Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 🎅 Underwhelming Update: The leaked details of Tesla’s 2023 Holiday Update have left some EV owners disappointed, feeling like they received coal instead of exciting features.
- 📱 New Features in Tesla Arcade: Updates include new features in Tesla Arcade games, such as Beach Buggy Racing, Polytopia Diplomacy, and Vampire Survivors. Also, support for PS4, PS5, and Xbox controllers.
- 🚑 Automatic 911 Calls: A new safety feature automatically calls 911 if an accident triggers the airbags, with a countdown timer for cancellation.
- 🚦 Navigation Enhancements: Navigation now includes symbols for speed cameras, stop signs, and traffic lights along the route, requiring Premium Connectivity.
- 🗺️ Trip Planner on Mobile App: Users can plan trips using the Tesla mobile app, including multiple stops and charging locations, with sharing options to send plans to the vehicle.
- 🎥 Expanded Live Camera View: The Tesla app now provides access to left and right pillar cameras when viewing the vehicle surroundings.
- 🚗 Blind Spot Camera Alert: The blind spot camera now alerts with red shading when the turn signal is on and an object is detected in the blind spot.
- 💡 Light Show Enhancements: A new Light Show feature includes multiple custom shows from the same USB flash drive, along with the ability to schedule shows and sync with friends.
- 🔄 TIDAL Shuffle Play: Users can now shuffle playlists and albums in TIDAL, and display profile images in Apple Music and Spotify.
- 🔍 Improved Search Functionality: The touchscreen search now includes links to the Owner’s Manual in addition to vehicle settings, providing more information.
- ⚡ Charging Location Filters: Users can now filter charging locations based on speed, distinguishing between locations with more than 70 kW and those with 70 kW or less.
- 🤔 Criticisms and Expectations: Criticisms highlight the update’s focus on minor features rather than substantial functions like FSD V12, leaving some feeling it’s a regular software update. However, there’s hope for more substantial changes in future updates.
Details of Tesla’s 2023 Holiday Update — or at least a notable portion of it — have been leaked online. Based on the reaction from Tesla owners on social media, it appears that Tesla’s 2023 Holiday Update has made some EV owners feel like Santa Claus gave them coal instead of toys.
The anticipation for Tesla’s 2023 Holiday Update was palpable, with software tracking services such as Teslascope hinting that employees who received the update were under a nondisclosure agreement. The release notes for update 2023.44.25 were posted online anyway, providing a pretty good teaser of what’s to come with the 2023 Holiday Update.
Following are the release notes of Tesla update 2023.44.25, as shared by Not a Tesla App.
APPLE PODCASTS
Listen to millions of the world’s most popular podcasts. Apple Podcasts for Tesla syncs with your favorite Apple devices, so you can seamlessly follow shows, save episodes, and pick up right where you left off. Browse new and noteworthy podcasts or explore what’s trending on Top Charts.
From the Application Launcher, open the Apple Podcasts app, scan the QR code, and log in with your Apple ID. Premium Connectivity required.
TESLA ARCADE UPDATES
-Beach Buggy Racing – Unlock new vehicles and tracks. Your racing vehicle now matches the color you’ve set in Toybox > Colorizer.
-Polytopia Diplomacy Update — Explore new options for peaceful and hostile interactions, from peace treaties and embassies to stealth infiltration and guerrilla warfare.
-Vampire Survivors Chilling Update – Melt hordes of snowmen and defend against ice monsters in the new wintry Whiteout map, along with a new character, achievements, and items to collect.
-PS4, PS5, and Xbox Controllers – Feel more immersed in the action with rumble effects in select Tesla Arcade games.
To pair a controller, open the Bluetooth panel and follow the instructions.
Availability varies by model and location.
AUTOMATIC 911 CALLS
Your vehicle will call 911 if an accident triggers the airbags.
A countdown timer allows you to cancel the call before it’s placed if you don’t need 911.
This feature works automatically when your mobile phone is connected to your vehicle via Bluetooth.
SPEED CAMERAS ON YOUR ROUTE
Navigation now includes symbols along your route to show speed cameras, stop signs, and traffic lights.
To see this route information, you must have Navigation > Online Routing turned on. Requires Premium Connectivity.
TRIP PLANNER ON MOBILE APP
Use the Tesla mobile app to plan a trip.
Go to Location > Navigate and enter a destination. For multiple stops or to make changes, simply Edit Trip > Add Stop. If needed, Trip Planner will also include charging stops along the way. Then choose Send to Car to share it with your vehicle.
Requires Tesla app 4.27.5+ to add multiple stops to a trip.
MORE CAMERAS IN LIVE CAMERA VIEW
When you view your vehicle surroundings from the Tesla app, now you’ll have access to the left and right pillar cameras.
On your vehicle touchscreen, go to Controls > Safety > View Live Camera via Mobile App. Then you can view from the app on your phone.
Live Camera is end-to-end encrypted and can’t be accessed by Tesla. Requires Tesla app 4.27.5+ and Premium Connectivity.
AUTOMATIC BLIND SPOT CAMERA
The blind spot camera view now alerts you with red shading along the edge when your turn signal is on and your vehicle detects an object or another vehicle in your blind spot.
Go to Controls > Autopilot > Automatic Blind Spot Camera.
LIGHT SHOW
Time to celebrate with the latest Light Show to the tune of The Arrival by Irving Victoria.
Play it right away, or schedule the show up to 10 minutes in advance, with one vehicle or synced with friends. Go to Toybox > Light Show.
Light Show enthusiasts can now play multiple custom Light Shows from the same USB flash drive. Simply save the show files to a directory named “LightShow” on your flash drive, connect, and choose.
SHUFFLE PLAY IN TIDAL
Shuffle your TIDAL playlists and albums.
APPLE AND SPOTIFY PROFILE IMAGE
In Apple Music and Spotify, you can show your account profile image to indicate which account you’re using for each.
Availability varies by model and location.
SEARCH INCLUDES OWNER’S MANUAL
When you use Controls > Search on the touchscreen, your results now include links to entries in the Owner’s Manual, in addition to results with vehicle settings. So you can find the setting you want or learn more about it.
CHARGING LOCATION FILTERS
When you search the vehicle map for charging locations, you can now filter between two charging speeds: Three lightning bolts shows locations with more than 70 kW. One lightning bolt shows locations with 70 kW or less.
Among the most notable criticisms of Tesla’s 2023 Holiday Update is its apparent focus on minor features and quality-of-life improvements, not the rollout of substantial functions such as FSD V12 or the much-anticipated Actual Smart Summon. Some Tesla owners noted that the 2023 Holiday Update feels like a regular software update from the EV maker that could have been released at any month of the year.
That being said, Tesla software tracking service Teslascope noted that the 2023 Holiday Update release notes do not include specific changes for vehicles that are running Full Self-Driving Beta, as those improvements have not been rolled out yet. Thus, inasmuch as the 2023 Holiday Update seems underwhelming so far, there seems to be a pretty fair chance that more will be coming.
