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Tesla customers report 2024 Spring Release update rollout

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla owners are reporting that they are now receiving update 2024.14.3, which is the 2024 Spring Release. The Spring Release includes user interface V12, Audible support, hands-free trunk, and sentry mode previews, among others. It also includes a number of new features for the Cybertruck

Tesla previewed a number of the Spring Release’s updates in a post on X earlier this month. While Tesla did not indicate the exact release that would include the new features would be rolled out, the announcement was appreciated by electric vehicle owners nonetheless. Notable software updates, after all, are among the most unique parts of the Tesla ownership experience. 

As per Tesla software tracker Not A Tesla App, the Spring Release has started rolling out to customers. The Tesla software tracker also shared the release notes for the update, which could be found below. Interestingly enough, only AMD-based vehicles would be receiving some of the update’s new features, like the new V12 UI that’s similar to the Cybertruck.

Following are the release notes for software update 2024.14.3.

Visual Updates

User Interface v12 elevates your visual experience with the following updates:

  • Immersive full-screen vehicle controls when you’re parked
  • Large playback controls and quick access to Recents, Favorites, and Up Next in the media player
  • Expandable Autopilot driving visualizations, with a smaller map in the top right for trip guidance
  • A sleeker and more compact drive mode strip and refined driving readouts

Audible

Listen to thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts. Pick up where you left off and listen seamlessly between your device and Tesla.

Scan the QR code to log in to your Audible account, or try it out with a selection of free audiobooks and podcasts. Requires Premium Connectivity.

Hands-Free Trunk

Open your trunk even when your hands are full. Stand still behind your trunk with Phone Key unobstructed, listen for the chimes, and the trunk will open on its own.

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To enable this feature, go to your vehicle settings > Locks > Hands-Free Trunk. Ensure your phone settings allow Nearby Interactions for the Tesla app, or open the app and go to Phone Key > Upgrade. Keep people and clothing clear of moving parts.

Requires iPhone 11+ and Tesla app 4.31.0+. A future update will extend this feature to Android users.

Preview of Sentry Mode Recordings

When Sentry Mode triggers your vehicle alarm and records an event, you can immediately preview a brief clip of the recording on your phone.

Press and hold the notification to watch the recording. In your vehicle settings, you must have Safety > Dashcam turned on.

Requires a USB with sufficient memory plugged into the vehicle, Tesla app 4.31.5+ on iPhone, and Premium Connectivity. Preview videos are end-to-end encrypted and can’t be accessed by Tesla.

Trip Progress Bar

Below the turn-by-turn list in your navigation, you’ll now see a progress bar that changes as you drive closer to your destination or next stop.

The progress bar also reflects live traffic conditions on your route if you have Online Routing turned on.

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For real-time traffic and road conditions to appear on your routes, the setting at Navigation > Online Routing must be turned on. Requires Premium Connectivity.

Spotify Queue and Playback Speed

You can now sync your Spotify queue across vehicles and devices, and adjust playback speed.

Better Route Available

Navigation now shows you, at the top of your turn list, if a faster route becomes available. It will reroute unless you decline before the option expires.

To choose how often you see these suggestions, adjust the number of minutes saved.

In your vehicle settings, go to Navigation > Online Routing > Reroute to save. To use this feature, you must have Online Routing turned on.

Wiper Controls

Scroll Wheel — When you press the wipers button to view wiper controls, you can now adjust wiper speed by moving the left scroll wheel up or down.

Wipers Button — When you have the wipers set to I, II, III, or IIII, you can press the wipers button to cycle through speeds.

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Other Updates

  • When you’re parked, you can expand the browser to full screen.
  • Access Car Wash Mode more quickly in vehicle settings > Controls.
  • Rear passengers can now see the current trip details, time, and temperature at the top of the rear touchscreen, except when Entertainment apps are using the full screen.
  • You can now swipe to delete Sentry Mode recordings in the Dashcam app on your vehicle touchscreen, or at Security > Sentry Mode Alarm Previews in the Tesla app 4.32.0+.
  • When you have Valet Mode on, and your vehicle is unlocked or shifted out of Park, you’ll receive a notification on your phone.
  • The Vampire Survivors game in Arcade now has the “Space 54” and “Deeploreble” updates.
  • Arcade includes the latest game update for Polytopia “Path of the Ocean.”
  • If you have no passengers in the back seat, the rear touchscreen now turns off when you shift out of Park, to reduce unnecessary energy use.

Speed Camera Chime

To hear a chime when you’re approaching a speed camera, turn on Navigation > Speed Camera Chime in your vehicle settings.

You must have Online Routing turned on. Requires Premium Connectivity.

