One of the many innovations Tesla has propagated in its short and action-packed lifetime is over-the-air updates. In other words, the ability to fix or improve its cars without physically touching them.
The car you climb out of one evening could have new and improved technology when you get back in the following morning. And Tesla’s latest update actually helps its cars get better over time.
Software Version 9.0 will be rolling out to all Teslas imminently. “Tesla owners will be waking up to a car that is smarter, safer and more intuitive than ever before,” says the company.
We’ll be sure to ask our friend with a Model 3 just how effective the update is. In the meantime, here are the highlights.
What’s new in Tesla Software Version 9.0?
- Phone integration – the relationship between your car and your mobile phone is about to become more intricate. As well as initiating software updates remotely, you can send map destinations to the car’s navigation system.
- Dash cam – You can now record 10 minutes of footage from onboard cameras (featured on cars built after August 2017).
- Full 360-degree view – Eight cameras around the car will now help with data for Autopilot autonomous driving systems, which used to rely purely on ultrasonic sensors.
- Atari games – Classic Atari arcade games now feature as ‘easter eggs’. “If you find them, your car becomes a game console”. OK then…
Say what you want about Tesla, it has always been a market disruptor – one that’s given every single established car manufacturer food for thought.
While the ‘Ludicrous’ pace and the electric drivetrains grab headlines, the exceptional connectivity of these cars is what will keep them competitive. It’s innovation we can’t wait to see spreading to other cars.
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