This is one of the many advantages of having a Tesla. New features are constantly rolled out through software updates and Over-the-Air fixes, which download directly to the car with an internet connection.

Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.

The feature works seamlessly. While the car is driving, the app displays the name of the currently selected driver profile in real time.

When the vehicle is parked or asleep, it shows the last active profile.

Requiring both the 2026.8 vehicle software and the latest Tesla app, the update brings this capability to every model in the lineup, including legacy Model S and Model X vehicles, which are unfortunately being phased out of the company lineup later this year.

Tesla makes latest move to remove Model S and Model X from its lineup

The feature was first reported on by Not a Tesla App.

Tesla driver profiles have always excelled at personalization, automatically adjusting seat positions, mirrors, steering wheel height, climate settings, navigation recents and favorites, and media preferences.

These profiles link to specific phone keys for automatic activation and support PIN protection for privacy and security. Restricted profiles for teens can also limit speed or features.

This feature shines brightest in single-car households with multiple drivers. Families, couples, and roommates frequently share one Tesla, leading to constant adjustments and questions about settings. Now, a quick app check reveals the current profile, allowing users to anticipate seat configurations or confirm usage without entering the vehicle.

Tesla’s cloud-synced driver profiles to bring custom settings across multiple cars

Parents particularly benefit: they can verify that teens are driving under their assigned (and possibly restricted) profiles, adding a layer of safety oversight and peace of mind. Teslas are already so incredibly safe that many parents dream of putting their kids in one.

Two kids around the same age could now share a Tesla, and this feature would make that effort, which is likely to be a difficult one at times, more seamless.

Beyond convenience, it promotes accountability and reduces everyday friction. No more manual profile switching or arguments over mirror positions. Before approaching the car, anyone can check the app and know exactly what to expect, no more wasted minutes readjusting everything.

In multi-driver setups, it transforms the shared EV into a truly intelligent, user-aware machine that respects individual preferences while keeping the primary owner informed.

Tesla’s commitment to over-the-air updates continues to enhance ownership value years after purchase.

This small but significant addition highlights how software can solve real-world problems in multi-user environments, making Tesla vehicles more family-friendly and practical than ever. For the millions of owners sharing a single car, the 2026.8 update delivers transparency, time savings, enhanced safety, and effortless personalization. It is a great new feature that is rolling out to vehicles now.

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Perhaps one of the best things about Teslas is that they routinely receive over-the-air software updates that either improve the ownership experience, add features, or make their performance more robust.

Every update offers some sort of bug fix or new feature that simply makes the cars better than they were before. For example, earlier this week, we reported on a new third-party charger latch release feature that will help those with non-Tesla home charging plugs.

Tesla adds useful Model 3/Y feature home chargers will love

Now, Tesla is releasing a new improvement to its heated steering wheel system, which has been around for several years. The new feature is one that will improve its performance and have your wheel nice and toasty the next time you get in, and it is a bit chilly outside.

According to Not a Tesla App, Tesla rolled out the Heated Steering Wheel improvements with the 2024.14 software update:

“If the steering wheel heater is set to Auto, the steering wheel will now heat up based on the cabin temperature, even if the climate system is set manually.

Previously, the climate system needed to be set to Auto for the steering wheel heater to turn on automatically.”

The change impacts all five Tesla models, the release notes state.

The heated steering wheel is one of the features that Tesla has used to help cater the vehicle’s overall performance to those in colder climates.

Tesla Model 3 with heated steering wheel begins US deliveries

Just as the air-conditioned and cooling seats are beneficial during the Summer months, the heated steering wheel is incredibly beneficial to those drivers in colder parts of the globe.

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Over the past few months, we have reported on a feature Tesla was planning to roll out in its vehicles that would help keep children out of hot cars unattended.

Tesla set to roll out new child safety and navigation features, coding shows

The company has been working on a solution to this problem for several years, as it has been working on an ultrawave sensor that would detect heartbeats instead of movement, as cameras would.

Now, Tesla is implementing the feature in its vehicles with Software Update 2025.14.12, calling it “Child Left Alone Detection.”

The release notes, via Not a Tesla App, show that the vehicle and the Tesla app will both make various attempts to alert the driver of a child in the car:

“If an unattended child is detected, the vehicle will flash the exterior indicator lights, play an alert tone, and send a notification to your Tesla app. This will repeat at regular intervals until you return to your vehicle. Cabin data is processed locally and is not transmitted to Tesla.

This feature is enabled by default. To disable, go to Controls > Safety > Child Left Alone Detection.”

Tesla later said that the feature is currently rolling out to mid-2023 and later Model 3 vehicles in Europe initially, while other models and regions will receive the update in the coming months.

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In February, Tesla said it would work to fix a major issue with its Sentry Mode feature, which records events near the car automatically. The feature has been a major proponent of assisting in cases of vandalism, but has even been used by police departments as they are effectively surveillance cameras.

