Tesla unveils free 2024 holiday update to get drivers in the mood for Christmas – is it worth getting?

Tesla has announced a host of over-the-air software updates to bring a bit of festive fun in the run-up to Christmas.

And Tesla says it wants to “bring extra joy to Tesla owners this holiday season.”

The 2024 Holiday Update will bring new features and improvements to the Tesla fleet starting next week – from Apple Watch additions to improved battery and navigation settings to make driving home for Christmas easier.

As always, the update is free – there are no additional costs for Tesla owners – so Tesla drivers can consider it an early Christmas present.

The big news is the Apple Watch update: you can finally get a Tesla app on your Apple Watch – a huge connectivity step towards lifestyle syncing.

But that’s just one of many Christmas treats Tesla has unveiled – so what else is in store?

Introducing the Tesla Apple Watch app

For many people, the most exciting update by far is the new custom Tesla app for Apple Watch owners.

Using your Apple Watch as a phone key, you can remotely lock and unlock the car, adjust the climate control, view the battery charge and open the ‘frunk’.

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For our American friends with Cybertrucks, there are lots of Christmas updates – such as ‘Santa Mode’ which turns the Cybertruck avatar into Santa’s sleigh with reindeer and elves – but these are not available in Britain: Cybertrucks are not allowed in Europe because they do not meet safety regulations.

But Christmas won’t be forgotten for British Tesla owners, as there are silly additions like a fart on the ignition button, a new Boomerang Fu party game and new light show settings with remote scheduling.

Tesla map and navigation updates

There are a handful of other useful updates, including a new navigation feature that allows drivers to set their desired battery level upon arrival.

The Tesla route planner will then add or remove charging stops along the way to ensure you arrive at your destination with the desired battery level.

And also new to the mapping is an update to the search results, which can now be filtered to show options along the route and estimated diversion times.

If the driver wants to stop for a coffee or to charge, the mapping function adds a time that reflects real-world timing.

Thanks to a new, very useful navigation function, drivers can set the desired battery level upon arrival

You can check the weather at your destination thanks to a new precipitation overlay feature added to maps – which tracks live weather data and projects it onto your map in the form of weather radar

And also new to the mapping is an update to the search results, which can now be filtered to show options along the route and estimated diversion times

You can check the weather at your destination thanks to a new precipitation overlay feature added to maps – which tracks live weather data and projects it onto your map in the form of weather radar – and also check if there are parking lots nearby.

Safety and security updates from Tesla

Dashcam and Sentry Mode clips can be viewed directly from the Tesla app and saved to your phone for editing or sharing

Your Tesla will activate an alert if a pedestrian or vehicle crosses behind your car while you are reversing, and will also sound an audible alert if a crossing object is now detected

There are also some useful safety and security updates.

On the safety front, Dashcam and Sentry mode clips can be viewed directly from the Tesla app and saved to your phone for editing or sharing (these clips can make for some funny viewing, as we’ve found in the past).

Your Tesla will alert you if a pedestrian or vehicle crosses behind your car while you are reversing, and will also sound an audible alert if a crossing object is now detected.

As part of Tesla’s move to fully autonomous driving – in the form of the new Cybercab currently on display at Tesla Westfield – the Autoshift on the new stalkless Model 3 can now automatically switch between Drive and Reverse to handle parking lot maneuvers and multi-auto to perform maneuvers. point turns automatically.