Firmware
First look at Tesla’s Software V9 release to early access Model 3 owners
Elon Musk recently stated that Tesla’s Software Version 9 was just undergoing final tweaks before it gets released, and that he is hoping for the update to see a wide rollout at the end of the week. Just hours after the bold CEO’s announcement, reports emerged from the Tesla community suggesting that some advanced early access users have already started receiving the highly-anticipated update.
The release of Software V9 proved later than Elon Musk’s initial estimates. During the company’s Q2 2018 earnings call, which was held early August, Musk noted that Tesla would likely release V9 to owners participating in early access programs within the next four weeks, translating to an estimated initial rollout in late August to early September. Musk later posted an update on V9’s release in September, though, stating that the software was running in his car, but “it’s not right yet.” Musk noted in his tweet, which was posted on September 5, that early access users will get the software in a week or two.
Just before the 3-week mark (20 days to be exact) since Elon Musk’s September 5 announcement, drivers who signed up for Tesla’s advanced early access program began receiving Software Version 9. Some members of Tesla’s early access program have shared images of the update, such as Model 3 owner Marc Benton, who posted pictures of V9’s menu and some new functionalities. A member of the r/TeslaMotors subreddit, u/dellfanboy, further noted that early access users who own early VIN Model 3 seem to be the ones receiving Software V9 first, at least for now.
Tesla’s release notes for Software Version 9 lists several features that were teased by Elon Musk and by early leaks in the past, such as Navigate on Autopilot, Calendar integration, and further improvements to Navigation. Following are the release notes of Software Version 9, particularly for the Model 3.
Version 9.0
Version 9.0 introduces new applications including Calendar, Energy and Web Browser, which can be accessed from the application launcher in the bottom bar. For those with Enhanced Autopilot, we are also introducing Navigate on Autopilot (Beta) — our newest Autopilot convenience feature, designed to get you to your destination more efficiently by guiding your car on and off the highway. Finally, we have made improvements to the Tesla mobile app, Status Bar, Navigation, Climate, Media, and Seatbelt Card in addition to several safety features.
Tesla’s Mobile App has also been given some updates with Software Version 9, particularly for owners who are using iOS devices. Following are Tesla’s release notes for the Tesla Mobile App update.
Mobile App
With this car software version, you can now do even more with your vehicle from your mobile app.
You can now start navigation in your car by using the share button in your favorite phone apps. In iOS, you can enable sharing to your vehicle by opening up the app you want to share from, tapping the More button in your sharing media, and then scrolling to the right until you find your vehicle.
You can also allow your passengers to quickly control the media. Play/pause, previous/skip, and cycle through your media favorites. Note: You can disable this feature by going to Media Settings > Allow Mobile Control.
The shared images from the early access Model 3 owner also feature new menus and icons for the electric cars’ functions, including a unique phone icon shaped like a telephone from the early 1900’s era. Graphics on the Model 3’s 15″ display were reportedly enhanced as well, as could be seen in the seemingly improved clarity of the vehicle’s satellite maps.
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- An early look at Tesla’s Software Version 9 currently being released to early access users. [Credit: Marc Benton/Twitter]
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- An early look at Tesla’s Software Version 9 currently being released to early access users. [Credit: Marc Benton/Twitter]
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- An early look at Tesla’s Software Version 9 currently being released to early access users. [Credit: Marc Benton/Twitter]
An early look at Tesla’s Software Version 9 currently being released to early access users. [Credit: Marc Benton/Twitter]
Also notable is the Energy App, which allows owners to view their vehicle’s consumption in real time. Tesla’s new classic Atari Easter Eggs are also included in the update, particularly Missile Command, which could be accessed and played on the car’s display. The Model 3’s air vent controls have also been updated, with the airflow of the vehicle now being simulated on the electric car’s display.
Stay tuned for updates, particularly from early access users who own Model S and X vehicles.
And a little video of the new AC/Heat controls. pic.twitter.com/eW1B8e9MY7
— Marc Benton (@marc_benton) September 26, 2018
Tesla announced its Spring 2026 software update, and it’s the most feature-dense seasonal release the company has put out. The update covers twelve named changes spanning FSD, voice AI, safety lighting, dashcam storage, and pet display customization, among other things.
The centerpiece for owners with AI4 hardware is a redesigned Self-Driving app. The new interface lets owners subscribe to Full Self-Driving with a single tap and view ongoing FSD usage stats directly in the vehicle.
Grok gets its biggest in-car upgrade yet. The update adds a “Hey Grok” hands-free wake word along with location-based reminders, so a driver can now say “remind me to pick up groceries when I get home” without touching the screen. Grok first arrived in vehicles in July 2025, but each update has pushed it closer to genuine daily utility. Musk framed the broader vision clearly at Davos in January, saying Tesla is “really moving into a future that is based on autonomy.”
On safety, the update introduces enhanced blind spot warning lights that integrate directly with the cabin’s ambient lighting, building on the blind spot door warning that arrived in update 2026.8.
Dog Mode has been renamed Pet Mode and now lets owners choose a dog, cat, or hedgehog icon and add their pet’s name to the display.
Dashcam retention now extends up to 24 hours, up from the previous one-hour rolling loop, with a permanent save option for any clip. Weather maps now show rain and snow with better color differentiation and include the past hour of precipitation data along the route.
