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Closer look at Tesla Model 3 Speed Limit Mode and Summon in mobile app

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Tesla’s recent software update, v8.1(2018.24.1), introduced a number of new features for the Model 3, including Summon, cabin overheat protection, WiFi connectivity, and the ability to set speed limits on the vehicle.  

Tesla enthusiast and Model 3 owner Ivan Karpenko recently shared a short walkthrough on how these features are accessed and adjusted through the Tesla mobile app. As could be seen in the video, setting the speed limits for the compact electric car on the mobile app is as simple as navigating to the Controls menu and scrolling down to Speed Limit Mode, which is located underneath Valet Mode. Speed Limit Mode is activated by tapping on a button and keying in a 4-digit PIN. Setting the maximum speed of the vehicle is just a matter of tapping or long-pressing the “+” and “-” symbols on the app.

Summon, on the other hand, is accessed by scrolling down the list of menus on the Tesla app and selecting the feature. In the mobile app’s current version, Summon is placed directly below Location. Tapping on Summon takes users into a menu displaying the Model 3, and if the feature had been activated in the vehicle, drivers would be able to command the car to move forward or in reverse.

Tesla’s new features for the Model 3 are focused on safety. Cabin overheat protection, which is enabled on Tesla’s electric cars by default, is a means to proactively prevent instances when children or animals get too hot when left inside the vehicle. Child fatalities resulting from in-car heat strokes is are severe problem in the United States. Last July 2017 alone, America saw 31 child fatalities — a record high at the time — resulting from heat strokes after children were left in a parked car.

Also notable in the Model 3’s recent updates is the Speed Limit Mode, which places limiters on the vehicles’ acceleration and maximum speed. Speed Limit Mode is described by Tesla as follows.

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“Speed Limit Mode – This feature limits the acceleration of your vehicle and allows you to set a maximum speed limit between 50 mph and 90 mph. While your car is in Park, you can activate Speed Limit Mode by tapping Controls > Safety & Security on the touchscreen or by tapping CONTROLS on the mobile app. You must use the same 4-digit PIN to enable or disable Speed Limit Mode. A notification is sent to your mobile device is your vehicle approaches the set maximum speed. — In memory of Barrett Riley.”

Barrett Riley, 18, lost his life in a fiery accident after driving his Model S at speeds of 116 mph in a 30 mph zone, according to a Sun-Sentinel report. One of Barrett’s passengers, 18-year-old Edgar Monserratt Martinez, was also killed in the crash. In its investigation into the accident, the NTSB noted that the electric car was traveling at 116 mph three seconds before impact, slowing to 108 mph as the driver applied the brakes, and decreasing to 86 mph as it hit a wall.

After Barrett was cited for overspeeding last March, his father asked Tesla to adjust the vehicle’s speed through an over-the-air adjustment. Speed adjustments, after all, are already being implemented on loaner vehicles, which are limited to 85 mph. Based on the release notes of Tesla’s recent software update, it seems like Mr. Barrett’s requested feature can now help make Tesla’s fleet even safer.

Watch a brief walkthrough of the Model 3’s Speed Limit Mode and Summon in the Tesla mobile app below.

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Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old

Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.

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Credit: Tesla Owners Silicon Valley/X

The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding. 

These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.

Tesla Semi’s Roar

There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.

Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.

Tesla Semi Ramp

Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.

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The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.

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Elon Musk jokes he will join Mr Beast’s “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla” challenge

It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again.

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Credit: Elon Musk/X

Following the first quarter Tesla earnings call, CEO Elon Musk seems to have become a bit more relaxed—relaxed enough to joke about fighting a gorilla with 99 other people, at least.

It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again and not too busy picking fights with politicians on social media.

The Viral 100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge

Over the weekend, a post on social media platform X went viral. The post itself was quite simple, with user @DreamChasnMike stating that he thinks 100 men could beat one gorilla. “Everybody just gotta be dedicated to the sh*t,” the X user joked. The post exploded on the platform, garnering 284 million impressions as of writing.

The silly question also triggered a massive debate about whether 100 men would really stand a chance against a literal gorilla. Some users even lamented that the premise was a sign of male hubris. Nevertheless, the question proved to be a fun topic on X, with some more dedicated users even posting simulated videos of what the “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge” could look like. 

Mr. Beast and Elon Musk Join In

The premise is quite similar to other viral videos from noted YouTube creator Mr. Beast, so it was no surprise that edited images of Mr. Beast YouTube thumbnails with “100 Men vs a Gorilla” also started spreading on the social media platform. Mr. Beast, who tends to be game to such silly ideas, actually reposted the edited image, joking “Need 100 men to test this, any volunteers?”

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In true Elon Musk fashion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO noted that he would join the challenge. “Sure, what’s the worst that could happen” Musk wrote in his post on X. Musk’s reply triggered quite a few laughs on X, with some stating that the world probably still needs the CEO.

While silly, Musk’s comment and his recent, more frequent posts about his companies’ products like Starlink and Grok have been received well by his supporters. Over the past months, after all, Musk has been very political and quite confrontational on social media. With Musk soon taking a step back from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) daily operations, however, it seems like X will soon get a more tempered and lighthearted Elon Musk once more.

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Possible first glimpse of Tesla “Model 2” affordable car in Fremont Factory

The models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

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Image Credit: @metgodinwilderness7130/YouTube

During the Q1 earnings call, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy set expectations on the design of the affordable models that the company is expected to launch this 2025. As per the Tesla executive, the models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

Drone footage from the Fremont Factory earlier this month might have provided the EV community its first potential glimpse at Tesla’s affordable cars–fondly dubbed by EV fans and analysts as the “Model 2” or even “Model Q”–or at least their components and overall shape.

The Sighting

Tesla watcher and drone operator Met God in Wilderness, who has been posting aerial videos of the Fremont Factory for years now, recently shared some footage from his drone flyovers this month. While the Fremont Factory was abuzz with activity as usual, a couple of rather strange vehicles were quickly spotted by EV watchers on social media.

During the drone operator’s flyover on the 17th, for example, an unfinished vehicle could be seen parked next to what appeared to be fully-built Model S and Model Y units. What was especially interesting was the vehicle’s roof, which seemed to be slightly narrower than the Model Ys around it. Based on the video, at least, the vehicle seemed to be shaped like a crossover as well.

Footage from the 24th of April also proved quite interesting, with the drone operator capturing footage of another cryptic vehicle. Unlike the mysterious, unfinished, crossover-esque car spotted on the 17th, this particular unit seemed to have a more sloping rear, at least based on the shape of its covering.

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What Lars Moravy Said

In Tesla’s Q1 2025 Update Letter, Tesla noted that “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.” Tesla also noted that the new vehicles will utilize aspects of its next generation and its current platforms. They will also be produced on the same manufacturing lines as its present vehicle lineup, likely the Model Y and Model 3. 

During the earnings call itself, Moravy specifically stated that the new models that would come out in the next months would resemble the company’s current vehicles. They will, however, be affordable. “Models that come out in next months will be built on our lines and will resemble, in form and shape, the cars we currently make. And the key is that they’ll be affordable, and you’ll be able to buy one,” Moravy stated.

Watch the drone operator’s footage from April 17 below.

The drone operator’s footage from April 24 can be viewed below.

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