Tesla releases major software update for Model S, X and 3
Tesla has started to provide a software update for its electric cars. The new software includes a possibility to store videos of the dashcam, improvements for navigation and a way to view the environment in 360 degrees.
The new functionality was announced in a series of messages on Twitter. It is version 9.0 of Tesla’s software for the Model S, X and 3, which is released worldwide and brings a whole series of new features to the cars. For example, in cars with ‘Hardware 2.5’, it is possible to record a 10-minute video with the dashcam. Hardware 2.5 is on cars that have been delivered since August 2017. Not everyone gets the software at the same time; the software is being phased in each country.
Furthermore, Tesla has made it possible to have the cameras that are on the car work together to create a 360-degree view, so that the driver can form a good picture of the environment. In addition, there is improved climate control, a modified interface for navigation and a new application launcher. The manufacturer states that easter eggs are hidden in the software in the form of classic Atari games.
On his website, Tesla has put a list of the changes in software version 9.0. The company also announces that the new software has onboard preparations for new Autopilot software. There has been an update for some time that should significantly improve the self-driving functionality of the Tesla cars, but these innovations are therefore not immediately available. One of the first new features for Autopilot is navigation, where drivers can turn on ‘navigate on Autopilot’, where the car offers suggestions for other lanes and taking an exit. Those decisions do not take the car itself, but users can confirm it at the touch of a button.