News
First look at Tesla’s ‘more confident’ Smart Summon feature ahead of V10 release
The fourth iteration of Tesla’s Smart Summon feature has begun rolling out to Early Access Program participants, demonstrating the continued development of capabilities that allow drivers to operate their all-electric cars through the Tesla mobile app, specifically by having them autonomously travel to their location. As seen in a recent video demonstrating the program (previously ‘Enhanced Summon’) in action, some notable improvements have been made over the last release, particularly in vehicle confidence and movement execution.
Utilizing the latest version of Smart Summon, a deep blue metallic Model 3 is seen navigating from various parking spaces to selected point locations in a demo posted by YouTube channel, ALL Electric. When exiting each parking spot, the all-electric vehicle seems confident while reversing, and there seems to be an increase in the car’s speed as it executes the Summon command over the prior versions. Another particularly interesting part of the demonstration was the vehicle’s response to the transition from asphalt to brick in its driving path, something which caused the feature to pause and assess the locations of the actual curbs vs. the perceived curbs based on color variations.
Smart Summon’s primary appeal to customers is geared towards parking lot navigation. CEO Elon Musk has ambitious plans for the feature, and has previously stated that a Tesla “should be able to drive around a parking lot, find an empty spot, read signs to confirm it’s valid & park.” However, although a wide release of Smart Summon is coming with Tesla’s upcoming Version 10 firmware update, self-parking looks to still be a ways off yet. This is not surprising given Musk’s previous explanations of the feature’s fine-tuning challenges that are still underway as seen in ALL Electric‘s demo.
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- Tesla Model 3 demonstrating latest version of Smart Summon assessing curbs and parking lot composition changes. | Image: ALL Electric/YouTube
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- Tesla Model 3 demonstrating latest version of Smart Summon assessing curbs and parking lot composition changes. | Image: ALL Electric/YouTube
“Yeah, we’ve been working on curbs a *lot*. Concrete seams too. So glamorous,” Musk tweeted in response to an update request for the newest Summon at the end of June. When asked what the most difficult part about concrete was, Musk replied, “Excessive shades of grey.” The CEO also jokingly noted that curbs with high contrast were his ‘favorite’. The latest update to Smart Summon demonstrated this particular challenge where the parking lot composition changed, although it was able to determine its drivability after a pause for assessment.
Along with parking lot mobility, Smart Summon already allows Tesla owners with early access to “walk” their cars like a pet by holding down the Summon button on the Tesla app. Musk also promised eventual remote control car capability as well. “Also, you’ll be able to drive it from your phone remotely like a big RC car if in line of sight,” he tweeted in November last year.
-->Tesla’s V10 firmware, which will also include improvements to Autopilot and WiFi streaming of Netflix and YouTube videos, is estimated to be released later this month. After the company’s Early Access Program results are assessed and addressed, a wide release of the new firmware will follow. “Depends on how release to owners with early access goes, but hopefully wide release by end of August,” Musk replied on Twitter to a question about V10’s availability at the end of last month.
Despite the full promise of the Smart Summon feature yet to be realized, its overall functionality is a remarkable improvement over the current Summon feature which only allows straight-line driving for a maximum of 150 feet.
Watch the latest Enhanced Summon demonstration video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebii6acduRY
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News
Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review
The ANO party lawmaker shared his thoughts about FSD in a post on social media platform X.
Martin Kolovratník, a Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies member, has expressed his excitement for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) after an apparent constituent called for a quick approval for the advanced safety system.
The ANO party lawmaker, who drives both diesel and EV, shared his thoughts about the matter in a post on social media platform X.
The official’s initial statements
Kolovratník kicked off the exchange with a post outlining his coalition’s efforts to scrap highway toll exemptions for electric vehicles and plug-ins starting in 2027.
“Times have changed. Electric vehicles are no longer a fringe technology, but a full-fledged part of operations. And if someone uses the highway network, they should follow the same rules as everyone else. That’s the basis of fairness,” he wrote.
He emphasized equity over ideology, noting his personal mix of diesel and electric driving. “For this reason, there is no reason to continue favoring one technology at the expense of another… It’s not about ideology, it’s about equal conditions. That’s why we clearly agreed within the new coalition: the exemption for electric vehicles and plug-ins will end in 2027. The decision is predictable, understandable, and economically sound.”