Average Speed Zones

When driving through an average speed zone, you now see your average speed in the zone and the distance to the end of it.

You must have Navigation > Online Routing turned on. Requires Premium Connectivity.

Adaptive High Beams

High beams now adapt to reduce glare for other drivers and cyclists.

By detecting other road users, and selectively dimming individual pixels of the headlight, your high beams stay on more often for greater visibility at night.

To turn them on, in your vehicle settings go to Lights > Adaptive High Beams.

Beach Buggy Racing 2

Drive your own kart racer in an action-packed race to the finish. Careen through Egyptian pyramids, dragon-infested castles, pirate shipwrecks, and experimental alien bio-labs. Blast your opponents with an arsenal of fun and wacky Powerups.

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When you play games, Cybertruck’s steer-by-wire system lets you turn the steering wheel without moving the tires.

To play, go to your vehicle settings > Entertainment > Arcade > Beach Buggy Racing 2.

Cabin Overheat Protection

For hot days or parking in direct sun, Cabin Overheat Protection helps maintain the temperature you set for up to 12 hours after you park. It will turn off at 20% battery to conserve range.

In your vehicle settings, go to Safety > Cabin Overheat Protection. Never leave children or pets unattended.

Customize Scroll Wheel Functions

Do more with the left scroll button on the steering wheel. You can perform actions like raise or lower ride height, open the glovebox, or save Dashcam footage, and adjust settings like brightness and drive mode.

Press and hold the left scroll button to open the menu and choose a function. Next time, the button will perform the most recent function you chose.

To choose a function any time you use this feature, go to vehicle settings > Display > Scroll Wheel Function, and choose Ask Each Time.

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Cybertruck Colorizer

Customize how your Cybertruck appears on the touchscreen and Tesla app.

In your vehicle settings, go to ToyBox > Colorizer.

Improved Turning Circle

Your Cybertruck’s turning circle is improved by 1.6 feet, making parking and low-speed maneuvers easier. This is achieved by an increase in the turning angle of the front and rear wheels.

Front Passenger Air Vent

You can now open or close the front passenger air vent separately, with the rest of your vehicle Climate still on.

Tap the temperature to open Climate controls, touch the front passenger air wave on the touchscreen, and follow the instructions.

New Lock Sounds

You’ll hear new signature sounds from your Cybertruck when you lock and unlock.

You can enable or disable the sounds in your vehicle settings at Locks > Lock Confirmation Sound.

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Zoom

Attend video calls with Zoom using the interior cabin camera.

Open the app directly, or join meetings from your Calendar. Shift to Park to use participant video and screen sharing. If you drive, then meetings switch to audio only.

Driver has sole responsibility to consult and comply with all local regulations while using Zoom. Requires Premium Connectivity.

Security Improvements

This update includes important security fixes and improvements.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Investor's Corner

SpaceX AI investment gamble will make it a big winner, firm says

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX’s massive investment in AI will make it a big winner, Argus Research said after the company’s successful earnings call last week.

The firm also upgraded shares to a Buy from Hold and set a $160 price target.

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) is currently recovering from its heavy AI infrastructure investments, as it spent nearly $16 billion in Q2 alone. The company did this primarily by monetizing high-demand GPU compute capacity at a much faster pace than traditional data center economics would suggest.

Company CFO Bret Johnsen said that SpaceX would be able to pay back anything on new deployments within a year.

There are plenty of ways the company can do this:

Leasing excess compute capacity through contracts

SpaceX has already built Colossus and Colossus II, largely for its own model training. However, much of that capacity is already rented out to third parties. It already has major deals with Anthropic, Google, and Reflection AI. These partnerships are adding billions per month to SpaceX’s spreadsheet.

SpaceX is charging Anthropic massive money for its compute

High utilization driven by industry-wide scarcity

The demand for advanced AI training and inference capacity continues to exceed what is available for use. SpaceX can fill new racks quickly after they come online, so the capital deployed converts into revenue with minimal idle time.

Additionally, management and outside observers have described the new compute capital as behaving more like a cost-of-goods-sold than traditional multi-year capex, especially because of this rapid monetization pattern.

Capacity has already scaled from ~0.4 GW a year to 1.4 GW annually by the end of Q2. There are targets of more than 2 GW by year-end.

High incremental margins on the rental business once capacity is online

GPU cloud providers often operate at strong gross margins. SpaceX can monetize capacity that was already partially built or can be added efficiently. This means that incremental EBITDA margins on the rental revenue are usually high. This accelerates cash recovery relative to the gross capital outlay.

