Last month Tesla released its latest ‘Autopilot’ update (v7.1), which we covered intensively, but if you are not up-to-date with Tesla’s latest software, the Model S’ Autopilot now includes a new feature called ‘Summon’, which allows Tesla owners to remotely move their vehicle without anyone in it.
At the moment, it is primarily used to get the Model S in and out of a garage easily, but in the future, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says you will be able to summon your car from across the country and it will come meet you while charging at Tesla Superchargers along the way.
Yesterday, less than a month after the wide release of the Summon feature, iOS developer Allen Wong from Rego Apps updated his popular ‘Remote S for Tesla‘ app to allow Model S owners to use the Summon feature with the Apple Watch.
We reported on Wong’s app before, when he managed to start his Model S using Siri on his Apple Watch.
With the latest update to Remote S, not only does the Summon feature work on the Apple Watch — something not possible with Tesla’s official app — but Wong managed to get around the feature’s 39 feet range limitation.
A Tesla currently equipped with the Autopilot hardware needs to be within 39 feet of its final parking spot for the Summon feature to work. In the release note, Wong says that you do not have the same limitation when using the Remote S app, but a recent test shows that the keyfob still needs to be within range of the vehicle.
Update: Allen jumped in the comments and confirmed that if you press the ‘Keyless Start’ button before using the Summon feature, it will remove the need for the keyfob to be near the car.
Watch Model S own Mark Schey try the feature:
You can get the Remote S for Tesla app on the App Store for $10.
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I posted this on 9to5mac …
How can tesla’ summons feature be legal? No one is driving the car. What if it is involved in an accident while you are controlling it ? I’m pretty sure the insurance company will say there was no licensed driver in the car and you will be at fault.
It is very cool though.
As of now, it can only be used on private proprieties, hence the getting out of the garage thing. Chances that the car would hit anything on “Summon” is extremely low due to the low speed and use of ultrasonic sensors, but yeah in case of an accident using any of the Autopilot features, the “driver” is at fault because you are supposed to be monitoring the car at all time and press stop if you see any risk.
Thanks for the explanation. It makes sense that it is limited to private properties right now.
Hate to be an Eeyore, but I’m not looking forward to wading through a thicket of summoned cars clogging the entryways of stores, restaurants, theaters, et cetera just so their lazy entitled owners are spared a brief stroll across a parking lot.