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Tesla’s spring update arrives with adaptive headlights and more
The highly anticipated adaptive headlights are finally set to roll out to owners in the U.S. and Canada.
Tesla shared release notes for its spring update over the weekend, and the forthcoming update includes new features such as the highly anticipated adaptive headlights, custom trunk height settings, and more.
In a post on X on Saturday, Tesla said that the 2025 spring update would be rolling out soon, along with noting that the software version would include the highly anticipated adaptive headlights for owners in the U.S. and Canada. The update also adds features such as the ability to set custom frunk and trunk heights at saved locations, view and select alternative trip routing plans, and a number of other minor improvements.
After the release of the new Model Y, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy confirmed in February that the matrix headlights and adaptive headlights would be making their way to the U.S. soon, alongside their inclusion in the refreshed model. Additionally, Moravy went on to confirm that the adaptive headlights would be coming to the Cybertruck after speculation around the topic.
READ MORE ON TESLA SOFTWARE UPDATES: Tesla’s new Model Y gets first software update—Here’s what’s in it
You can see the full release notes for Tesla’s 2025 spring update below, as shared by the company over the weekend.
Adaptive Headlights (U.S. and Canada)
Credit: Tesla | X
High beams 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.
If your vehicle has the necessary hardware, you will see the setting under Controls > Lights > Adaptive Headlights
Blind Spot Camera on Driver Screen (New Model S/X)
Credit: Tesla | X
Blind Spot Camera feed is now available on the instrument panel.
Controls > Display > Automatic Blind Spot Camera & select Driver Screen
Dashcam Update & Side Camera Recording (Newer Model S, 3, X, and Y)
Credit: Tesla | X
Your vehicle’s side cameras (B-Pillar) will now be recorded to both Dashcam and Sentry clips, increasing the total number of camera views from 4 to 6.
The Dashcam Viewer app has also been redesigned with a grid view and quick access to the next video, making it easier review recordings.
Alternative Trip Plans
Credit: Tesla | X
Multiple trip plans are now available for you to choose from, allowing you to better suit your travel needs. Also, when viewing a charger location page, nearby restaurants, cafes, and shops within walking distance are displayed at the bottom
Fastest: offers the quickest route
Best Amenities: prioritizes stops near open and highly rated restaurants, shops, and restrooms
Fewer Stops: minimizes charging stops
Comfort Drive Mode in Autopilot (Cybertruck)
Your Cybertruck will now automatically transition to Comfort Drive Mode when Autopilot is engaged.
Lane Departure Avoidance (Cybertruck)
Credit: Tesla | X
This feature warns you if your vehicle drifts near or out of your lane. With this update, your Cybertruck can now also assist you.
When enabled, a blue indicator line will appear on the touchscreen, showing which lane marking is being crossed. You can customize Lane Departure Avoidance in Controls > Autopilot > Lane Departure Avoidance.
Save Trunk Height Based on Location (Model 3, Model Y, New Model S/X, New Model 3)
Credit: Tesla | X
Customize the opening height of your trunk & save it as the default for a specific location, such as your garage.
To set height, manually adjust the lift gate to your preferred opening height, then press & hold the trunk close button until you hear a chime.
Save Frunk Height Based on Location (Cybertruck)
Customize the opening height of your frunk & save it as the default or for a specific location, such as your garage. Manually adjust to your preferred height, then press & hold frunk exterior button until you hear a chime.
Avoid Highways
Navigation can now avoid highways when possible. Go to Controls > Navigation > Avoid Highways
Keyboard languages
Credit: Tesla | X
Switch between different language input methods on your touchscreen. Go to Controls > Display > Keyboards
Keep Accessory Power On
Use or charge devices through USB ports / inductive phone charger / low voltage outlets (depending on what your vehicle is equipped with) after exiting your Tesla, as long as battery is >20 percent
Minor Updates
- Media search results are now filtered by sources, providing faster and more streamlined access to content
- You can now shuffle an entire Apple Music playlist that contains more than 100 songs
- Easily scroll through your SiriusXM favorites by tapping the steering wheel button left or right
- Sign in with your Amazon Music Free account. Requires Premium Connectivity or an active WiFi connection
- See what song will play next on YouTube Music playlists in the Up Next view of the media player
- If your hotspot is enabled, it will automatically connect to your vehicle once you start driving, so you won’t have to reconnect each time
Tesla launches Holiday Update: Apple Watch app, Sentry Mode upgrades, and more
Tesla has opened its northernmost Supercharger in Fairbanks, Alaska, with eight V4 stalls located in one of the most frigid cities in the U.S.
