Release notes for Tesla’s holiday software update were shared earlier this month, including the addition of the High Fidelity Park Assist feature. Some have since shared footage of the feature in action, showing how it works in parking lots and garages as users evaluate its usefulness when trying to park.
Tesla’s holiday update release notes were shared on X earlier this month, where the company first mentioned the new High Fidelity Park Assist mode. Tesla owner Ryan Hoffman, along with others, have shared videos of the feature on X, including one taken in a Supercharger lot on Saturday.
As can be seen in the video, the activated High Fidelity Park Assist mode shows a similar view to the highly requested Birds Eye 360-degree visualization. Hoffman says he drives a 2023 Model 3 RWD with HW3 and the Ryzen chip, meaning the car doesn’t have Ultrasonic Sensors (USS) and utilizes just Tesla Vision.
The video is taken at a Supercharger station, where Hoffman backs into a charging spot. Behind the visualization of the car, you can see an orange and yellow zone, signifying the vehicle’s close proximity to the charging pile. The top-down visualization shows that it recognizes the charging stalls as well as the parking lines on the ground, making it easy to back into the spot without the car ending up crooked.
He also shared a short video of what it looks like to back into the spot, including the actual rear camera’s video footage and the High Fidelity Park Assist view, and calling the feature a “game changer” for parking.
-->Here’s a short video of what it looked like to reverse into the spot. The lines for each parking spot are very handy… it’s a game changer for parking. pic.twitter.com/47BDBbXw7z
— Ryan Hoffman (@tekmaven) December 16, 2023
Others have shared similar footage of High Fidelity Park Assist, as many have wondered how exactly the feature is activated when being used in a parking lot. According to X user EVBaymax, the feature appears to engage when there is a clearly defined object in front of or around the car, and when users shift into reverse in a parking lot. Still, the current version seems to lack the ability to engage when driving forward, although it probably should have this ability.
In his videos of the feature, you can see the visualization switch on from the regular Autopilot view when reversing in the parking lot, and he also says that speeding up to around 15-20 mph makes the visualization disappear again. He goes on to call the feature “surprisingly accurate” and “definitely helpful,” and he also includes footage using it in a darker, in-garage environment.
Here’s what the switch from Autopilot visualizations to High-Fidelity Park Assist looks like in a parking lot pic.twitter.com/xtx8BylI0W
— kEV (@EVBaymax) December 16, 2023
You can see in the above videos that the feature still requires some prodding to work as desired, though once it’s engaged, it looks to be pretty useful. It does, however, appear to fill the need that many have requested with Birds Eye, 360-degree views, as the top-down visualizer makes it especially easy to see where the vehicle is in relation to other cars, parking lines, and more when parking.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said that the company’s cars will eventually offer a convenient “Tap to Park” feature, in which the vehicle will identify open parking spots and let drivers select on-screen which to use, then letting the driver get out and allow the car to park itself in the selected space. Still, many are awaiting updates like Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon and the automaker only reintroduced its Vision-based Park Assist earlier this year.
Tesla Model 3 Highland owner’s manual confirms Auto Shift out of Park feature
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
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Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship FL launch site will witness scenes once reserved for sci-fi films
A Starship that launches from the Florida site could touch down on the same site years later.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s efforts to launch and land Starship and its Super Heavy booster at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-37.
According to the Impact Statement, Starship could launch up to 76 times per year on the site, with Super Heavy boosters returning within minutes of liftoff and Starship upper stages landing back on the same pad in a timeframe that was once only possible in sci-fi movies.
Booster in Minutes, Ship in (possibly) years
The EIS explicitly referenced a never-before-seen operational concept: Super Heavy boosters will launch, reach orbit, and be caught by the tower chopsticks roughly seven minutes after liftoff. Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage will complete its mission, whether a short orbital test, lunar landing, or a multi-year Mars cargo run, and return to the exact same SLC-37 pad upon mission completion.
“The Super Heavy booster landings would occur within a few minutes of launch, while the Starship landings would occur upon completion of the Starship missions, which could last hours or years,” the EIS read.
This means a Starship that departs the Florida site in, say, 2027, could touch down on the same site in 2030 or later, right beside a brand-new stack preparing for its own journey, as noted in a Talk Of Titusville report. The 214-page document treats these multi-year round trips as standard procedure, effectively turning the location into one of the world’s first true interplanetary spaceports.
-->Noise and emissions flagged but deemed manageable
While the project received a clean bill of health overall, the EIS identified two areas requiring ongoing mitigation. Sonic booms from Super Heavy booster and Starship returns will cause significant community annoyance” particularly during nighttime operations, though structural damage is not expected. Nitrogen oxide emissions during launches will also exceed federal de minimis thresholds, prompting an adaptive management plan with real-time monitoring.
