Tesla rolls out a holiday software update

A few days ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised a “holiday software update,” which, among other things, was to bring a preview of the upcoming Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. 

Now, according to Electrek, the update is rolling out. And while it does bring some cool new features, the FSD preview is a bit underwhelming.

The FSD preview boils down to something called “Driving Visualization Improvements,” which means Tesla’s driving visualization can display additional objects, like stop lights, stop signs and “select road markings.” It’s activated by going to Control > Autopilot > Full Self Driving Visualization Preview. To get this feature, you need a car with the latest version of Tesla’s FSD computer, which means cars that were produced in April 2019 or later (note that it’s also possible to retrofit older cars with the feature). 

It’s true: Musk said this was only a preview. But it’s a bit disappointing that the update doesn’t bring any FSD-like capabilities to the car. 

Other features of note include text message reading and sending, as well as revamped voice commands, which should reduce the need to tap on the car’s screen, thus keeping your eyes on the road. You can also check out your favorite phone contacts on the Tesla’s phone app. 

The new voice commands allow for queries such as “set the temperature to 70,” “open the glovebox,” “where are the nearby supercharging stations,” “search for Joe Rogan podcast,” and “send a text message to Evan.”

The update was already sent to some cars, but it’s being pushed gradually, with all Tesla owners getting it in a few days or weeks.