Tesla has made a handful of small changes to its owner’s manuals with the recent holiday update, including a shift to how Autopark works, cabin radar monitoring, and an expansion of certain construction details, among other edits still.
On Monday, Not a Tesla App spotted and reported a handful of the changes seen in Tesla’s owner’s manuals that were not reported in the company’s holiday update release notes. Some of these include subtle feature changes or hints as to what other features may be coming, while many of them simply have different wording than was previously in the manual.
Typically, Tesla will make changes to the owner’s manuals when it debuts new software updates, and although the recent holiday update has offered owners a number of new features, some of those that weren’t reported by the company may be equally important.
You can check out the unlisted updates to the owner’s manual below, complete with new rules for Autopark, the removal of a previously-retired regen braking mode, expansions to certain navigation construction information, and more.
Note: the links navigate to various sections of Tesla’s Model Y owner’s manual, though these updates can be seen across the company’s lineup.
Tesla’s recent changes to the owner’s manual, both big and small
Cabin Radar now used for occupancy, rather than seat sensors
Tesla’s Cabin Radar, located just above the rearview mirror in the latest of the company’s vehicles, is now being used to detect cabin occupancy instead of the individual seat sensors, as was changed earlier this year. Over the summer, Tesla switched from using the seat sensors to using the cabin radar to monitor occupancy, as part of a response to a recall mandating closer passenger and driver monitoring.
The section now also includes a warning that blocking or obstructing the device will disengage Autopilot or Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD). You can see the entry for cabin radar in Tesla’s owner’s manual here.
Camp Mode: text added to indicate that ports still work
While Tesla has already changed its vehicles so that the USB and 12V ports still work when Camp Mode is engaged, the company has also now updated the owner’s manual text to indicate this. You can see the company’s new details on Camp Mode here, under its section on Operating Climate Controls.
Construction and Accident Alerts to expand
Tesla has been adding additional icons to the map for road closures, accidents, and construction, and while the text in this section previously said they were limited to the U.S., this section has now been removed—suggesting that Tesla could be looking beyond North America with these in the near future.
Not a Tesla App also points out that, in all likelihood, Tesla will just need to wait for more data providers to partner with the company to add this information in other markets than the U.S. and Canada. You can check out this part of the owner’s manual here, in the Maps and Navigation section under the Online Routing section.
Desiccant Bags details removed
Tesla has removed details on its desiccant bag in the heat pump’s A/C section, which previously required a replacement every four years. This could suggest that this service may not be necessary after all, as the hardware likely lasts far more than four years in most cases. You can see the Maintenance Service Intervals section that previously had the instructions here.
Front Camera Window Cleaning
Tesla now points out that owners should clean the inside of the windshield within the front camera housing every so often. This was not previously a required maintenance option, and Tesla now says owners should schedule a service appointment to have the cleaning done when necessary.
There’s also a DIY option for this cleaning, and details for this can be found in the service manual under “Quad Camera Cover – Upper (remove and replace).” You can find the new text for cleaning inside the windshield here in the Maintenance Service Intervals section, listed under Periodic Checks.
Parental Controls now auto-set to these features
Tesla has made the default speed limit setting “Relative” with an offset of plus 5 mph. Additionally, when drivers select “Require Safety Features” in the parental controls, the system now automatically enables the following options, without the ability to change or remove them:
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Obstacle-Aware Acceleration
- Automatic Blind Spot Camera
- Blind Spot Collision Warning Chime
- Automatic 911 Call
- Allow Mobile Access
- Park Assist Chimes
- Lane Departure Avoidance: Set to Assist.
- Speed Limit Warning: Set to Chime.
- Speed Limit: Set to Relative.
- Offset: Set to +5 mph (8 km/h).
- Forward Collision Warning: Set to Early.
You can find the Safety and Security Settings here, with the above options now located under Parental Controls.
Regenerative Braking options ‘January 2024’ wording removed
While Tesla removed the low regenerative braking setting for new vehicles in January, opting for the higher-efficiency option as default, the company’s owner’s manual has removed a section saying that the low options wouldn’t be available after January 2024. This suggests that Tesla could someday re-introduce multiple regen options in the future in some way, shape, or form.
