Gary Zhou 
Tesla ownership has many aspects that are different from a traditional car, and also different from ownership of other hybrid vehicles. Nonetheless, this maybe both unique and difficult to effectively communicate to non-owners.
Before I owned a Tesla, when I saw news about Tesla vehicle software updates, I thought they were cool and provided basic vehicle improvements. Throughout my ownership experience, they are substantially more. It’s important to recognize that Tesla’s are in a sense not an automobile, it’s a device.
Each time you get a big new update, it’s like a birthday or Christmas gift. Often they’re cool and enjoyable new apps. There are little changes to correct minor issues (or, for some people, maybe big issues — depending on personal / family needs).
I just got a relatively big update that makes my car feel fresh, modern, and fun again. There were 7 changes in this new update, so I’ll go through them all to keep you up-to – date with the features of a Tesla Model S to show how much they differ.
Improved Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control
A rumor began circulating about this, as it’s a major change for Tesla drivers and Tesla itself. Elon soon stated on Twitter that it was definitely coming, and I’ve been driving with the latest feature today and so far loving it. Now the car turns on its own, parks and avoids potholes!
Backup Camera Improvements
This one is a new one. Although we’re benefiting (and getting spoiled from) a large touchscreen and a wonderful backup camera feeding into a Tesla, many owners still get rim rash from hidden curbs. This new feature helps you to get views of the car’s sides when you back up (note that you do need to toggle up on the screen to see certain camera feeds). Parking area can be superbly navigated and rim rash avoided.
Dashcam Viewer Improvements
The Sentry Mode function is a huge help for owners who have their car struck or vandalized because it can provide the culprit’s video proof (there are loads of insane stories), but accessing the video recordings was initially very inconvenient. Recently, Tesla has enhanced the functionality by allowing you to display the recordings on the touchscreen (instead of taking them from the USB / portable hard drive and plug them into a computer). One remaining downside, however, was that they are mostly very long videos (10 minutes is typical), in which finding out what triggered the recording takes a long time.
Tesla’s latest enhancement also makes it super easy to see where the exact activity that caused the recording occurred in the video player. Now I will be having some good fun watching these.
3 Minor Ones
Cabin Camera
This is an interesting one. I remember when someone asked for this feature on Twitter in order to have more proof and video footage of a break-in. The wording in the update’s overview, however, focuses on using the video footage and pics to boost Tesla’s own driving or tech capabilities. I’m not sure if this means that Tesla workers can search the videos and photographs seeking new improvements, or if they’ll be incorporated through the learning algorithms of the neural network. In any case, it’s nice to see Tesla trying to use the footage to help improve the driving experience.
These are one round of many changes to the app. This is one of the bigger ones that I have had over the past year of ownership, but definitely not the largest or second largest. It feels like being in a brand new car. An experience you simply cannot replicate in other vehicles.
This is why we LOVE Tesla!
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