Tesla releases major new software update with more music options and more

Tesla has begun rolling out a major software update that brings more music playback options, parental controls, and more.

Tesla regularly releases software updates to its customers over the air.

Most of these updates do not contain significant release notes as the updates are pushed out in the backend, but every few months Tesla releases major updates with additional features to customers.

Tesla owners are waking up to completely new features in their electric vehicles.

Today, Tesla began rolling out a new software update, 2024.26, that introduces several new features (release notes are available on Not a Tesla App).

Music from Youtube

The main new features in this 2024.26 update are the new music apps. Tesla vehicles already come with native Spotify, Apple Music, Tune In, and Tidal.

Now Tesla is adding YouTube Music.

The carmaker wrote in the release notes:

Listen to over 100 million songs with YouTube Music Premium. Access your library to see all the songs you’ve liked and added, the playlists you’ve created, and the artists and podcasts you’ve subscribed to.

Premium connectivity or active WiFi connection required.

Premium Connectivity is Tesla’s $10 per month subscription service that includes all connectivity features that require higher bandwidth.

Amazon Music

Another new music app introduced with this new update is Amazon Music

Tesla wrote in the release notes:

Prime members have access to over 100 million songs on shuffle, All-Access playlists, and the largest catalog of premium podcasts, ad-free. Upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited for full on-demand access.

Premium connectivity or active WiFi connection required.

Parental control

Tesla has updated its parental controls, now adding more features so that parents who let their kids use Tesla cars can’t afford to go on crazy, fast rides:

Now you can enable parental controls via PIN on your vehicle. Set a maximum speed and limit acceleration to Chill. Enable safety features like Speed ​​​​Limit Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Warning. Set up Night Curfew to receive notifications via the Tesla mobile app when your vehicle exceeds curfew.

Turn on parental controls from your vehicle or the Tesla mobile app. Go to Controls > Safety > Parental Controls. Follow the on-screen instructions and enter your PIN. Drivers cannot turn off controls or change settings without re-entering the PIN.

Tesla also has a similar “Vault Mode” feature.

Go to sub destinations

With this update, Tesla is also improving its navigation system to include sub-destinations such as specific airport terminals.

Tesla wrote in the release notes:

Now, when you enter a navigation destination, you can select a subdestination (e.g. a specific airport terminal) to get more precise route details.

Weather forecast and air quality

The carmaker has also added weather and air quality information to the status bar on the vehicle’s central display.

Tesla wrote in the release notes:

The vehicle status bar now shows local weather conditions alongside the temperature. When air quality is poor, the vehicle also shows the AQI symbol and index value.

Tap the temperature on the touchscreen to see details of your local weather forecast, including weather conditions, daily highs and lows, and chance of precipitation. Requires Premium connectivity.

This is another feature available only to Tesla owners who pay $10 per month for the Premium Connectivity service.

Charging and pre-conditioning schedule

With this update, Tesla has also added new ways to schedule charging and prepare your vehicle for driving.

The carmaker wrote in the release notes:

Schedule charging or pre-conditioning from a redesigned menu or the Tesla mobile app. You can select a location, schedule one-time or repeat charging for specific times or days of the week, and control when charging starts and stops.

To schedule charging and pre-loading, tap Controls > Schedule.

Tesla is now starting to roll out the 2024.26 software update to its fleet, but it could take several weeks for it to cover all vehicles eligible to receive the update.