Tesla V11 Changes Coming: May lead to best UI yet

Version 11 of Tesla's software was one of the most anticipated releases over the past year.

V11 improvements are coming

When it finally arrived last week in the holiday update, it offered a clean interface with customizable buttons and a bunch of new features.

However, when decluttering the UI, Tesla put many options that were accessible with a single tap behind menus, causing some core features to take two or more taps.

This makes some features less obvious and takes the driver's eyes off the road for a longer period. For core car functions that you may use while driving, requiring two taps to turn a feature on isn't ideal.

Overall, v11 provided a cleaner, more modern interface that was mostly well-received, but it had its fair share of criticism.

The majority of the criticism involved two areas, removal of features from the top status bar such as the Driver's Profile button, and removal of features from the launcher bar, like seat heaters and window defrost.

These features are still available, but now require multiple taps to check their status or turn on, as opposed to just glancing at the screen or tapping a button.

All UI changes take some time to get used to them. Over the years we've built muscle memory on how to turn on and off various car features, and we almost instinctively knew where to tap with just a glance.

If we're driving and a button isn't where we expect it to be, there could be some annoyance or frustration.

Tesla has developed and added many features over the past year. It felt like it was time for the UI and menus to be reconsolidated.

I understand that not everyone needs seat heaters where they live, and maybe they don't need access to driver profiles if they're the only driver of the vehicle, but others may need quick access to these functions.

I think if you go into the situation understanding that some vehicles are driven by multiple members of the same family and that the car doesn't always select the correct profile, then it's easy to understand that hiding the active driver profile behind the Controls menu isn't intuitive.

V11 Improvements Coming

Tesla has heard everyone loud and clear. We now have multiple reports that improvements are coming.

The improvements will focus on the top status bar and the bottom launcher.

Many items were removed from the status bar, such as WiFi/cellular connection, driver profiles, Sentry Mode, Dashcam, HomeLink, and Bluetooth.

Some of these can be considered settings, such as Bluetooth and they're likely to remain in the Controls menu.

HomeLink, in my opinion has found a better spot on the bottom left of the screen in the Model 3/Y and will only show up when you're close to home.

This prevents the HomeLink menu from appearing on top of the reverse camera image when backing out of a garage, which is a nice improvement.

However, I would expect other settings to return to the status bar, with the biggest offender being Driver Profiles.

Tesla may also add back connection information, Sentry Mode, and Dashcam.

Tesla may even let you personalize the top status bar and pick exactly which options you'd like to appear, with most of them being hidden by default.

App Launcher

One of the biggest changes in v11 was the app launcher. With it came a great new feature; the ability to customize which apps appear in the launcher. Again, not everyone needs heated seats, or window defrost so this was a welcome feature for many.

However, to make room for customizable icons and provide more direct access to your preferred music choices, some functions were removed. The problem is that there is no way to add back the functions that were removed.

So although we're now able to customize the launcher, owners are not able to add back some of the features that were previously available.

Seat heaters are now two taps away, instead of one. And data that was once glanceable, such as whether the window defroster is on, now requires the driver to go into a menu.

The good news is that Tesla is listening and that changes are coming to the launcher.

In fact, because of the v11 shortcomings, we may end up with a much better product than was initially planned.

Will Fealey, the president of a Tesla Facebook group compiled a list of owner criticisms. After sending them to a couple of his contacts at Tesla, he heard back from Tesla saying that Tesla is not only listening, but the team is already working on concepts on how to improve the launcher.

According to Will, the concept will let you add new controls to the app launcher, such as seat heaters, dashcam, windshield wipers, and more.

Tesla has taken all the feedback that I gave them yesterday regarding V11 and they've sat down with the relevant teams (presumably in the US) and I'm pleased to feedback the following to you all:

Points 1-3: The team do understand that many users want to be able to adjust [demister, heated seats, profile, dash camera etc] manually, so the team are working on a concept that allows you to customise the bottom bar further with actions like this. This is getting worked on.

Point 4: The team acknowledge we definitely still need to improve British voice recognition. The team will circle back around on this topic.

Points 5-6 [MCU1 / MCU2 differences with V11]: There are nuances to different hardware variants which do impact the release of particular features. This means there will always differences on the features available based on the age/hardware of the vehicle. Tesla thanked us all for the continued feedback and they will share further details when they can.

Thank you Tesla for listening to your owners Regards,

Will Fealey

Tesla Owners UK Club President

Since Tesla is looking at the concept of adding controls to the app launcher, we may gain the ability to add numerous new control options that could be pinned to the launcher.

These new buttons in the launcher can give you direct access to certain menus like Charging or Trips or let you add a voice commands button for passenger use.

Tesla v11 UI

It could even give you direct access to options like the parking brake, HomeLink buttons, the ability to open the glovebox with one tap, and more.

Elon Confirms Changes Coming

Elon has also confirmed that changes to the v11 update are coming. On Twitter he has said that UI improvements are coming.

Many UI improvements coming

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 30, 2021

Understandably, Tesla owners would like certain features they had quick access to back as soon as possible. However, developing a proper solution that offers even greater flexibility than before will take some time.

I wouldn't expect any changes in a point release of 2021.44, but we may start to see some changes in the first major release of 2022.

