You can select a device that your Tesla will connect to first
Tesla
Most Tesla owners have encountered the issue of entering their vehicle only to find it connected to the wrong Bluetooth device. This inconvenience can be particularly frustrating when you're in a hurry or when multiple passengers with paired devices are present. Fortunately, Tesla has developed a solution to this widespread problem — Tesla Priority Device.
Tesla's 'Priority Device' feature allows you to select a device for your car to connect to based on the chosen Tesla driver profile. You can assign a device to multiple profiles, ensuring a smoother connectivity process for all drivers.
How Tesla Priority Device Works
When you and your spouse or child enter the car simultaneously, the vehicle will first attempt to connect to the device associated with the active Tesla profile. The closest phone to the vehicle determines your driver profile when the doors are opened. Using Priority Device helps prevent issues like your Tesla connecting to someone else's phone inside the house.
Setting Up Your Priority Bluetooth Device
To set up your Priority Device, follow these simple steps:
Go to Controls by tapping the car icon in the lower-left corner of the vehicle.
Tap the Bluetooth icon at the top of your touchscreen.
Select your preferred device.
Tap "Priority Device."
The menu will display the Tesla profiles that have your device set as their priority device. You can set your phone as the priority device in multiple Tesla profiles, including profiles such as Easy Entry.
Your car will now attempt to connect to the priority device associated with the selected profile before trying to connect to other paired phones.
Shortcomings of Priority Device
Priority Device works great, as long as the vehicle selects the correct Tesla profile. Any issues in connecting to the incorrect device are usually caused by the vehicle determining the incorrect driver profile.
If the vehicle incorrectly determines the closest phone to the vehicle, then it will select the wrong Tesla Profile and consequently, the wrong Bluetooth device to connect to.
Troubleshooting Issues
It's important to realize how the process works. Your key fob or phone key is associated with a given Tesla Profile, which can then have a Bluetooth device that it will try to connect to first.
If your vehicle is consistently connecting to the wrong Tesla Profile or Bluetooth device, you should double-check your settings.
Start by going to Controls > Locks and check that your key fob, phone key, or key card is associated with the correct driver profile.
From there, confirm that you have a Priority Device associated with each Tesla Profile by going to Controls and tapping on the user icon and name at the top of the screen. To minimize connection issues, each Tesla Profile should be associated with a priority Bluetooth device.
The Future of Tesla Priority Device
As technology continues to advance, Tesla remains at the forefront of innovation. Tesla's Priority Device feature is just one example of its commitment to improving the driving experience. Future enhancements could include more advanced algorithms for identifying the correct driver profile or even connecting to multiple devices simultaneously.
Priority Device has improved Bluetooth connectivity in Tesla vehicles, allowing for more seamless connections instead of just connecting to the first Bluetooth device it finds.
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MotorTrend is running their suite of Best Tech of 2025 - and the winner that took home the Best Tech for Public Charging System is none other than Tesla’s North American Charging Standard - better known as NACS or the Tesla Plug.
What is NACS?
NACS is Tesla’s home-grown connector standard - and is now the standard in North America. Tesla opened the connector standard back in November 2022, inviting other automakers to collaborate on a better and easier-to-use charging standard.
At that time, CCS was rapidly gaining traction as the industry standard, but Teslas remained the most common EV on the road. This put Tesla in a unique position to establish a new standard in North America, where the Tesla connector was the most popular.
SAE Standard
After Tesla opened up its connector, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) swiftly adopted it, naming it the J3400 EV Coupler. The SAE initiated the process in June 2023, with the validation phase concluding in October, alongside the release of the J3400 Recommended Practices document, officially establishing NACS as the industry standard in North America.
While a few holdouts, such as Volkswagen and Stellantis, initially hesitated to embrace NACS, they soon came on board. Today, no major automaker selling vehicles in North America plans to use CCS for their future EVs.
Why is NACS Better?
NACS is an innovative charging standard that outperforms both CCS1 and CCS2 (the EU’s version) in almost every way. The system is lighter, more user-friendly, and more versatile, offering better thermal efficiency than comparable CCS systems. Additionally, the handle and plug are designed to be more ergonomic and streamlined, making them easier to use and far less cumbersome.
Differences Between CCS1 and CCS2
The CCS1 charging standard in North America combines the J1772 connector for AC charging with separate pins for DC fast charging. However, it differs drastically from CCS2, which is used in Europe. CCS2 features a more compact design and allows digital communication for both AC and DC charging. It also supports higher power than CCS1.
