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Tesla 2020.40.0.4: Speed Assist, Glovebox PIN, Priority Bluetooth, and more

The Tesla Model 3's minimalistic interior. (Credit: Tesla)

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Tesla’s new 2020.40.0.4 Software Update has been released to owners, and a variety of new features were added to make life easier for drivers. Speed Assist Improvements join new security functionalities, along with fresh accessibility features to make driving a Tesla safer and more luxurious.

While the electric automaker rolls out updates in a frequent fashion, this new software comes with multiple functionalities that are entirely new to drivers. Other updates could include one or two features that are simply improvements to already existing characteristics. However, 2020.40.0.4 includes multiple features that Tesla has not included in past updates.

Speed Assist Improvements

Tesla vehicles will now use the external cameras on the car to detect speed limit signs. This will help improve the accuracy of speed limit date for highways, but it will also help vehicles travel at appropriate speeds.

In the past, some owners have complained that their vehicles are not recognizing the speed limits in certain regions. California drivers were having relatively non-existent issues with the functionality, but drivers in other parts of the United States were reporting several issues with their cars traveling at the correctly intended speeds.

Tesla poised to roll out speed limit recognition and roundabout support worldwide

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CEO Elon Musk responded that the issues were of “high priority,” and that Tesla was addressing them.

It appears that the functionality has been improved and fixed. The release notes state:

“In addition to local roads, Speed Assist now leverages your car’s cameras to detect speed limit signs to improve the accuracy of speed limit data for highways. As usual, to adjust Speed Assist settings, tap Controls > Autopilot > Speed Limit.”

Additionally, drivers with different Infotainment systems will have differing capabilities.

Notes for MCU2 drivers state:

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“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.”

MCU1 users will have slightly fewer capabilities, according to their notes, which say:

“Speed Assist now leverages your car’s cameras to detect speed limit signs to improve the accuracy of speed limit data on local roads. As usual, to adjust Speed Assist settings, tap Controls > Autopilot > Speed Limit.”

The functionality is availabel on all four currently released Tesla models and requires HW 3.0 to be used.

Priority Bluetooth Device

Tesla vehicles will now connect to one Bluetooth device that has been defined as the “priority device,” according to the new update. This will stop confusion between two owners whose phones or devices are both synced to the vehicle. One phone will be considered the “priority” device, and will automatically connect. It is available for all four vehicles.

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“To avoid connecting to the wrong nearby phone, you can now set your priority Bluetooth device. Your car will attempt to connect to the priority device associated with the profile selected before it attempts to connect to other paired phones. To set your priority device, tap the Bluetooth icon on the top of your touchscreen, select your preferred phone and tap Priority Device.”

Mobile App – Vent Windows

This feature is pretty self-explanatory. It is only available for the Model S, however.

“You can now vent all of your windows from the Tesla mobile app.

Note: this feature requires the Tesla mobile app version 3.10.0 or later.”

Glovebox PIN

A great security addition for owners, the Glovebox will now be locked until a four-digit PIN number is entered. A glovebox is a great place for sensitive information like insurance or vehicle titles. Tesla adding this feature should give owners peace of mind. It is available on all four cars.

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“Protect the valuables in your glovebox with a 4-digit PIN. Tap Controls > Safety & Security > Glovebox PIN on the touchscreen to create your PIN.”

Charge Port Inlet Heater

Model 3 and Model Y owners can enjoy a defrosted charge port thanks to an inlet heater that will remove any ice or snow from the inside of the mechanism. It can be turned on through the Tesla mobile app, so owners won’t have to go out into the cold weather to get things cleared up for when they need to charge.

“Your car can now use the charge port inlet heater to help defrost the inside of the charge port. The charge port inlet heater can be activated in cold ambient temperatures by enabling preconditioning using the mobile app, activating the rear defrost button on the vehicle’s touchscreen, or preconditioning the vehicle using scheduled departure.”

Full release notes are available here, thanks to TeslaScope.com.

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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 Robotaxi just got a big benefit from the U.S. government

The NHTSA is looking to help streamline the application process for companies developing driverless vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Robotaxi just got a big benefit from the U.S. Government, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking to ease some rules and streamline the application process that could hinder the development and licensing of autonomous vehicles.

Tesla is set to launch its Robotaxi platform in the coming days or weeks, but regulation on autonomous vehicles is incredibly slim, so automakers are left in a strange limbo as permissions to operate are usually up to local jurisdictions.

The NHTSA still has the ultimate say, but it is now adopting a new strategy that will see companies gain an exemption from federal safety standards and streamline the entire application process.

The agency is authorized to grant exemptions to permit manufacturers to produce vehicles over a two or three-year period that might not comply with certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Robotaxi, for example, will eventually not have a steering wheel or pedals, through the Cybercab that Tesla unveiled last October.

The exemption program the NHTSA announced today would be possible through Part 555 of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act:

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“NHTSA may grant a Part 555 exemption if at least one of four bases listed in the statute is met and NHTSA determines that the exemption is consistent with the public interest and the Safety Act. The statute also authorizes NHTSA to subject an exemption to terms the agency deems appropriate and requires that NHTSA publish notice of the application and provide an opportunity to comment.”