Tesla Sentry Mode improvements are coming, aiming to solve battery drain

Drew Baglino, the former Vice President of Powertrain for Tesla, said in February that the team was working to reduce Sentry Mode power consumption by roughly 40 percent in a software update.

But this was supposed to ship in Q2.

Now, it is being confirmed that Tesla is shipping out this fix with Software Update 2024.38.4, according to Not a Tesla App, aiming to resolve the issue with battery drain.

The fixing of the battery drain issue will certainly put some owners’ minds at ease, especially as those who have been hesitant to use the feature on a low battery will now rid themselves of any reservations.

However, we have yet to see how much the update has resolved the battery drain issue. It is a brand new bug fix, so it should be seen within the next few days what kind of results have come from the software update.

Sentry Mode has gained quite a reputation as a feature, especially as non-owners have relied on the feature for information.

Tesla Sentry Mode is Oakland PD’s secret weapon against rising crime

In September, a story about the Oakland Police Department using Teslas equipped with Sentry Mode near a crime to help gain information surfaced.

In an affidavit obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, one officer wrote:

“I know that Tesla vehicles contain external surveillance cameras in order to protect their drivers from theft and/or liability in accidents. Based on this information, I respectfully request that a warrant is authorized to seize this vehicle from the La Quinta Inn parking lot so this vehicle’s surveillance footage may be searched via an additional search warrant at a secure location.”

Now, the battery drain fix will help these “mobile surveillance cameras” remain active for longer times. It’s not the only thing Tesla has done to improve Sentry Mode this year.

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Tesla is rolling out a new blind spot warning feature, bolstering its vehicle safety by adding a capability to the already-existing characteristic.

The blind spot indicator has always helped alert drivers of vehicles that might not be visible when the car is in motion, an especially pertinent feature when driving on the highway or other multi-lane roads.

However, Tesla has added a new feature to help detect moving objects, whether it be a vehicle, bicycle, or even a pedestrian, when the car is parked, and an occupant tries to open a door (via Not a Tesla App):

“If you try to open a door while an approaching object is detected in your blind spot (e.g., a cyclist or other vehicle), the blind spot warning light will flash, an audio warning will sound, and the door will not open on the first press of the bottom. Wait, and then press the button again to override the warning.”

It is great to see yet another feature added, even if it is simply making something more robust than it was previously.

On-street parking is where this new blind spot feature will be especially relevant. Far too many people have lost side mirrors or even entire doors as cars pass by and collide.

It seems as if Tesla is hoping to eliminate this from happening through this new feature, which could also come in handy for the cyclists out there, who may have come into contact with opened car doors a time or two. It is simply a way to help drivers be more aware of their surroundings.

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Tesla is now letting drivers in the U.S. know if the air quality around them in the area they’re traveling is poor. Added with Software Version 2024.26 earlier this month, the new feature will display an alert if air quality is subpar.

The automaker has offered this feature to drivers in China for some time, with one slight difference. According to Not a Tesla App, the drivers are constantly told what the air quality index (AQI) is outside, even if the air rating is high.

Air quality awareness has been a focal point of Tesla ever since it added several distinct modes to its vehicles in the past, including Bioweapon Defense Mode, which works in conjunction with the HEPA filtration system to strip any outside pollen, bacteria, or pollution from getting into the cabin of the vehicle.

Tesla Reveals Results from Bioweapons Defense Mode Testing

Tesla describes the feature on its website:

“The end result is a filtration system hundreds of times more efficient than standard automotive filters, capable of providing the driver and her passengers with the best possible cabin air quality no matter what is happening in the environment around them.”

HEPA has not been put into all four Tesla vehicles, as it is currently only standard in the Model S and Model X. The Model Y features the HEPA filter and Bioweapon Defense Mode as well, but came well after the S and X were equipped.

There are third-party and aftermarket HEPA filters available for the Model 3, but they do not feature the Bioweapon Defense Mode that Tesla has flexed for several years.

Now, the presence of an AQI alert system will give drivers more awareness regarding the quality of air around them, and could help make them more cognizant of when disasters, like wildfires, and their impact as polluted air spreads.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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EV owners across the board deal with the phenomenon of phantom battery drain, which is truly just a term that describes range loss due to the vehicle completing tasks while it is idle.

Teslas, for example, can run Sentry Mode, which monitors the vehicle’s surroundings with external cameras, which has been a culprit of range loss for some time.

Tesla Sentry Mode improvements are coming, aiming to solve battery drain

However, Tesla’s smartphone app is also a guilty party and has caused vehicle owners to grow frustrated with a loss of range even though the vehicle is not being driven. It seems Tesla is rolling out an update with App version 4.35.0, which will help combat this range loss and preserve battery life while the car is sitting:

New Version Detected: 4.35.0
Changelog is:
To conserve the vehicle’s battery, the app only wakes it when you send a command

— Tesla App Updates (iOS) (@Tesla_App_iOS) July 17, 2024

The app update release notes state:

“To conserve the vehicle’s battery, the app only wakes it when you send a command.”

