - this only works for the front two doors. Thanks to X user Max, who did some testing for us, It does not work for the rear passenger doors.

Optional Feature

The feature is optional - it’ll be enabled by default for safety, but if you need to enable or disable it, you can do so under Controls > Safety. For now, the feature is only available on the 2024 Model 3, but we expect it to roll out to the Cybertruck at least. However, there’s no reason why it can’t be added to other vehicles as well, minus the small red dot. We expect Tesla to eventually add this feature to all Tesla vehicles, but it’s currently not a part of update 2024.44.

Enhauto’s S3XY Buttons & Commander

If that’s not enough safety and vision for you, Enhauto, the makers of the popular S3XY Buttons and Commander recently put out a new software update for the 2024 Model 3, which makes some fantastic use of the ambient lighting.

With Enhauto’s solution, users are able to tie their ambient lights to Autopilot use, turn signals or even if a vehicle is their blind spot. Check out the video below for this awesome implementation, where the ambient lights turn red when another vehicle approaches.

Maybe Tesla will integrate something like this into a future update? We’ve been hoping for more customizability with their ambient lighting - it's an easy safety win and a demonstration of Tesla’s do-more-with-less attitude.

I look forward to @enhauto updates more than Tesla...

Ambient light effects....

I set default color to white.
Blinks green on turn signals
Turns blue on FSD activation
Yellow if someone in blind spot
Blinks red if turn signal on and blind spot activity detected.

All… pic.twitter.com/kFLh1slnEQ
— ProjectRCC (@Project_RCC) November 15, 2024

Tesla Improves Trip Planner - Arrival State of Charge Coming

November 22, 2024

By Karan Singh

DBurkland/X

Tesla recently added the ability to report Supercharger issues - such as insufficient lighting, accessibility, cleanliness, and other things that can’t be automatically monitored. In response to the post on the official X Supercharger Community, Max de Zegher, Director of Charging, North America, confirmed that one of the most wish-listed features - Arrival State of Charge, is coming soon.

The feature is now possible thanks to what Wes Morrill, Cybertruck’s lead engineering, points out is a huge rewrite of Tesla’s Trip Planner, which not only makes it much more accurate but will now allow users to choose their arrival charge percentage.

More Accurate Trip Planner

When you navigate to a destination, your Tesla will automatically calculate when, where, and how much you need to charge. While the process seems straightforward, Tesla deserves a lot of credit for creating a simple user experience because a lot goes into accurately determining this information.

Tesla has to calculate many moving pieces in order to accurately predict when and where you should stop. First, it needs to consider your driving efficiency and wind direction, terrain elevation, traffic, vehicle speed, and ambient temperature. It also needs to predict the best Superchargers to stop at, taking into account congestion and charger speed.

This morning, in response to Dan Burkland, Wes shared that Tesla had significantly rewritten the backend portion of Trip Planner. These improvements, made by several engineers, were designed to improve Trip Planner’s accuracy and open the door to future features.

It sounds like these changes are mostly server-side, so thanks to their OTA connection, more accurate predictions should be available to all vehicles—no vehicle update is required.

Arrival State of Charge

Along with Tesla’s improvements to Trip Planner, Wes also stated that these improvements allow for a popular feature request — the ability to select your desired charge level at arrival.

Up until now, Tesla’s Trip Planner tried to get you to your destination as quickly as possible, which usually meant arriving with a low state of charge.

While this was fine if you have a charger at your destination, it’s not great if you don’t, or it could be even worse if there are no chargers nearby.

Max de Zegher said on X that he has heard the requests for a selectable arrival state of charge. Wes later clarified this by saying that these improvements to Tesla’s Trip Planner now allow for additional features to be added, such as “desired arrival charge.”

Actually trip planner got a huge rewrite on the back end. I had a great conversation with one of the engineers working on this over a morning run a few weeks back, it's pretty neat. The rewrite also unlocks additional features, like desired arrival charge.
— Wes (@wmorrill3) November 22, 2024

When Does it Arrive?

Given that Max de Zegher’s comments came last night and Wes Morrill commented this morning, this feature request likely won’t arrive with the upcoming Holiday Update. Tesla actually hinted at such a feature being added in their last app update, so it does seem like they’ve already planned for it.

Although ‘Arrival State of Charge’ was on our wishlist for the Holiday Update, it looks like it may arrive soon after the holidays.