Tesla introduced the Model 3 in late 2017. The Model 3 came equipped with a phone dock that was capable of charging your device when you slid it into the dock.
Tesla to allow you to disable your wireless charger
However, adding a wireless phone charger to your Tesla quickly became a popular upgrade. Companies such as Jeda and Nomad offer retrofits to make your vehicle capable of wireless charging your phone.
In 2019 Tesla added their own built-in wireless charger to the Model 3. However, some users prefer to use the phone caddy as a simple phone holder and would like the option to turn it off.
There are various reasons why you may not want to constantly charge your device.
It's a good idea to stop charging your device when the additional charge isn’t needed because excess heat and keeping your battery at a high state of charge can have negative effects on your battery life.
Some users prefer not to wirelessly charge their phones due to heat issues while some users' phone cases are incompatible due to their design, material or other reasons.
As per the request of Twitter user @24_7TeslaNews, Tesla will soon add the ability to turn off wireless phone chargers in your vehicle.
Another potential feature for this update could be to automatically turn the wireless charger off once the phone is sufficiently charged.
If the phone is connected to Bluetooth, the vehicle can read the phone’s battery level and charge it accordingly. It would be advantageous if Tesla automatically disabled the wireless charger when the phone is fully charged and automatically enabled it when the battery is low.
All Tesla owners that have wireless phone chargers can at minimum expect a manual on/off feature to come in an upcoming software update.
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As part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update, Tesla hacker Greentheonly, has once again uncovered features that are coming in a future software update. Green regularly decompiles Tesla’s software updates and is able to see features that have yet to see the light of day. These features are in production code, but sometimes have only been partially developed or are being tested or waiting to be turned on remotely. Either way, it gives us an early look at features that are likely to be released in the coming months.
Recently Green spotted two new features, Trailer Profiles and new navigation routing options.
Trailer Profiles
According to Green, the new Trailer Profiles feature is expected to let you record your trailer mileage and select whether it’s an open or closed trailer. You’ll have the ability to keep track of up to 20 trailer profiles, letting you use various trailers without resetting your settings. This should let the vehicle give you more accurate range estimates, as the vehicle will be able to track your previous energy consumption when you used your trailer previously.
By creating multiple profiles, you can even account for different load types, such as transporting a car, boat, or lumbar.
This feature is expected to be available to all vehicles equipped with a tow hitch. Tow hitches are included on the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck and as an option for the Model Y and some Model 3s.
Trailers normally have no way to record mileage, so this could be an extremely useful tool for owners to be able to see how much a trailer has been used. This could help indicate when new tires, new trailer brakes, or other relevant service may be required.
Prioritize Highways / Avoid Highways?
Navigation routing is expected to receive two additional preferences. The first one is “Prioritize Highways” - which, like its name, will likely prioritize the usage of highways whenever possible.
This is an interesting feature, as most people have been asking for the opposite - Avoid Highways, which Elon previously promised would make its way to Tesla vehicles soon. It’s not clear whether this is Tesla’s interpretation of an Avoid Highways option, where disabling this feature will try to avoid highways and prioritize backroad use.
Prioritize Time
The second feature is “Prioritize Time”. This one is interesting, as it likely will provide the option for drivers to have an optimized route for charging/efficiency, and a route that is more focused on spending less time on the road at the cost of using more energy.
While Tesla leverages Google’s API for features such as Points of Interest, reviews, photos, map tiles and satellite imagery, Tesla determines the vehicle’s route themselves. This lets them prioritize efficiency and calculate charging stops.
Alongside the arrival of FSD’s new Hurry Mode, this is going to give users more flexibility when driving.
When Do They Arrive?
These features aren’t available just yet, but their inclusion in production code likely points to them launching soon. However, the features could be in varying degrees of completion, from active development to dev complete and simply awaiting for Tesla to enable them remotely.
It’s possible we’ll see one or more of these features activated in the next couple of months.
Tesla’s Santa Mode is one of the earliest Tesla Easter Eggs, and with the 2024 Holiday Update, the Cybertruck gets its own customized version of Santa Mode. While Santa Mode already has its own set of unique assets and animations, Tesla’s team went all out with the special Cybertruck version.
Cybersled
When you enable Santa Mode on the Cybertruck, you won’t get the classic-looking Tesla sleigh with Santa behind the reigns.
Instead, Santa’s been replaced by Santa Optimus, who’s doing all the chores from now on. Optimus is steering the Cybersled, and his trusty steeds, this time, are Cyber Reindeer with their own slick-looking goggles. The Cybersled has also been upgraded with some fancy levitating technology.
Turn Signals
While the reindeer’s harnesses will light up when you turn on your turn signal, Tesla also added a unique feature to the Cybertruck version. When you turn on your blinker, Optimus will actually stick out his arm and look in that direction. It’s a nice little touch that makes the whole thing come to life. You can check it out in the video below:
In the Cybertruck Holiday update Optimus will turn its head and point left or right with its hands when you initiate a turn signal. Cool little details @Teslapic.twitter.com/ntxMFXjBtK
Cybertruck’s Santa Mode otherwise has all the features of regular Santa Mode on other vehicles, including snowy roads and falling snow. The assets for people and other vehicles are also the same, with them being replaced by elves and reindeer, respectively.
Santa Mode Lighting
The Cybertruck, just like the 2024+ Model 3, features ambient lighting on the interior. When you activate Santa Mode, your Cybertruck’s ambient lighting will cycle between Red, Green, and White, fitting the Christmas theme quite well.
How to Activate It
Santa Mode can be activated year-round and isn’t limited to the holiday season. You can activate it via the Toybox menu or using a voice command.
Voice Commands
The first voice command is “Ho Ho Ho”. Just simply say that - and the Run Rudolph Run song will chime on for a single cycle, and you can go spread some Cyber Christmas Cheer.
The second voice command is “Ho Ho Ho, not funny.” That one is a variation of Santa Mode, and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer will be played instead.
ToyBox
The third way to activate Santa Mode is to head over to the ToyBox app in your Tesla. You can then tap on the Santa Mode panel and turn it on by enabling ‘Jingle All the Way.’ That’s the equivalent of running the “Ho Ho Ho” voice command, so you’ll hear Run Rudolph Run cycle through once upon touching the button. Unfortunately, it’s rather loud, and you can’t control the volume, so you’ll need to wait for it to finish playing or turn off Santa Mode completely.
Spread Cheer
You can also spread some cheer with your Cybertruck. You’ll need to be in Park before enabling this option. It will play the Santa Mode music you’ve selected through the vehicle’s external speaker known as the Pedestrian Warning Speaker (PWS). You’ll need to toggle on Spread Cheer before enabling Santa Mode, as the song stops after its first cycle. Due to updated NHTSA regulations, Spread Cheer no longer works while driving.
If you’d like to see all the features of Santa Mode on other Teslas, be sure to check out our regular Santa Mode guide.
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