Tesla’s regenerative braking instructions can be found here, as part of the Braking and Stopping section.
Steering Wheel Weight
Tesla has changed the name of the steering wheel weight option from “Medium” to “Standard,” which you can see here under the Steering Wheel Weight section.
Strikes No Longer Count Against Autopark
Vehicles that include a cabin camera can get as many as five strikes before banning Autopilot features, while those without one can get up to three strikes. However, Tesla has apparently removed the Autopark system from these strike-out rules, meaning that striking out won’t disqualify drivers from the automated park system. You can see Tesla’s Autopark section here.
Valet Mode Privacy Improvements
Tesla has improved the privacy features of its Valet Mode, now preventing access to a handful of features while it is engaged, such as showing text messages even if the owner is still connected to Bluetooth. The vehicle will now also remove home and work address access in this mode, and it will restrict access to driver profiles and a number of other features that could potentially compromise someone’s privacy.
You can check out the Tesla owner’s manual’s section on Valet Mode here, under the larger Driver Profiles section.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
Tesla rolls out new commands feature for better connectivity
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Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.3 driver monitoring was reportedly scaled back in recent releases, but a new version that was released in the early hours of June 3 aimed to do a better job of keeping those in control of their cars honest, according to release notes.
The release notes for FSD v14.3.3, via Software Version 2026.14.6.7 added:
“Improved driver monitoring system sensitivity with better eye gaze tracking, eye wear handling, and higher accuracy in variable lighting conditions.”
However, Tesla said this was already enabled in the first rollout of FSD v14.3.3 in late May. We tested it anyway, especially as the Standard Speed Profile seemed less-than-worried about what you were doing during operation.
I decided to try out the Hurry and Mad Max Speed Profiles for this test, and it gave me results that I would have expected. Tesla has evidently ramped up driver monitoring based on the Speed Profile you are using to travel.
The more aggressive the Speed Profile, the more on the hook you will be for taking your attention away from the road. Our testing showed that Mad Max was less likely to allow you to do normal things like change music or adjust navigation without getting an on-screen warning or nag from the driver monitoring system.
Hurry Mode Results
On Hurry, the driver monitoring system on FSD v14.3.3, via Software Version 2026.14.6.7, was more restrictive than Standard but less restrictive than Mad Max. I found that I could scroll through music options for a considerable amount of time, more than 30 seconds:
Roughly :31 between first touching the center screen and getting the first nag
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 3, 2026
Standard gave me about 80 seconds of phone scrolling with absolutely no nags or warnings in a previous test. It is worth noting that this was a previous branch of v14.3.3, but Standard is such a goodie-two-shoes on the road that it is my impression it would not change much.
Here’s an 80-second phone nag test on Tesla FSD v14.3.3.
No alerts, no nagging, no annoyance. https://t.co/1dxvTOw5Cn pic.twitter.com/vYViFpjfoK
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 29, 2026
Mad Max Results
I spent the majority of the drive on Mad Max to see how it truly reacted to the driver having their attention elsewhere. While I did do a short phone test, I am aiming to steer away from those and use the center screen. I think it is a valid criticism that the phone test is dangerous and, not to mention, illegal in Pennsylvania. Changing the navigation and music is a more reasonable, more responsible, and safer test.
With Mad Max being the fastest and most aggressive Speed Profile, I anticipated this being the quickest mode to give me an alert that I needed to look at the road. That was the case with music:
🎥 Testing Tesla FSD v14.3.3 (via 2026.14.6.7) nags on Mad Max https://t.co/qZALU2OujY pic.twitter.com/XddOJ0D47x
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 3, 2026
As well as adjusting Navigation, when I received two nags:
🎥 Testing Tesla FSD v14.3.3 (via 2026.14.6.7) nag while adjusting navigation
Two nags here https://t.co/qZALU2OujY pic.twitter.com/xa3dtaDG1L
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 3, 2026
These nags were more than reasonable, and I think it’s probably good that Tesla is ramping up the driver monitoring. I do believe that it should be relatively strict across all of the Speed Profiles, especially with phone use. When using the center screen, the nag intervals should be based on the speed profile you are utilizing at the time.
