Tesla Set to Unveil Front Bumper Camera and Ambient Lights for Model S/X

By Kevin Armstrong
Model X Upgrade Coming
Model X Upgrade Coming
Not a Tesla App

Tesla is on the brink of unveiling a significant update to its flagship vehicles, the Model S and X. Despite being the luxury line, these vehicles have fallen behind the rest of Tesla’s offerings when it comes to a few new features. That is all about to change. Trusted sources, who have provided reliable information in the past, have informed Not a Tesla App that ambient lighting and a front bumper camera will be added to the S and X in early March.

The Front Bumper Camera

Introducing a front bumper camera marks a pivotal upgrade for the Model S and X, positioning them alongside the Cybertruck regarding technological advancements. This feature is designed to mitigate the blind spot directly in front of the vehicle, a critical enhancement for navigating tight parking spaces and complex urban environments. The camera integration into Tesla's existing camera application suggests a seamless user experience, allowing drivers access to a front view that enhances overall vehicle awareness and safety.

Elevating Experience: Ambient Lighting

Tesla's ambient lighting feature, previously introduced in the 2024 Model 3, the Cybertruck, and the Model Y in China is now making its way to the Model S and X. These thin light strips, embedded near the top edge of the vehicle's doors and curving around the dashboard and all the way to the back seat, offer a near 360-degree lighting effect, setting a high-tech ambiance within the cabin.

New Yoke was Just the Beginning

Tesla recently introduced an upgraded steering yoke for the Model S and Model X, featuring a much-requested center horn, enhanced stitching for durability, and an overall improvement in build quality. This redesign addresses previous criticisms of the yoke, particularly the inconvenient placement and sensitivity of the horn button. The new yoke design, showcases a more intuitive horn placement, right in the center, below the "TESLA" badge and robust stitching, addressing both functionality and longevity concerns.

Tesla's philosophy of introducing updates as needed, rather than following the conventional model year cycle, ensures that its vehicles are always at the forefront of technology and design. This strategy of continuous enhancement enables Tesla to swiftly integrate the latest features and improvements, directly responding to consumer feedback and evolving regulations. It's a dynamic approach that not only maintains the novelty and appeal of the Tesla lineup but also demonstrates the company's dedication to innovation, safety, and customer satisfaction. By prioritizing immediate advancements over traditional schedules, Tesla continues to lead the electric vehicle industry forward, setting new standards for what drivers can expect from their vehicles.

Tesla’s Referral Program Launches in Europe

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Following its recent launch in the United States and Canada, Tesla has launched their referral program in several European countries as well.

The program is available in Germany, Norway, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and possibly others. The program is almost the same as the one available today in North America, with rewards for each referral and a discount for those referred. The cap in Europe is also ten per year.

This program comes right on the heels of a 0% financing offer for the Model Y in Sweden and France. While referrals aren't currently available in Sweden, the 0% financing still is.

European Referrals

The European Referral program accounts for country and local currency, where applicable.

Country

Referral Discount

Referral Award

UK

£1,000

£500

Germany, France, Netherlands

€1,000

€500

Norway

kr11,500

kr5,750

The referral reward program is comparable to the one available in North America. After exchange rates, there is only an approximately 10% difference between the available rewards in the US and EU.

Other Countries

We expect this program to start rolling out to other European countries over the next few days or weeks, as Tesla continues to expand its referral program.

Tesla's Android App Lags Behind Apple's: The Missing Features

By Karan Singh
Maxim

Tesla has confirmed that they submit app updates for Android and iOS apps at the same time, but we often see the iOS app updates released first possibly due to a quicker app review process at Apple.

However, we often see features implemented on the Apple version weeks or months before they’re implemented on Android. Today, the Android app is missing several key features, and the gap is starting to become a bit glaring.

Delayed App Updates

The Android app just received update 4.36.6 last night, while the Apple update was available as of September 1st.

That might not seem like a big deal, but in order to use the updated Actually Smart Summon, you’ll need app version 4.36.6, so any Andriod users that received update 2024.27.20 with the new Summon, couldn’t use it until yesterday.

We’re sure Tesla is on it, but it’s disappointing to see that key feature updates take days or a week longer to receive on Android. Apple and Google both offer the ability to set a release date for an app update, so Tesla could coordinate releasing the apps at the same time.

Ultra Wideband Support

Unfortunately, there’s no Ultra Wide Band (UWB) support on Android yet, which is an interesting omission since it’s such a great feature. Most Android phones, flagships, and cheaper phones alike, all support UWB.

Without UWB support Android phones can’t use Tesla’s newest phone key, which is only available for devices that support UWB. The new phone key improves reliability for unlocking the vehicle and setting the correct Tesla driver profile. To support the new phone key, you need a compatible phone (iPhone 11 or newer) and a newer vehicle that supports ultra wideband.

Hands-Free Trunk

Tesla’s new hands-free trunk feature, which allows you to automatically open your trunk by simply standing behind it for a couple of seconds, also isn’t available on Android devices. Tesla’s Hands-Free Trunk requires UWB support too, and Tesla originally mentioned it was coming to Android in May 2024.

For now, those are the features we know of that don’t work on Android today, and we’re hoping that Tesla brings both UWB support, as well as simultaneous app updates to the Google Play and Apple App Store by leveraging each store’s publish date feature.

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