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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.

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Credit: Tesla

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.

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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

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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.

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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

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla tinkering with Speed Profiles on FSD v14.2.1 has gone too far

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla recently released Full Self-Driving (FSD) v14.2.1, its latest version, but the tinkering with Speed Profiles has perhaps gone too far.

We try to keep it as real as possible with Full Self-Driving operation, and we are well aware that with the new versions, some things get better, but others get worse. It is all part of the process with FSD, and refinements are usually available within a week or so.

However, the latest v14.2.1 update has brought out some major complaints with Speed Profiles, at least on my end. It seems the adjustments have gone a tad too far, and there is a sizeable gap between Profiles that are next to one another.

The gap is so large that changing between them presents a bit of an unwelcome and drastic reduction in speed, which is perhaps a tad too fast for my liking. Additionally, Speed Profiles seem to have a set Speed Limit offset, which makes it less functional in live traffic situations.

Before I go any further, I’d like to remind everyone reading this that what I am about to write is purely my opinion; it is not right or wrong, or how everyone might feel. I am well aware that driving behaviors are widely subjective; what is acceptable to one might be unacceptable to another.

Speed Profiles are ‘Set’ to a Speed

From what I’ve experienced on v14.2.1, Tesla has chosen to go with somewhat of a preset max speed for each Speed Profile. With ‘Hurry,’ it appears to be 10 MPH over the speed limit, and it will not go even a single MPH faster than that. In a 55 MPH zone, it will only travel 65 MPH. Meanwhile, ‘Standard’ seems to be fixed at between 4-5 MPH over.

This is sort of a tough thing to have fixed, in my opinion. The speed at which the car travels should not be fixed; it should be more dependent on how traffic around it is traveling.

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It almost seems as if the Speed Profile chosen should be more of a Behavior Profile. Standard should perform passes only to traffic that is slower than the traffic. If traffic is traveling at 75 MPH in a 65 MPH zone, the car should travel at 75 MPH. It should pass traffic that travels slower than this.

Hurry should be more willing to overtake cars, travel more than 10 MPH over the limit, and act as if someone is in a hurry to get somewhere, hence the name. Setting strict limits on how fast it will travel seems to be a real damper on its capabilities. It did much better in previous versions.

Some Speed Profiles are Too Distant from Others

This is specifically about Hurry and Mad Max, which are neighbors in the Speed Profiles menu. Hurry will only go 10 MPH over the limit, but Mad Max will travel similarly to traffic around it. I’ve seen some people say Mad Max is too slow, but I have not had that opinion when using it.

In a 55 MPH zone during Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, it is not unusual for traffic around me to travel in the low to mid-80s. Mad Max was very suitable for some traffic situations yesterday, especially as cars were traveling very fast. However, sometimes it required me to “gear down” into Hurry, especially as, at times, it would try to pass slower traffic in the right lane, a move I’m not super fond of.

We had some readers also mention this to us:

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After switching from Mad Max to Hurry, there is a very abrupt drop in speed. It is not violent by any means, but it does shift your body forward, and it seems as if it is a tad drastic and could be refined further.

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Tesla’s most affordable car is coming to the Netherlands

The trim is expected to launch at €36,990, making it the most affordable Model 3 the Dutch market has seen in years.

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Tesla is preparing to introduce the Model 3 Standard to the Netherlands this December, as per information obtained by AutoWeek. The trim is expected to launch at €36,990, making it the most affordable Model 3 the Dutch market has seen in years. 

While Tesla has not formally confirmed the vehicle’s arrival, pricing reportedly comes from a reliable source, the publication noted.

Model 3 Standard lands in NL

The U.S. version of the Model 3 Standard provides a clear preview of what Dutch buyers can expect, such as a no-frills configuration that maintains the recognizable Model 3 look without stripping the car down to a bare interior. The panoramic glass roof is still there, the exterior design is unchanged, and Tesla’s central touchscreen-driven cabin layout stays intact.

Cost reductions come from targeted equipment cuts. The American variant uses fewer speakers, lacks ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, and swaps premium materials for cloth and textile-heavy surfaces. Performance is modest compared with the Premium models, with a 0–100 km/h sprint of about six seconds and an estimated WLTP range near 550 kilometers. 

Despite the smaller battery and simpler suspension, the Standard maintains the long-distance capability drivers have come to expect in a Tesla.

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Pricing strategy aligns with Dutch EV demand and taxation shifts

At €36,990, the Model 3 Standard fits neatly into Tesla’s ongoing lineup reshuffle. The current Model 3 RWD has crept toward €42,000, creating space for a more competitive entry-level option, and positioning the new Model 3 Standard comfortably below the €39,990 Model Y Standard.

The timing aligns with rising Dutch demand for affordable EVs as subsidies like SEPP fade and tax advantages for electric cars continue to wind down, EVUpdate noted. Buyers seeking a no-frills EV with solid range are then likely to see the new trim as a compelling alternative.

With the U.S. variant long established and the Model Y Standard already available in the Netherlands, the appearance of an entry-level Model 3 in the Dutch configurator seems like a logical next step.

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Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October

The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

The Tesla Model Y led China’s top-selling pure electric vehicles in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment through October 2025, as per Yiche data compiled from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) figures.

The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.

The Model Y is still unrivaled

The Model Y’s dominance shines in Yiche’s October report, topping the chart for vehicles priced between 200,000 and 300,000 RMB. With 312,331 units retailed from January through October, the all-electric crossover was China’s best-selling EV in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment.

The Xiaomi SU7 is a strong challenger at No. 2 with 234,521 units, followed by the Tesla Model 3, which achieved 146,379 retail sales through October. The Model Y’s potentially biggest rival, the Xiaomi YU7, is currently at No. 4 with 80,855 retail units sold.

Efficiency kings

The Model 3 and Model Y recently claimed the top two spots in Autohome’s latest real-world energy-consumption test, outperforming a broad field of Chinese-market EVs under identical 120 km/h cruising conditions with 375 kg payload and fixed 24 °C cabin temperature. The Model 3 achieved 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y recorded 21.8 kWh/100 km, reaffirming Tesla’s efficiency lead.

The results drew immediate attention from Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, who publicly recognized Tesla’s advantage while pledging continued refinement for his brand’s lineup.

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“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.

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