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Tesla to roll out WiFi garage door opening features independent of Homelink

Credit: Tesla

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Elon Musk has indicated that Tesla will be utilizing WiFi integration to assist drivers in opening their smart garage doors. Automatic garage door opening is available through Homelink. However, some garage doors are not compatible with Homelink and instead use an internet connection through WiFi to operate. The newly requested feature from a Twitter follower of Musk would use the internet instead of Homelink’s radio frequency-based software.

Ryan Knapp, a follower of Musk on Twitter, asked if the CEO could add an icon for a WiFi garage door opening feature to Tesla’s infotainment system. This would allow owners to enter their garages using the internet, even without the use of Homelink. “Elon, any way we could get a WiFi garage door opening icon. For users that do not have Homelink and do have a WiFi enable garage door, this would be a very useful feature,” Knapp asked Musk, who clarified that the feature is coming soon.

Homelink can control up to three devices, like gates, lights, garage doors, and security systems. It operates on radio frequencies and not an internet connection, which allows for the automatic opening or powering up of these systems.

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Currently, Homelink is available for use with 99% of garage door openers, according to its website. The feature is easily programmed with any of Tesla’s vehicles. However, if a garage door opener is not compatible with Homelink, then other non-integrated options must be used. WiFi capable garage doors are one of the available alternatives.

While WiFi capable garage openers are convenient, many of them require a smartphone application for correct and valid operation. The use of a cell phone can be distracting and is not as convenient as Homelink, which has an “Auto-Open” feature that can be set to a varying number of distances.

The new WiFi integrated opening system also alleviates the need to carry bulky garage door openers that can be lost or stolen, or even the need to pull out a smartphone to open the garage door. There are instances where this could be troublesome, especially if the phone runs out of batteries, and charging options are not available within a vehicle.

The integration of WiFi garage door opening capabilities in a Tesla could make life easier for drivers. Some owners already have garage door openers installed that utilize WiFi but are not Homelink compatible. This feature will give those owners the ease of access to open their garages without having to invest in a new, Homelink-compatible system.

Elon Musk’s idea of a “smart home” development was reiterated in late March, as the CEO stated he would love to develop a home HVAC system that uses HEPA filters for clean air and quiet and efficient technologies to reduce energy usage. The development of the WiFi-based garage door opener could add to the Smart Home idea, as it would allow more owners of the company’s vehicles to enter automatic garages without having to change to systems that are compatible with Homelink.

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Once again, the advantages of Tesla’s Over-the-Air updates are evident, as improvements that real owners want to see can be easily installed on the company’s vehicle, most of the time at no cost.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name

Tesla AI4 owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla quietly rolled out a free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) trial for roughly 1.5 million HW4 owners in North America who never bought the package, and the timing could very well be genius. 

As it turns out, the trial doesn’t end after 30 days. Instead, it expires January 8, 2026, meaning owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season. This extended window positions the feature for maximum word-of-mouth exposure.

A clever holiday gift

Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt first spotted the detail after multiple owners shared screenshots showing the trial expiring on January 8. He confirmed with affected users that none had active FSD subscriptions before the rollout. He also observed that Tesla never called the promotion a “30-day trial,” as the in-car message simply reads “You’re Getting FSD (Supervised) For the Holidays,” which technically runs until after the new year.

The roughly 40-day period covers peak family travel and gatherings, giving owners ample opportunity to showcase the latest FSD V14’s capabilities on highway trips, crowded parking lots and neighborhood drives. With relatives riding along, hands-off highway driving and automatic lane changes could become instant conversation starters.

Rave reviews for FSD V14 highlight demo potential

FSD has been receiving positive reviews from users as of late. Following the release of FSD v14.2.1, numerous owners praised the update for its smoothness and reliability. Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic called it a “huge leap forward from version 14.1.4,” praising extreme smoothness, snappy lane changes and assertive yet safe behavior that allows relaxed monitoring. 

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Another Tesla owner, @DevinOlsenn, drove 600 km without disengagements, noting his wife now defaults to FSD for daily use due to its refined feel. Sawyer Merritt also tested FSD V14.2.1 in snow on unplowed New Hampshire roads, and the system stayed extra cautious without hesitation. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted improved sign recognition in school zones, showing better dynamic awareness. These reports of fewer interventions and a more “sentient” drive could turn family passengers into advocates, fueling subscriptions come January.

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Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years

Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.

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Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk stated that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics could make traditional work unnecessary within two decades. 

Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.

Work as a “hobby”

During the discussion, Musk said the accelerating capability of AI systems and general-purpose robots will eventually cover all essential tasks, making human labor a choice rather than an economic requirement. “In less than 20 years, working will be optional. Working at all will be optional. Like a hobby,” Musk said.

When Kamath asked whether this future is driven by massive productivity growth, Musk agreed, noting that people will still be free to work if they enjoy the routine or the challenge. He compared future employment to home gardening, as it is something people can still do for personal satisfaction even if buying food from a store is far easier

“Optional” work in the future

Elon Musk acknowledged the boldness of his claim and joked that people might look back in 20 years and say he was wrong. That being said, the CEO noted that such a scenario could even happen sooner than his prediction, at least if one were to consider the pace of the advancements in AI and robotics. 

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“Obviously people can play this back in 20 years and say, ‘Look, Elon made this ridiculous prediction and it’s not true,’ but I think it will turn out to be true, that in less than 20 years, maybe even as little as ten or 15 years, the advancements in AI and robotics will bring us to the point where working is optional,” Musk said. 

Elon Musk’s comments echo his previous sentiments at Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where he noted that Optimus could ultimately eliminate poverty. He also noted that robots like Optimus could eventually provide people worldwide with the best medical care.

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Elon Musk reiterates why Tesla will never make an electric motorcycle

Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more, highlighting that the electric vehicle maker has no plans to enter the electric motorcycle market.  

Musk posted his clarification in a post on X.

Musk’s reply to a fun AI video

X user @Moandbhr posted an AI video featuring the Tesla CEO on the social media platform, captioning it with “Mr. Elon Musk Just Revealed the Game-Changing Tesla Motorcycle.” The short clip depicted Musk approaching a sleek, single-wheeled vehicle, stepping onto it, and gliding off into the distance amid cheers. The fun video received a lot of traction on X, gaining 3.1 million views as of writing. 

Musk replied to the post, stating that a Tesla motorcycle is not going to happen. “Never happening, as we can’t make motorcycles safe. For Community Notes, my near death experience was on a road bike. Dirt bikes are safe if you ride carefully, as you can’t be smashed by a truck,” Musk wrote in his reply. 

Musk’s Past Comments on Two-Wheelers

Musk also detailed his reservations about motorcycles in a December 2019 X post while responding to questions about Tesla’s potential ATV. At the time, he responded positively to an electric ATV, though he also opposed the idea of a Tesla road-going motorcycle. Musk did state that electric dirt bikes might be cool, since they do not operate in areas where large vehicles like Class 8 trucks are present. 

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“Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17,” Musk wrote in his post. 

Considering Musk’s comments about dirt bikes, however, perhaps Tesla would eventually offer a road bike as a recreational vehicle. Such a two-wheeler would be a good fit for the Cybertruck, as well as future products like the Robovan, which could be converted into an RV.

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