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Tesla’s New Signal Viewer Panel in Service Mode+ Allows You to View Real-Time Data

@scotsrule08 on X

Tesla’s latest software update, version 2025.2, brings new features to Service Mode, continuing the trend of improving in-vehicle diagnostics.

Currently, this feature is only available for vehicles with AMD Ryzen infotainment systems and requires Service Mode+, which is a subscription service aimed at technicians. Intel-powered vehicles aren’t supported yet, but we expect this feature to roll out to them as well unless hardware limitations prevent it.

Thanks to Spencer for providing an image of the panel in action.

Signal Viewer Panel

While update 2025.2.6 adds four service mode improvements, including updates to brake burnishing, charge port calibration, and noise recording panel improvements. In this article, we’ll focus on the new signal viewer panel.

This new panel offers a live data feed from selectable vehicle sensors. You select the signals you’re interested in and it’ll plot the signal on a graph. In addition to allowing you to view real-time signal data, it also allows you to record them.

The signals are searchable and can be easily added or removed from the panel. You can track up to 10 sensors, and the UI allows three of them to be viewable at once.

However, this is Service Mode and it’s more than just pretty looks. You can really dig down into these charts. You can pan them left and right through time, and tapping a specific point shows the exact value of that signal. The panel also supports pinch-to-zoom, enabling you to adjust the time scale across all panels simultaneously.

This feature is exclusive to Service Mode+, which requires a subscription to Tesla’s ToolBox3 software and a connection to a computer. It’s designed to help technicians diagnose issues related to signal quality, noise in the vehicle’s electrical systems, and signal variance in components during driving.

We’re excited to see Tesla’s continued focus on repairability, especially with additions like the Cybertruck’s Interactive Wiring Diagram and the launch of the Tesla Online Parts Catalog, which lets customers purchase parts directly.

Plus, with the reduced cost of ToolBox 3 subscriptions, even DIY enthusiasts now have access to tools that make Tesla repairs more accessible.

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Tesla Introduces New Model Y Variants in Europe; Ends Launch Series

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Tesla has updated its Model Y lineup in Europe, introducing new standard configurations while discontinuing the limited-edition Launch Series. With the new variants now available, European customers will have more choices and cheaper options to pick from.

The Launch Series and some of its exclusive features will no longer be offered—except in the UK, where it remains available alongside the new lineup.

New Models Introduced

Tesla’s new Model Y lineup in Europe includes three main variants. The prices vary slightly from country to country.

• Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD): Priced at €44,990, this model is the most affordable new Model Y, but it also has the shortest range and is missing a few features available on other trim levels.

• Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (LR RWD): Available for €49,990, this version is essentially the same as the RWD model, but with a larger battery. It has seen a €1,000 price increase compared to the outgoing Long Range RWD model.

• Long Range All-Wheel Drive (LR AWD): At €52,990, this model has seen a price drop of €2,000, making it a better deal than the previous LR AWD Model Y. This is also the only new Model Y to come with most of the same features as the Launch Series, including additional speakers, a subwoofer, premium materials inside the cabin and improved acceleration. Acceleration boost should also become available for this model, letting it match the performance of the Launch Series.

All Model Y variants come with all the improvements that we’ve discussed about the new Model Y, including the new front and rear light bars, improved aerodynamics, ventilated seats, improved heat and sound isolation, and the 8-inch rear touchscreen. Some exclusive options, like the Midnight Cherry Red paint, appear to no longer be available. However, Tesla has already said that they’ll be introducing new paint options for the Model Y in North America.

Compare Model Y Variants

Here’s how the various Model Y variants compare to each other:

Launch Series Ends

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The Launch Series, which debuted just weeks ago in Europe, has now been phased out. This limited-edition model was priced at €60,990 and included a suite of premium features comparable to a bundle deal you may find with other products. It came equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD), Acceleration Boost, and exclusive badging on the rear liftgate, door sill plates, and puddle lights.

While the Launch Series is no longer available for new orders in most European countries, customers can still get a similar vehicle by opting for the Long Range AWD model and manually adding premium features like FSD. Acceleration Boost, which was standard in the Launch Series, is expected to become available for purchase once these vehicles are delivered or soon afterward. However, some exclusive elements, such as badging and trim details, will remain unique to the discontinued edition.

For now, the UK remains an exception, still offering the Launch Series alongside the newly introduced models.

Performance Model Still to Come

With Tesla now introducing the expected variants of the refreshed Model Y, one notable absence is the Performance model. While the Launch Series was fast due to the Acceleration Boost addon, there’s no doubt the Performance version will be in a league of its own.

What we saw Tesla do with the 2024+ Model 3 Performance variant was more than just using binned motors. The vehicle featured unique bumpers, a spoiler, an improved suspension, sport seats, Track Mode V3 and other features that made the vehicle stand out compared to the Model 3 AWD.

The Performance version of the new Model Y is expected to become available later this year, however, expect it to carry a $5-$8k premium over the AWD model.

Other Regions to Follow

As Europe phases out the Launch Series, other regions are expected to see similar changes. With the other models now revealed, owners in other regions have a better idea of whether they should buy the Launch Series or wait for the additional models to arrive.

Tesla naturally adjusts its offerings based on market demand, and if sales of the Launch Series remain strong in other parts of the world, Tesla will likely wait it out a little longer before offering the other models.

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