Parallel monetization of its own AI software and applications

Beyond pure infrastructure rental, SpaceX also generates revenue from Grok through subscriptions and usage, from X through ads, data, and other related services, enterprise APIs, and the planned integration of the Cursor coding tools acquisition.

These application layers ride on the same compute infrastructure and provide additional high-margin streams that could offset build-out costs. AI-segment revenue overall rose sharply to about $2.6 billion in Q2, according to Motley Fool. This was driven primarily by the infrastructure contracts, but the software side is also partially responsible.

Efficient, large-scale deployment and vertical integration advantages

SpaceX has emphasized the rapid construction of power and cooling infrastructure and favorable cost-per-megawatt economics relative to industry benchmarks in some disclosures.

Combined with its ability to scale capacity aggressively and the fact that many contracts start generating revenue within months of capacity coming online, the effective payback compresses dramatically compared with more conventional multi-year data-center projects.

SpaceX’s dominant near-term recovery path will turn the AI clusters into a hyperscale-style compute rental business for other leading AI companies while still using a portion for internal models.

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Tesla headlights cause recall of over 20,000 Model 3 and Model Y

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Tesla headlights have caused a recall of over 20,000 of the company’s two most popular vehicles, the Model 3 and Model Y, due to the low-beam bulb exceeding the maximum allowed intensity according to federal standards.

Tesla initiated the recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning, stating that the low-beam output “exceeds the maximum allowed intensity in the outer upper-right and outer upper-left areas of the 10U and 90U zone, as prescribed in FMVSS No. 108.”

Tesla sourced the impacted headlights from Marelli Automotive Lighting, a Mexico-based company. The recall impacts 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles and 2017-2023 Model 3 vehicles. It is estimated that every VIN in this recall is impacted by the defect.

Typically, Tesla would remedy recalls of this nature through an Over-the-Air software update, which has been a major focus of criticism by the company and its supporters because the NHTSA still refers to it as a “recall,” even though it requires no action by the vehicle owner. The fix is shipped over the internet and downloaded to the car.

However, there appears to be a potentially different solution for this problem. Tesla has not developed a remedy for this issue, so it could potentially be on the way. The big issue appears to be the fact that these recalled lamps are out of production, and this is an old body style for both vehicles. The headlights and front-end designs are completely different.

Tesla switched to another supplier when the affected headlight design was discontinued. It plans to begin notifying owners of their remedy options by September 15.

Tesla filed a petition protesting the recall to fix the vehicles’ headlight issue, but the NHTSA denied it. Now, Tesla will come up with a solution to fix it.

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Elon Musk

Another Tesla SpaceX merger prediction by ARK Invest has Elon Musk talking

Elon Musk again denies a Tesla China split as new SpaceX merger speculation resurfaces quickly.

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Elon Musk restated that Tesla has no plans to separate its China business from the rest of the company, responding to a new round of merger speculation from ARK Invest.

On the firm’s “Brainstorm” podcast, Cathie Wood’s team, including chief futurist Brett Winton and research director Nick Grous, argued a Tesla and SpaceX combination remains likely, with an announcement possible before the end of the year even if the deal itself would not close that quickly. Winton called Tesla’s Shanghai operations a “small ish wrinkle” for a merger rather than a real obstacle, since SpaceX’s national security work with the U.S. government sits uneasily next to Tesla’s manufacturing base in China.

Musk pushed back on the framing directly. “China is awesome. I strongly encourage people to visit,” he wrote on X. He also repeated language he first used in late July, when the Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla executives had been told to prepare for a possible spinoff, sale, or closure of the China business ahead of a SpaceX tie up. Musk called that report “absurdly fake news” at the time, adding that a separation had “never even come up in a discussion ever,” a line he echoed again this week.

The repeated denial has not settled the underlying question, because Shanghai’s role in Tesla’s business is exactly what makes a merger complicated. Gigafactory Shanghai still ships more than half of Tesla’s global deliveries and functions as the company’s main export hub for Europe and Asia. Teslarati previously reported on Musk’s initial denial, and the merger conversation itself has been building since SpaceX’s IPO gave it public shares to use as acquisition currency.

Wedbush’s Dan Ives has pegged the odds of a Tesla SpaceX merger at 80 to 90 percent by early 2027, and ARK’s prediction of a year end announcement adds another data point to that timeline, even as Musk keeps rejecting the specific mechanics reporters have described. Neither position rules out the other. Musk can deny a China spinoff was ever discussed while analysts still expect some form of combination to move forward, since ARK and Ives are both describing convergence at the corporate level, not necessarily the internal restructuring the Journal described in July.

For now, Tesla’s China business remains intact, and Musk’s comments this week make clear he has no interest in publicly walking that position back, no matter how often the merger question resurfaces.

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