Technically Better
NACS was designed out of necessity back in 2012 when there wasn’t a connector that met Tesla’s needs for the original Model S. As it turns out, it remains far superior to the charging standards created by legacy automakers today, who were more concerned with having a simple plug-in port than the efficiency and quality of the charging process itself.
Unlike CCS1 or J1772, which use analog communication when charging over AC power, NACS relies on digital communication, regardless of whether it’s charging the vehicle over AC or DC power. This enables better and more reliable information exchange during the charging process. In contrast, analog systems like CCS1 can run into issues—such as ground faults—that may leave your EV bricked without an explanation since data isn’t transmitted the same way.
With NACS, however, any issues can be diagnosed on either the vehicle side or the Supercharger side. If you’re interested - open up Service Mode while plugged into your Wall or Mobile Connector, or while at a Supercharger - and take a peek at the Charging Pane.
Ultimately, NACS offers improved diagnostics and testing, a more intuitive cable and interface, and the best part is that it can support up to 1,000V charging without major changes. Plus, it works seamlessly with both residential two-phase and commercial three-phase power without requiring major alterations to the connector format—unlike CCS1 and CCS2, which uses separate connectors for AC and DC charging.
Improved Communications
We’ve already discussed how digital communication enables effective debugging, but it also plays a crucial role in streamlining the payment process for charging. This is how Tesla makes its Supercharging experience so effortless. When you plug in your vehicle, it communicates directly with the Supercharger and Tesla’s servers. Your payment is automatically processed through the payment method linked to your Tesla profile, making the entire process seamless.
In contrast, with most CCS1 chargers, the process is the reverse. While Plug-and-Charge is a standard, it’s not always fully or reliably implemented. When you arrive at a CCS1 charger, you often need to plug in your EV, fumble with an app or the screen and hope the charging post is working properly before you can proceed.
Here’s a list of automakers that have either pledged to begin using NACS - usually by their 2025 or 2026 model year - or have already incorporated it. Many of these companies also offer adapters, and can also use Tesla’s Magic Dock-equipped Superchargers.
Any companies in parentheses represent a sub-brand of the parent company that has also committed to the NACS connector.
And that’s it—NACS has won the EV charging standards race in North America. If you’re in Europe, you’re using the CCS2 connector, which is superior to the CCS1 connector offered in North America. China has its own relatively novel connector standard, but it still differentiates between DC and AC plugs, unlike NACS, which keeps things simpler.
Tesla’s autonomous robotaxi made a big impact last year at the We, Robot event in October, sparking plenty of questions about when, where, and how production would begin. Well, it looks like we finally have some answers to these questions thanks to new Cybercab-related job openings.
Engineering Roles
Tesla is actively recruiting engineers to focus on various aspects of the Cybercab’s production. One of the key positions is for an equipment engineer, responsible for developing the machinery that will be used to build the Cybercab. Designing and implementing the assembly line is crucial, especially with Tesla’s ambition to manufacture thousands of Cybercabs in the near future.
Unboxed Production Process
Tesla plans to produce the Cybercab using its revolutionary “unboxed” process, which stands in stark contrast to traditional car manufacturing methods. Unlike typical assembly lines that build vehicles from the floor up, the unboxed process involves constructing vehicle sections in parallel and bringing those parts together for final assembly. This method increases the number of engineers that can work on the vehicle at once and increases accessibility for works and robots, allowing the vehicle to be manufactured more efficiently.
Tesla shows off the unboxed process in the vehicle below:
The Unboxed process 🧵 Tesla model Y is used in this video as a placeholder to explain the process without spoiling the actual next gen vehicle pic.twitter.com/onCPeNCduB
A crucial part of the Cybercab’s production will be handled by a new process engineer specializing in plastics. This engineer will focus on the exterior plastic panels, working alongside a tool & die specialist. The reason for this specialized role is likely due to the Cybercab’s unique use of paint-impregnated plastic for its exterior panels, which requires different processes and tooling than Tesla’s typical vehicle exteriors.
Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, shared that the company will be injecting polyurethane paint directly into the plastic during the manufacturing process. This method eliminates the need for a traditional paint shop, as the colors are embedded directly into the plastic while the panels are molded. The best part is that these panels are highly resilient—if they get scratched, dinged, or worn down, the original color remains visible throughout, unlike standard painted panels, which would reveal the underlying material.
Technicians
To implement these new engineering practices, Tesla is also hiring various technicians for the assembly line. These include specialists in plastics, general assembly, and the Giga Press, all of whom will play key roles in bringing the Cybercab to life.
According to the Q4 2024 Earnings Call, the Cybercab’s assembly line is not expected to launch until late 2025 or early 2026. Building such an innovative assembly line is no small feat, and it’s clear Tesla is laying the groundwork for something special.
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