Tesla releases Holiday update: Apple Watch, SiriusXM, and more

Tesla has started pushing its 2024 Holiday update, a bigger annual update bundling a bunch of features together.

This year, it includes Apple Watch integration, SiriusXM, and more.

Every year around the holidays, Tesla is known to push a bigger software update with some features that are generally more about fun than being functional.

Tesla regularly pushes new features to its fleet through software updates whenever they are ready, but it sometimes bundles them together for a bigger step change update, which people have been referring to as the “holiday update.”

It most often is the biggest update of the year.

Tesla 2024 Holiday Update

This year’s holiday update is certainly not the biggest, but there are a few things that Tesla owners have been asking for, including a few more “fun” features.

Tesla is finally bringing official Apple Watch integration with its mobile app:

This is something that third-party apps have made available, but not Tesla directly until now.

It’s likely not a coincidence that it is coming now, just after Tesla has destroyed the third-party app ecosystem by introducing ridiculously high API pricing.

Tesla’s new holiday update also includes better ways to access and edit your videos coming from the automaker’s Dashcam and Sentry Mode features.

The company wrote about the new feature:

“Watch Dashcam & Sentry Mode clips directly from the Tesla app and save them to your phone to edit or share.”

Tesla also says that it is also introducing the capacity for Autoshift to “shift between Drive and Reverse on stalkless Model 3.”

The automaker wrote about the new feature:

Autoshift on stalkless Model 3 can now automatically shift between Drive & Reverse to handle parking lot maneuvers & multi-point turns.

This is surprising to me because I thought it was already the case, as this capacity was the whole point of going stalkless.

Tesla announced that SiriusXM is finally coming to its vehicles – something that owners have been asking for for years:

SiriusXM sent out a press release about the Tesla integration with a little more details:

SiriusXM is becoming available in Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update. After the software update is installed, SiriusXM will appear in the media sources menu where drivers can begin a free one-month trial subscription to SiriusXM. A Tesla Premium Connectivity or active Wi-Fi connection is required to access the SiriusXM service. To continue SiriusXM service after the trial, owners can scan the QR code on the Subscription tab. Owners who subscribe prior to March 31, 2025 can access a special limited-time offer of $9.99 a month for their first two years.

Tesla is also adding the capability to set at what state of charge you want to arrive at your destination to adjust the charging stops accordingly:

There are a few other navigation changes, like filtered details with estimated times:

When navigating, search results are now filtered to show options along your route & estimated detour times.

Tesla is also adding a precipitation and weather map overlay, which looks pretty cool:

The update also includes new cross-traffic warnings when in reverse. Tesla released an example:

It sounds like a good idea that makes you think why it wasn’t always a feature.

Tesla Cybertruck Updates

The update includes many features just for the Cybertruck. For example, owners now have the ability to change their in-car vehicle avatar to match custom wraps and license plates:

And a couple more new features just for the Cybertruck

• The rear camera feed is now larger & you can pinch to zoom in or out
• Play games from the backseat while cruising around

Here also a bunch of new minor updates that apply to other vehicles:

• Remotely schedule Light Shows from the Tesla app, including the two new Light Shows in the 2024 Holiday Update
• Boomerang Fu video game now in Tesla Arcade
• The new Seats control panel allows you to adjust the position of the unoccupied passenger seat, including second-row seats
• You can now view & track maintenance items from your vehicle’s touchscreen
• Rear screen remote now allows video playback controls in Drive
• Find Nearby Parking at your destination or at any point of interest
• When reversing, music volume can automatically lower to reduce distractions
• Navigation will dynamically route around road closures
• Sentry Mode – mobile app notification if door handle is pulled
• Energy App Consumption page for Model S & X and CT
• Vehicles without premium connectivity can now see traffic on their navigation route
• When navigating to a Supercharger, upon arrival you will be notified on the touchscreen of any stalls that are currently out of service

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