Tesla has now established a clear rhythm of two major OTA pushes per year. As with last year’s Spring update, that cycle started taking shape in 2025 with adaptive headlights and trunk customization. The 2025 Holiday Update then added Grok to the vehicle for the first time. This Spring follows that structure: the Holiday update introduces new architecture, and the Spring update broadens it across the fleet.
Two notable features still did not make it. IFTTT automations, which launched in China earlier this year, were held back from this North American release for unknown reasons, and Apple CarPlay remains absent, reportedly still delayed by iOS 26 and Apple Maps compatibility issues.
Below is the full list of feature updates released by Tesla.
— Tesla (@Tesla) April 13, 2026
It appears that Tesla may be preparing to roll out some subscription-based services soon. Based on the observations of a Wales-based Model 3 owner who performed some reverse-engineering on the Tesla mobile app, it seems that the electric car maker has added a new “Subscribe” option beside the “Buy” option within the “Upgrades” tab, at least behind the scenes.
A screenshot of the new option was posted in the r/TeslaMotors subreddit, and while the Tesla owner in question, u/Callump01, admitted that the screenshot looks like something that could be easily fabricated, he did submit proof of his reverse-engineering to the community’s moderators. The moderators of the r/TeslaMotors subreddit confirmed the legitimacy of the Model 3 owner’s work, further suggesting that subscription options may indeed be coming to Tesla owners soon.
Did some reverse engineering on the app and Tesla looks to be preparing for subscriptions? from r/teslamotors
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite has been heavily speculated to be offered as a subscription option, similar to the company’s Premium Connectivity feature. And back in April, noted Tesla hacker @greentheonly stated that the company’s vehicles already had the source codes for a pay-as-you-go subscription model. The Tesla hacker suggested then that Tesla would likely release such a feature by the end of the year — something that Elon Musk also suggested in the first-quarter earnings call. “I think we will offer Full Self-Driving as a subscription service, but it will be probably towards the end of this year,” Musk stated.
While the signs for an upcoming FSD subscription option seem to be getting more and more prominent as the year approaches its final quarter, the details for such a feature are still quite slim. Pricing for FSD subscriptions, for example, have not been teased by Elon Musk yet, though he has stated on Twitter that purchasing the suite upfront would be more worth it in the long term. References to the feature in the vehicles’ source code, and now in the Tesla mobile app, also listed no references to pricing.
The idea of FSD subscriptions could prove quite popular among electric car owners, especially since it would allow budget-conscious customers to make the most out of the company’s driver-assist and self-driving systems without committing to the features’ full price. The current price of the Full Self-Driving suite is no joke, after all, being listed at $8,000 on top of a vehicle’s cost. By offering subscriptions to features like Navigate on Autopilot with automatic lane changes, owners could gain access to advanced functions only as they are needed.
Elon Musk, for his part, has explained that ultimately, he still believes that purchasing the Full Self-Driving suite outright provides the most value to customers, as it is an investment that would pay off in the future. “I should say, it will still make sense to buy FSD as an option as in our view, buying FSD is an investment in the future. And we are confident that it is an investment that will pay off to the consumer – to the benefit of the consumer.” Musk said.
Tesla has started rolling out update 2020.36 this weekend, introducing a couple of notable new features for its vehicles. While there are only a few handful of vehicles that have reportedly received the update so far, 2020.36 makes it evident that the electric car maker has made some strides in its efforts to refine its driver-assist systems for inner-city driving.
Tesla is currently hard at work developing key features for its Full Self-Driving suite, which should allow vehicles to navigate through inner-city streets without driver input. Tesla’s FSD suite is still a work in progress, though the company has released the initial iterations of key features such Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, which was introduced last April. Similar to the first release of Navigate on Autopilot, however, the capabilities of Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control were pretty basic during their initial rollout.
2020.36 Showing Speed Limit Signs in Visualization from r/teslamotors
With the release of update 2020.36, Tesla has rolled out some improvements that should allow its vehicles to handle traffic lights better. What’s more, the update also includes a particularly useful feature that enables better recognition of speed limit signs, which should make Autopilot’s speed adjustments better during use. Following are the Release Notes for these two new features.
Green Traffic Light Chime
“A chime will play when the traffic light you are waiting for turns green. If you are waiting behind another car, the chime will play once the car advances unless Traffic-Aware Cruise Control or Autosteer is active. When Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control is activated, a chime will play when you can confirm to proceed through a green traffic light. To enable, tap Controls > Autopilot > Green Traffic Light Chime.
“Note: This chime is only designed as a notification. It is the driver’s responsibility to observe their environment and make decisions accordingly.”
Speed Assist Improvements
“Speed Assist now leverages your car’s cameras to detect speed limit signs to improve the accuracy of speed limit data on local roads. Detected speed limit signs will be displayed in the driving visualization and used to set the associated Speed Limit Warning.
“As usual, to adjust Speed Assist settings, tap Controls > Autopilot > Speed Limit.”
Footage of the new green light chime in action via @NASA8500 on Twitter ✈️ from r/teslamotors
Amidst the rollout of 2020.36’s new features, speculations were abounding among Tesla community members that this update may include the first pieces of the company’s highly-anticipated Autopilot rewrite. Inasmuch as the idea is exciting, however, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that this was not the case. While responding to a Tesla owner who asked if the Autopilot rewrite is in “shadow mode” in 2020.36, Musk responded “Not yet.”
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