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Tesla’s Holiday Update arrives: Apple Music, Dog Mode improvements, Light Show upgrade

(Credit: that_tesla_life)

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Tesla’s Holiday Software Update is officially rolling out to owners, featuring the long-awaited arrival of Apple Music, improvements to Dog Mode, new features with the Christmas Light Show, and more.

Tesla has started deploying Software Update 2022.44.25.1, as Canadian owner James Locke shared the Holiday Package’s release notes via Twitter.

Apple Music

As we reported last week, Tesla will add Apple Music to its vehicles as a part of the Holiday Software Update. After it was spotted on a Tesla unit within an exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum last month, speculation seemed to indicate the automaker would finally add the feature. It has officially arrived.

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“Stream over 100 million songs and 30,000 playlists ad-free. Listen to your entire library, discover new music and tune into live radio stations. To access Apple Music, tap the Apple Music icon in the Application Launcher, scan the QR code with your mobile device, and login with your Apple ID,” Tesla wrote in the release notes.

Dog Mode Improvements

Do you wonder what your pup is doing in the car while you’re running a quick errand inside a store? The new improvements to Dog Mode will allow you to do so.

“View the interior camera from the mobile app while using Dog Mode or Sentry Mode. To enable Live Camera, tap Controls > Safety > View Live Camera via Mobile App.

Dog Mode has been widely popular amongst owners as it allows them to keep their pets in their car in a safe environment. The climate is set to a temperature desired by the owner, and a large message tells others that the vehicle is comfortable for the animal to avoid any confusion.

tesla dog mode

Tesla Dog Mode protects pets from hot interior cabins. (Credit: Tesla)

Scheduled Light Show

Everyone who has followed Tesla for relatively any amount of time knows about the Transiberian Orchestra Light Show with the Model X. Now, Tesla is taking the feature a step further with a scheduled light show, along with new, longer custom shows.

“Schedule the Light Show for up to 10 minutes in advance or watch a multi-car orchestra by setting them to start simultaneously. Celebrate New Year’s with the Auld Land Syne show or create longer custom shows.

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Tesla Model Y gets Track Mode

After numerous requests from owners to CEO Elon Musk, it appears Tesla’s Track Mode will also be included in the Holiday Update.

In November, Musk confirmed the feature would be added soon. Tesla owners have waited several years for the automaker to add Track Mode to the Model Y Performance.

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Top 10 Tesla Track Mode V2 features for the Model 3 Performance

Other Holiday Software Update Features

Tesla has added several other features in the Holiday Update, which are listed below.

  • Climate Control Fan Speed
    • Adjust fan speed intensity while remaining in AUTO climate by selecting between ‘LO,’ ‘MED,’ and ‘HI’ from the fan intensity selector on the climate control popup.
  • myQ Connected Garage
    • myQ Connected Garage door openers are now supported. Monitor and control your garage door remotely using your vehicle’s touchscreen. To set up, tap Controls > Locks > myQ Connected Garage > Link Account, and follow the instructions
  • Auto Turn Signals
    • Turn signals can now automatically deactivate upon completing a land change, fork, or merge. Tap Controls > Lights > Auto Turn Signals
  • Mahjong
    • The relaxing tile match game has been elevated with a clean, modern design, smooth animations, and calming sounds. Match identical tiles. A tile is playable if it is open on the left or right and isn’t covered by another tile. Continue pairing tiles to clear the board and your mind!
  • Confirm Phone Call Transfer
    • Active phone calls from a mobile device connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth will now request confirmation before transferring audio to the vehicle.
  • Contact Lookup
    • Search for contacts from a connected Bluetooth device. To access, tap the Application Launcher > Phone > Contacts > Search icon.
  • Media Controls
    • Media controls are closer to the driver for easy access. Swipe up to access ‘Recents & Favorites’ and ‘Sources.’ Swipe left or right to also access trips and tire pressure information.
  • Emissions Testing Mode via Mobile App
    • Emissions Testing Mode can now be used from the Mobile App. Long press any quick controls icon from the home screen and drag the ‘Fart’ icon to the top row.
  • Always Rainbows
    • Allow your driving visualization to show Rainbow Road when Autopilot is active. To enable, tap the Application Launcher > Toybox > Rainbow Road > Always Rainbows.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence

The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chip is nearly complete, and work on its successor is already underway, as per a recent update from Elon Musk. 

The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.

Musk details AI chip roadmap

In his post, Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while AI6 has already entered early development. Musk added that Tesla plans to continue iterating rapidly, with AI7, AI8, AI9, and future generations targeting a nine-month design cycle. 

He also noted that Tesla’s in-house chips could become the highest-volume AI processors in the world. Musk framed his update as a recruiting message, encouraging engineers to join Tesla’s AI and chip development teams.

Tesla community member Herbert Ong highlighted the strategic importance of the timeline, noting that faster chip cycles enable quicker learning, faster iteration, and a compounding advantage in AI and autonomy that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close.

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AI5 manufacturing takes shape

Musk’s comments align with earlier reporting on AI5’s production plans. In December, it was reported that Samsung is preparing to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chip, accelerating hiring for experienced engineers to support U.S. production and address complex foundry challenges.

Samsung is one of two suppliers selected for AI5, alongside TSMC. The companies are expected to produce different versions of the AI5 chip, with TSMC reportedly using a 3nm process and Samsung using a 2nm process.

Musk has previously stated that while different foundries translate chip designs into physical silicon in different ways, the goal is for both versions of the Tesla AI5 chip to operate identically. AI5 will succeed Tesla’s current AI4 hardware, formerly known as Hardware 4, and is expected to support the company’s Full Self-Driving system as well as other AI-driven efforts, including Optimus.

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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.

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Credit: ANCAP

The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.

The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring. 

This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.

The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.  

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.

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“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.

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Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade

Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.

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Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.

Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.

Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error. 

More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report. 

Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.

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Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.

Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.

“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted. 

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