Tesla’s 2024 Holiday Update brings a sack-load of Christmas gifts to owners

The holidays are a time for giving, being with friends, and feeling all content with the world. Tesla’s 2024 Holiday Update promises to give Elon Musk’s EV clan an extra endorphin bump thanks to its rather generous suite of new features. Here’s what to expect if you’ve got a Tesla on the drive (or under the tree). 

Apple Watch owners can now enjoy a Tesla App on their wrist - they can use their watch as their car key, check battery charge, open their cars’ frunk, and even turn on climate control. A small quality of life update, but for those in a hurry being able to fiddle with their car from afar it could be invaluable. 

Tesla’s inbuilt dash cam and Sentry Mode cameras are a lifesaver for proving who’s responsible for damage should anything happen to your car. The 2024 Holiday Update introduces the ability to send clips from either to your phone to either edit (to turn into memes… maybe), or share (with your insurance company). 

Perhaps the most useful update in the 2024 Holiday Update package is the ability to use Tesla’s smart Autoshift feature on the stalkless Model 3. Autoshift switches the car between drive and reverse (where appropriate) without having to prod the car’s screen. When you’re performing a low speed manoeuvre, slow down, and the screen should show that the car is ready for autoshift. With it enabled, turn the ‘wheel the way you’re told to while pressing the brake at the same time, and the car will switch itself from forward to reverse. A small thing, but something that could be incredibly useful in a tight spot. 

Tesla’s update also features quality of life enhancements for the map, and route planning features. You can set your preferred battery level for arrival at your destination. Tell the car you, for example, want to arrive with at least 70% of charge in the tank, the system will adjust your charge stops to make sure you get there with the right amount in reserve. While you’re thinking about charge stops, you can also have a look at potential detours along your route - the map will show you how much time they’ll add to your journey. Fans of staying dry, or packing appropriately, will enjoy the update’s new Precipitation Map and Weather at Destination functions. Want to know whether to pack wellies or a crop top for your day trip? Your Tesla can now tell you… 

Tesla’s also given its cars a new active safety feature - Rear Cross Traffic Alert. When reversing out of a space, the car’s rear cameras and sensors will alert the driver, via the car’s screen and an audio warning, if a car, pedestrian, or… anything else is coming that might cause an accident. 

Not one to let whimsy pass it by, the latest update comes with a dose of fun. Cybertruck owners can now modify their car’s on-screen avatar with preloaded or custom designs, or they can activate ‘Santa Mode’ to turn their truck into a reindeer-towed blocky sleigh. It’ll even chuck in an elf. Tesla’s light shows are the stuff of legend, and now you can schedule them from the Tesla App - as soon as the update drops you can set any of the car’s shows (including two new ones) for whichever time you fancy. Your neighbours will love you for the 02:00 song and dance. 

Flatulence and Tesla are long-established bedfellows - so to speak - and the latest update to the car’s ‘fart mode’ isn’t afraid to toot that particular horn once again. You can now activate ‘fart on contact’ mode, which will play the appropriate (or not if you’re giving a vicar a lift) sounds when the seat detects a bottom. Fun for all the family. Speaking of fun - there’s also a new game, Boomerang Fu, on its way with the update, as well as the ability to play games from the rear seats. 

There’s quite a bit more on the way with the Tesla 2024 Holiday Update, too - a maintenance summary on the car’s screen, the ability to adjust passenger seats from a new Seats Control Panel, more control over video play, dropped music volume when reversing, navigation that’ll automatically avoid road closures, a sharper Sentry Mode if someone tries the door handle, energy consumption pages added to the screen for certain models, live Supercharger info, live updates traffic on your nav route for cars without premium connectivity, a better rear camera for the Cybertruck, improved TuneIn Radio, and more besides. 

The update will be available over-the-air to Tesla drivers and will begin rolling out next week.