These driver monitoring adjustments are a great thing to have while FSD is still under its “Supervised” moniker, but I expect Tesla to continue pushing the limits on what it will allow, especially considering CEO Elon Musk has hinted that phone use is capable with the more recent versions.
You can watch the full drive on YouTube below:
Tesla has responded to the skeptics of its Robotaxi program by launching a massive expansion of the unsupervised program in its initial rollout city of Austin.
The company’s geofence, the enabled area of operation for rides, now covers the entire Austin Metropolitan area, an incredible move just days after media headlines attempted to discredit the ride-hailing service.
Those who have access to the Tesla Robotaxi app on their smartphones can now request a ride in any portion of the Austin Metro area. The company confirmed this on the social media platform X:
Unsupervised Robotaxi now in the entire Austin Metro area https://t.co/eXNBdarvVS
— Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) June 3, 2026
This is Tesla’s fifth expansion of the geofence, with the others occurring in July, early August, late August, and late October 2025. It has remained at that size since October 26, but Tesla has now more than doubled that size.
It is now covering the entire area, including suburbs like Pflugerville and Manor, as well as I-35 highways, Gigafactory Texas, and the Austin-Bergstrom Airport.
The move comes just days after various media outlets highlighted the small fleet size of Tesla’s Robotaxi fleet in Austin, something that is a reasonable criticism but an understandable move on the company’s part to prioritize safety.
Tesla has expanded its Robotaxi geofence many times, but its fleet has remained at a relatively conservative size as the company continues to push safety as its most crucial metric.
The latest expansion is a key indicator of Tesla’s comfort level to expand the ride-hailing service. The move shows Tesla is scaling unsupervised autonomy, as it demonstrates that the company’s Full Self-Driving system has reached sufficient reliability for a broader real-world deployment, which is something the company has worked on extensively.
It also shows Tesla is game for a competition with its rivals in the autonomous ride-hailing sector. Tesla has often matched or exceeded competitors like Waymo in coverage area, despite its smaller fleet. This step highlights Tesla’s iterative, data-driven progress toward a high-margin, app-based Robotaxi network.
It’s not the absolute largest area expansion ever, but achieving full unsupervised operations across a major metro is a key moment in the Robotaxi story. It shifts the program from limited pilot/testing toward a more mature commercial service, while gathering the miles needed for faster growth.
Tesla has improved Dashcam playback with an awesome new addition, as the company has launched a web-based version that is potentially easier to navigate and operate.
The tool is available at dashcam.tesla.com and will be enabled as your vehicle receives the 2026.20 Software Version. Clips that are captured by your Tesla will be available on the Online Dashcam Clip Viewer once the files on your car’s storage drive are encrypted.
Not a Tesla App first noticed the new feature, and states that once your Tesla updates to 2026.20, the car will automatically protect the clips with an encryption key that is uniquely tied to your owner account.
Tesla Launches New Web-Based Dashcam Viewer https://t.co/AlJKXYxujJ pic.twitter.com/4igicYpvkX
— Not a Tesla App (@NotATeslaApp) June 2, 2026
The web-based viewer should be easier to operate for most. All you will do is head over to dashcam.tesla.com and log in using your account credentials.
Ensure your vehicle is updated to 2026.20 in order for the web-based viewer tool to fetch your vehicle’s saved dashcam clips.
Currently, only a small percentage of owners are updated to this, so it may be a couple of weeks until a majority of owners in the fleet are able to access this feature.
Watching Dashcam clips on the Tesla smartphone app is quick and convenient, as they can also be easily downloaded and stored right on your smartphone.
However, the clips are sometimes tougher to navigate, and in order to get details like self-driving activation, speed, and turn signals, owners have to screen record the Tesla app and crop out the rest of the screen.
It could also be a massive storage saver as you’ll be able to download the Dashcam clips from the online viewer and save them to your laptop, desktop, a flash drive, or even an external hard drive. This will keep all your clips in one place.
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.3 driver monitoring: We tested it
Tesla responds to Robotaxi skeptics with a massive move in Austin