-->Tesla FSD enthusiasm
The conversation pivoted to Tesla’s FSD when X user @robotinreallife, who seems to be one of the official’s constituents, replied that other matters are more important than ending highway exemptions for EVs.
“I’m happy to pay for the highway, but I have a question about a much more fundamental matter: The Netherlands will approve the operation of Tesla FSD in February 26, a technology that has been proven to reduce accidents. The Czech Republic has the option to immediately recognize this certification. Do you plan to support this step so that we don’t unnecessarily delay?” the X user asked.
Kolovratník responded promptly, sharing his own excitement for the upcoming rollout of FSD. “I know about it. I like it and it seems interesting to me. Once we set up the committees and subcommittees, we’ll open it right away in that transport one. Thanks for the tip, I’ll deliver the report,” the official noted in his reply on X.
Kolovratník’s nod to FSD hints at the system’s potentially smooth rollout to Czechia in the coming year. With the Netherlands possibly greenlighting FSD (Supervised) in early 2026, Kolovratník’s commitment could accelerate cross-border certification, boosting FSD’s foray into Europe by a notable margin.
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Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 has won the DRIVEN Car Guide AA Insurance NZ Car of the Year 2025 award in the Passenger Car category, beating all traditional and electric rivals.
Judges praised the all-electric sedan’s driving dynamics, value-packed EV tech, and the game-changing addition of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that went live in New Zealand this September.
Why the Model 3 clinched the crown
DRIVEN admitted they were late to the “Highland” party because the updated sedan arrived in New Zealand as a 2024 model, just before the new Model Y stole the headlines. Yet two things forced a re-evaluation this year.
First, experiencing the new Model Y reminded testers how many big upgrades originated in the Model 3, such as the smoother ride, quieter cabin, ventilated seats, rear touchscreen, and stalk-less minimalist interior. Second, and far more importantly, Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
FSD changes everything for Kiwi buyers
The publication called the entry-level rear-wheel-drive version “good to drive and represents a lot of EV technology for the money,” but highlighted that FSD elevates it into another league. “Make no mistake, despite the ‘Supervised’ bit in the name that requires you to remain ready to take control, it’s autonomous and very capable in some surprisingly tricky scenarios,” the review stated.
-->At NZ$11,400, FSD is far from cheap, but Tesla also offers FSD (Supervised) on a $159 monthly subscription, making the tech accessible without the full upfront investment. That’s a game-changer, as it allows users to access the company’s most advanced system without forking over a huge amount of money.
News
Tesla starts rolling out FSD V14.2.1 to AI4 vehicles including Cybertruck
FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out.
It appears that the Tesla AI team burned the midnight oil, allowing them to release FSD V14.2.1 on Thanksgiving. The update has been reported by Tesla owners with AI4 vehicles, as well as Cybertruck owners.
For the Tesla AI team, at least, it appears that work really does not stop.
FSD V14.2.1
Initial posts about FSD V14.2.1 were shared by Tesla owners on social media platform X. As per the Tesla owners, V14.2.1 appears to be a point update that’s designed to polish the features and capacities that have been available in FSD V14. A look at the release notes for FSD V14.2.1, however, shows that an extra line has been added.
“Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
Whether this could lead to more drivers being alerted to pay attention to the roads more remains to be seen. This would likely become evident as soon as the first batch of videos from Tesla owners who received V14.21 start sharing their first drive impressions of the update. Despite the update being released on Thanksgiving, it would not be surprising if first impressions videos of FSD V14.2.1 are shared today, just the same.
-->Rapid FSD releases
What is rather interesting and impressive is the fact that FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out. This bodes well for Tesla’s FSD users, especially since CEO Elon Musk has stated in the past that the V14.2 series will be for “widespread use.”
FSD V14 has so far received numerous positive reviews from Tesla owners, with numerous drivers noting that the system now drives better than most human drivers because it is cautious, confident, and considerate at the same time. The only question now, really, is if the V14.2 series does make it to the company’s wide FSD fleet, which is still populated by numerous HW3 vehicles.
Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review
Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