Other impacts, such as traffic, wildlife (including southeastern beach mouse and Florida scrub-jay), wetlands, and historic sites, were deemed manageable under existing permits and mitigation strategies. The Air Force is expected to issue its Record of Decision within weeks, followed by FAA concurrence, setting the stage for rapid redevelopment of the former site into a dual-tower Starship complex.
SpaceX Starship Environmental Impact Statement by Simon Alvarez
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) testing gains major ground in Spain
Based on information posted by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), it appears that Tesla is already busy testing FSD in the country.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) program is accelerating across Europe, with Spain emerging as a key testing hub under the country’s new ES-AV framework program.
Based on information posted by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), it appears that Tesla is already busy testing FSD in the country.
Spain’s ES-AV framework
Spain’s DGT launched the ES-AV Program in July 2025 to standardize testing for automated vehicles from prototypes to pre-homologation stages. The DGT described the purpose of the program on its official website.
“The program is designed to complement and enhance oversight, regulation, research, and transparency efforts, as well as to support innovation and advancements in automotive technology and industry. This framework also aims to capitalize on the opportunity to position Spain as a pioneer and leader in automated vehicle technology, seeking to provide solutions that help overcome or alleviate certain shortcomings or negative externalities of the current transportation system,” the DGT wrote.
The program identifies three testing phases based on technological maturity and the scope of a company’s operations. Each phase has a set of minimum eligibility requirements, and applicants must indicate which phase they wish to participate in, at least based on their specific technological development.
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Tesla FSD tests
As noted by Tesla watcher Kees Roelandschap on X, the DGT’s new framework effectively gives the green flight for nationwide FSD testing. So far, Tesla Spain has a total of 19 vehicles authorized to test FSD on the country’s roads, though it would not be surprising if this fleet grows in the coming months.
The start date for the program is listed at November 27, 2025 to November 26, 2027. The DGT also noted that unlimited FSD tests could be done across Spain on any national route. And since Tesla is already in Phase 3 of the ES-AV Program, onboard safety operators are optional. Remote monitoring would also be allowed.
Tesla’s FSD tests in Spain could help the company gain a lot of real-world data on the country’s roads. Considering the scope of tests that are allowed for the electric vehicle maker, it seems like Spain would be one of the European countries that would be friendly to FSD’s operations. So far, Tesla’s FSD push in Europe is notable, with the company holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy. Tesla is also pushing for national approval in the Netherlands in early 2026.
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Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise for its smoother performance and smarter decision-making.
Videos and firsthand accounts from Tesla owners highlight V14.2.1 as an update that improves navigation responsiveness, sign recognition, and overall fluidity, among other things. Some drivers have even described it as “more alive than ever,” hinting at the system eventually feeling “sentient,” as Elon Musk has predicted.
FSD V14.2.1 first impressions
Early adopters are buzzing about how V14.2.1 feels less intrusive while staying vigilant. In a post shared on X, Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic described the update as a “huge leap forward,” adding that the system remains “incredibly assertive but still safe.”
Another Tesla driver, Devin Olsenn, who logged ~600 km on V14.2.1, reported no safety disengagements, with the car feeling “more alive than ever.” The Tesla owner noted that his wife now defaults to using FSD V14, as the system is already very smooth and refined.
Adverse weather and regulatory zones are testing grounds where V14.2.1 shines, at least according to testers in snow areas. Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt shared a video of his first snowy drive on unplowed rural roads in New Hampshire, where FSD did great and erred on the side of caution. As per Merritt, FSD V14.2.1 was “extra cautious” but it performed well overall.
-->Sign recognition and freeway prowess
Sign recognition also seemed to show improvements with FSD V14.2.1. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted a clip from his upcoming first-impressions video, showcasing improved school zone behavior. “I think it read the signs better,” he observed, though in standard mode, it didn’t fully drop to 15 mph within the short timeframe. This nuance points to V14.2.1’s growing awareness of temporal rules, a step toward fewer false positives in dynamic environments.
FSD V14.2.1 also seems to excel in high-stress highway scenarios. Fellow FSD tester @BLKMDL3 posted a video of FSD V14.2.1 managing a multi-lane freeway closure due to a police chase-related accident. “Perfectly handles all lanes of the freeway merging into one,” the Tesla owner noted in his post on X.
FSD V14.2.1 was released on Thanksgiving, much to the pleasant surprise of Tesla owners. The update’s release notes are almost identical to the system’s previous iteration, save for one line item read, “Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
SpaceX’s Starship FL launch site will witness scenes once reserved for sci-fi films
Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) testing gains major ground in Spain
