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Tesla releases stealth update with new features

Tesla has released a new software update to its fleet, and while the release notes remain unchanged, there are a few exciting features that were stealth updated.

The automaker has started to push its 2023.11.4.2 software update.

The update’s release notes are the same as the previous update, but Tesla often updates or adds features without discussing them.

That’s the case with this new update, according to Green, a well-known Tesla hacker who often discovers new features inside Tesla’s code.

He reported that the latest update includes several stealth changes:

Like most premium vehicles today, Tesla has an automatic wiper system that automatically matches the speed of the wipers to the intensity of the rain or snow.

However, unlike most other automakers, Tesla doesn’t use a rain sensor for its system.

Instead, the automaker is using its Autopilot cameras to feed its computer vision neural net to determine the speed for the wipers.

It has been deployed in Tesla vehicles since 2018, but many owners have been complaining that it is not as accurate as other systems using rain sensors.

Top comment by Dana Weick

Liked by 19 people

There are legitimate criticisms of Tesla but I am impressed that my 5 year old M3 is still getting updates and still seems fresh. I leased a Bolt for 3 years and the number of updates it got was either zero or 1, might have been one required due to a recall. So many calls from Bolt owners over those 3 years for simple, desirable changes and Chevrolet didn't make a single one. Hopefully more car makers follow Tesla's lead of knocking off the planned obsolescence used to encourage people to trade their "old" car in.

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Tesla’s solution was an update called “Deep Rain” that used a new neural net to power the feature. It came out in 2019, but it was a marginal improvement.

Now Green reports that owners can shut it down if they don’t like it.

Another important stealth update for safety in this new software update is the ability for automatic emergency braking (AEB) to brake for vehicles cutting into your lane. Previously, it would try to avoid things with steering, but AEB was reserved to prevent or reduce the impact for something blocking your way.

For FSD Beta users, the update also now reduces suspensions, which occur after misuse, like not paying attention to the road when using, to one week instead to two weeks.

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Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

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