Located just 196 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks’s average temperature for the week was around -12 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are plenty of Tesla owners in Alaska who have been waiting for more charging options out in public.
There are only 36 total Supercharger stalls in Alaska, despite being the largest state in the U.S.
Eight Superchargers were added to Fairbanks, which will eventually be a 48-stall station. Tesla announced its activation today:
North America’s northernmost Supercharger Fairbanks, AK (8 stalls) opened to public. https://t.co/M4l04DZ6B5 pic.twitter.com/zyL6bDuA93
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) December 12, 2025
The base price per kWh is $0.43 at the Fairbanks Supercharger. Thanks to its V4 capabilities, it can charge at speeds up to 325 kW.
Despite being the northernmost Supercharger in North America, it is not even in the Top 5 northernmost Superchargers globally, because Alaska is south of Norway. The northernmost Supercharger is in Honningsvåg, Norway. All of the Top 5 are in the Scandanavian country.
Tesla’s Supercharger expansion in 2025 has been impressive, and although it experienced some early-quarter slowdowns due to V3-to-V4 hardware transitions, it has been the company’s strongest year for deployments.
🚨🚨 Tesla Supercharging had a HUGE year, and they deserve to be recognized.
🍔 Opened Tesla Diner, a drive-in movie theater with awesome, Chef-curated cuisine
🔌 Gave access to Superchargers to several EV makers, including Hyundai, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Lucid, Toyota,… pic.twitter.com/yYT2QEbqoW
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 10, 2025
Through the three quarters of 2025, the company has added 7,753 stations and 73,817 stalls across the world, a 16 percent increase in stations and an 18 percent increase in stalls compared to last year.
Tesla is on track to add over 12,000 stalls for the full year, achieving an average of one new stall every hour, an impressive statistic.
Recently, the company wrapped up construction at its Supercharger Oasis in Lost Hills, California, a 168-stall Supercharger that Tesla Solar Panels completely power. It is the largest Supercharger in the world.
News
Tesla shocks with latest Robotaxi testing move
Why Tesla has chosen to use a couple of Model S units must have a reason; the company is calculated in its engineering and data collection efforts, so this is definitely more than “we just felt like giving our drivers a change of scenery.”
Tesla Model S vehicles were spotted performing validation testing with LiDAR rigs in California today, a pretty big switch-up compared to what we are used to seeing on the roads.
Tesla utilizes the Model Y crossover for its Robotaxi fleet. It is adequately sized, the most popular vehicle in its lineup, and is suitable for a wide variety of applications. It provides enough luxury for a single rider, but enough room for several passengers, if needed.
However, the testing has seemingly expanded to one of Tesla’s premium flagship offerings, as the Model S was spotted with the validation equipment that is seen entirely with Model Y vehicles. We have written several articles on Robotaxi testing mules being spotted across the United States, but this is a first:
🚨 Tesla is using Model S vehicles fitted with LiDAR rigs to validate FSD and Robotaxi, differing from the Model Ys that it uses typically
Those Model Y vehicles have been on the East Coast for some time. These Model S cars were spotted in California https://t.co/CN9Bw5Wma8 pic.twitter.com/UE55hx5mdd
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 11, 2025
Why Tesla has chosen to use a couple of Model S units must have a reason; the company is calculated in its engineering and data collection efforts, so this is definitely more than “we just felt like giving our drivers a change of scenery.”
It seems to hint that Tesla could add a premium, more luxury offering to its Robotaxi platform eventually. Think about it: Uber has Uber Black, Lyft has Lyft Black. These vehicles and services are associated with a more premium cost as they combine luxury models with more catered transportation options.
Tesla could be testing the waters here, and it could be thinking of adding the Model S to its fleet of ride-hailing vehicles.