The rapid and non-stop innovation that is being performed is tough to keep up with from a legal standpoint. The NHTSA recognizes this and says current legislation is appropriate for traditional vehicles, but not for the self-driving cars companies are producing now:

“The current Part 555 process was designed for traditional vehicles. As currently applied, this process is not well suited for processing exemptions involving ADS-equipped vehicles in a timely manner or overseeing the unique complexities involving their operations. This has resulted in long processing times for applications for ADS-equipped vehicles. NHTSA must improve its Part 555 processing times substantially to keep pace with the rapid innovation of the ADS industry and to ensure that exemptions remain effective tools for nurturing groundbreaking safety technologies.”

Now, the NHTSA will be “enhancing application instructions” to help manufacturers understand the requirements involved in the application process. This will streamline the entire process by “reducing the need for NHTSA to request additional information from the manufacturer,” the agency says.

First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX

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Next, the NHTSA is going to have a more flexible approach to evaluating exemptions for ADS-equipped vehicles:

“To build flexibility into the Part 555 process while also accounting for the unique aspects of those exemptions, NHTSA intends to develop terms that could be included in Part 555 exemption grants, when appropriate, to condition operations of exempted ADS-equipped vehicles on enhanced and continuing oversight from NHTSA. NHTSA would expect to administer this enhanced oversight through letters, which could be updated over time, mirroring real-world ADS development. This will enable NHTSA to focus its initial review during the application stage and align the Part 555 oversight approach more closely to exemptions administered under NHTSA’s Automated Vehicle Exemption Program (AVEP), which have proven effective for ADS.”

This will benefit any company making autonomous vehicles, but it will especially benefit Tesla in the short-term as it is readying for the launch of Robotaxi.

Tesla is trading up 1.89 percent at the time of publication.

Part 555 Letter June 2025 by Joey Klender on Scribd

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SpaceX produces its 10 millionth Starlink kit

The first 5 million Starlink kits took nearly four years to build.

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Credit: Starlink/X

SpaceX has achieved a major milestone, producing its 10 millionth Starlink kit. The accomplishment was celebrated across the company’s Hawthorne, California, and Bastrop, Texas, facilities. 

The milestone was shared in social media by Sujay Soman, Senior Facilities Engineer, in a LinkedIn post, which has since been deleted. 

Starlink Production Ramp

Soman noted in his LinkedIn post that the first 5 million Starlink kits took nearly four years to build, but the next 5 million kits were completed in just 11 months. This underscores SpaceX’s intense efforts to ramp up the satellite internet system’s production, and it reflects the private space company’s manufacturing prowess.

The SpaceX Senior Facilities Engineer shared a couple of photos of the Machine Maintenance and Facilities team in Bastrop to commemorate the event.

“Today, Starlink Product teams across our Hawthorne and Bastrop sites produced the 10th Million Starlink Kit! It took almost 4 years to build our first 5 million kits, and we doubled that in about 11 months. Monumental accomplishment!” Soman wrote in his post.

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Credit: Sujay Soman/LinkedIn

World-Changing Technology 

The Starlink kits, featuring dish hardware and supporting equipment, enable users to connect to the company’s growing constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. With over 6,000 satellites launched to date, Starlink now provides fast and reliable internet connectivity to over 6 million customers worldwide. This was a significant increase from the 5 million customers that the company reported in February 2025.

SpaceX has not detailed its next production targets, but the production of Starlink’s 10 millionth kit milestone signals the company’s readiness to scale further. Being an Elon Musk-led company, SpaceX is arguably the best in the business when it comes to efficient and cost-effective manufacturing. It would then be unsurprising if SpaceX announces another Starlink production milestone soon.

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Tesla retires yoke steering wheel in base Model S and X

Tesla’s controversial steering yoke is now exclusive to the Model S and Model X Plaid.

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tesla-model-s-plaid-yoke
Credit: @dkrasniy/X

Tesla has closed a chapter in the saga of the Model S and Model X’s controversial steering yoke. Following the announcement of the new iterations of the flagship vehicles, Tesla promptly removed the steering option for the vehicles’ base variants.

This means that if drivers wish to experience the Model S or Model X with a yoke, they would have to go Plaid.

The new Model S and Model X

The refresh of the Model S and Model X were quite minor, with the two vehicles featuring a new front camera, a new color, and a handful of other small changes like new exterior styling for the Model S Plaid. Tesla also noted on its website that the two vehicles now have a much smoother and quieter ride.

The changes were quite polarizing, with some appreciating the subtle improvements made to the two flagship cars and others arguing that Tesla should have done more. Others, however, noted that the level of improvements implemented on the Model S and Model X would already be considered major refresh for a tech company like Apple.

No More Yoke Unless Plaid

When Tesla refreshed the Model S and Model X in 2021, the vehicles were released with a steering yoke as standard. The yoke was controversial, with critics stating that it was unsafe and fans stating that it made driving the Model S and Model X fun. Tesla later introduced a round steering wheel option for the Model S and Model X, which later became standard on the two flagship vehicles.

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This remains true today, with the most recent versions of the Model S and Model X still being released with a round steering wheel as standard. Those who wish to experience the Model S and Model X Plaid as envisioned by the company and its CEO, Elon Musk, however, might find it a good idea to spend the extra $1,000 for the vehicles’ yoke steering wheel.

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