Reluctant to remove the Model S from its production plans completely despite its low volume contributions to the overall mission of transitioning the world to sustainable energy, the flagship sedan has always meant something. CEO Elon Musk referred to it, along with its sibling Model X, as continuing on production lines due to “sentimental reasons.”
However, its purpose might have been expanded to justify keeping it around, and why not? It is a cozy, premium offering, and it would be great for those who want a little more luxury and are willing to pay a few extra dollars.
Of course, none of this is even close to confirmed. However, it is reasonable to speculate that the Model S could be a potential addition to the Robotaxi fleet. It’s capable of all the same things the Model Y is, but with more luxuriousness, and it could be the perfect addition to the futuristic fleet.
News
Rivian unveils self-driving chip and autonomy plans to compete with Tesla
Rivian, a mainstay in the world of electric vehicle startups, said it plans to roll out an Autonomy+ subscription and one-time purchase program, priced at $49.99 per month and $2,500 up front, respectively, for access to its self-driving suite.
Rivian unveiled its self-driving chip and autonomy plans to compete with Tesla and others at its AI and Autonomy Day on Thursday in Palo Alto, California.
Rivian, a mainstay in the world of electric vehicle startups, said it plans to roll out an Autonomy+ subscription and one-time purchase program, priced at $49.99 per month and $2,500 up front, respectively, for access to its self-driving suite.
CEO RJ Scaringe said it will learn and become more confident and robust as more miles are driven and it gathers more data. This is what Tesla uses through a neural network, as it uses deep learning to improve with every mile traveled.
He said:
“I couldn’t be more excited for the work our teams are driving in autonomy and AI. Our updated hardware platform, which includes our in-house 1600 sparse TOPS inference chip, will enable us to achieve dramatic progress in self-driving to ultimately deliver on our goal of delivering L4. This represents an inflection point for the ownership experience – ultimately being able to give customers their time back when in the car.”
At first, Rivian plans to offer the service to personally-owned vehicles, and not operate as a ride-hailing service. However, ride-sharing is in the plans for the future, he said:
“While our initial focus will be on personally owned vehicles, which today represent a vast majority of the miles to the United States, this also enables us to pursue opportunities in the rideshare space.”
The Hardware
Rivian is not using a vision-only approach as Tesla does, and instead will rely on 11 cameras, five radar sensors, and a single LiDAR that will face forward.
It is also developing a chip in-house, which will be manufactured by TSMC, a supplier of Tesla’s as well. The chip will be known as RAP1 and will be about 50 times as powerful as the chip that is currently in Rivian vehicles. It will also do more than 800 trillion calculations every second.
Meet the Rivian Autonomy Processor.
Fast, smart, scalable and purpose-built for autonomous driving and the world of physical AI. Hitting the open road in 2026. pic.twitter.com/0wYXi5WKy7
— Rivian (@Rivian) December 11, 2025
RAP1 powers the Autonomy Compute Module 3, known as ACM3, which is Rivian’s third-generation autonomy computer.
ACM3 specs include:
- 1600 sparse INT8 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second).
- The processing power of 5 billion pixels per second.
- RAP1 features RivLink, a low-latency interconnect technology allowing chips to be connected to multiply processing power, making it inherently extensible.
- RAP1 is enabled by an in-house developed AI compiler and platform software
As far as LiDAR, Rivian plans to use it in forthcoming R2 cars to enable SAE Level 4 automated driving, which would allow people to sit in the back and, according to the agency’s ratings, “will not require you to take over driving.”
More Details
Rivian said it will also roll out advancements to the second-generation R1 vehicles in the near term with the addition of UHF, or Universal Hands-Free, which will be available on over 3.5 million miles of roadway in the U.S. and Canada.
More than any other feature, our owners have asked for more hands-free miles.
With Universal Hands-Free, you can now enjoy hands-free assisted driving on any road with clearly defined lanes. That’s roughly 3.5 million miles in the U.S. and Canada.
Look for it in our next… pic.twitter.com/ZFhwVzvt6b
— Rivian (@Rivian) December 11, 2025
Rivian will now join the competitive ranks with Tesla, Waymo, Zoox, and others, who are all in the race for autonomy.
Tesla’s northernmost Supercharger in North America opens
Tesla shocks with latest Robotaxi testing move