Although EV owners have the distinct advantage of being able to charge their vehicles and gain range at home, there are instances where every mile counts and this will help eliminate any “range anxiety” concerns that may arise from the car running tasks.

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Tesla’s software update 2024.26.1 was spotted by Not a Tesla App on Monday, including the full Castle Doombad Classic game that was previously only a demo. The game is only available for those with AMD Ryzen-based vehicles (MCU 3), and the full release follows the demo’s initial debut last December.

Along with the full Castle Doombad game, Tesla has added an update to one skin in the Battle of Polytopia game, which lets users summon demons from gravesites and build graves and crypts. In Vampire Survivors, Tesla has also debuted a new update with a new character, new stages and weapons, and more.

Tesla owners put on heart-shaped light show with over 200 cars

The release includes more than just gaming updates, including the addition of Amazon Music, new parental controls, a status bar weather condition display, scheduled charges and pre-conditioning sessions, and a new navigation feature.

It also saw the removal of the YouTube Music app, after it had been spotted in testing with the introduction of 2024.26. The update also has a new climate panel that has yet to be seen, as well as small updates like Zoom meetings defaulting to full-screen and an automatically-decreasing fan speed feature when on a call.

You can see Tesla’s gaming-related release notes for 2024.26.1 below:

Castle Doombad Classic goes from demo to full game

Credit: Tesla (via Not a Tesla App)

The Castle Doombad demo has been replaced with the full version release of Castle Doombad Classic! Featuring full touch support and packed with more than 70 new levels and endless content, challenge yourself in this trap-based tower defense game against hordes of goody-two-shoed heroes invading your castle.

To play, shift into Park (P), and go to Arcade > Castle Doombad Classic.

The Battle of Polytopia gets a skin update

∑∫ỹriȱŋ ₼idŋighţ Skin Update – Create graves, build crypts, and summon demons from the graves in the dark forests with the special ∑∫ỹriȱŋ ₼idŋighţ skin.

Vampire Survivors update adds a new character and more

Vampire Survivors “Laborratory” Update – Discover the secrets to dark mysteries with a new character, power-up, achievements, stages, and weapons.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla’s 2024.26.1 Software Update is rolling out this week, and features several new features, including multiple improvements and refinements to in-car climate and HVAC settings, which were highly sought-after by owners.

Tesla has routinely updated and improved its HVAC and climate control settings over the years with things like Dog Mode, the heat pump, and several others. We covered the improvements in the most recent Software Update here.

However, there are even more improvements, including one specific feature that is catered to help make in-car Navigation more refined, streamlined, and easier to follow. The new feature will also help drivers find smaller, more specific portions of their larger destination.

According to Not a Tesla App, Tesla is adding a new “Navigate to Sub-Destinations” feature to its vehicles in the 2024.26.1 Software Update, which is already rolling out to drivers.

The feature is simple but effective and will allow drivers to find specific locations in a broader point of interest. One great example is a specific terminal at an airport, which can be like finding a needle in a haystack in some instances.

The site said:

“Now when you enter a navigation destination you can select a sub-destination (such as a specific terminal at the airport) to get more accurate routing details.”

The feature is the most recent change Tesla has made to its in-car navigation system, which has become more robust over the years.

This is not the only Navigation setting or feature that has been tailored to owners’ preferences this year. Tesla started to bolster its in-car Nav with a new trip planner feature and more map updates in June.

Additionally, CEO Elon Musk confirmed on a livestream that the company would add the “Avoid Highways” option to the Navigation, giving adventurers a little something to be happy about. The most fun trip are usually not the ones that are straight from A to B.

Tesla to bring ‘Avoid Highways’ feature to navigation

There will likely be even more fixes to the in-car Navigation platform that Tesla offers to its drivers. If you had to pick a feature to be added, which would it be?

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Tesla’s climate control system is one of the most robust and advanced in any vehicle available on the market. Everything from cabin pre-conditioning to Dog Mode to the use of a heat pump, which helps fight range loss in the winter, is available on a Tesla.

However, the company is always improving its vehicles through Over-the-Air Software Updates. Most recently, Tesla rolled out Software Version 2024.26.1, which features a few new features that make the HVAC more advanced than ever before.

Schedule Charge and Pre-Conditioning

According to Not a Tesla App, Tesla has updated its Charging and Pre-Conditioning features with a scheduled feature that will allow owners to pick a predetermined time to perform these tasks.

The site writes:

“From the redesigned menu or the Tesla mobile app, schedule charging or preconditioning for your vehicle. You can select a location, schedule a one-off, repeat specific times or days of the week, and also control when charging starts and stops.

To schedule your charge and precondition, tap Controls > Schedule.”

Redesigned Climate Panel

Tesla is rolling out a new, easier-to-navigate climate panel that will make selecting comfort settings less of a task.

Some owners have complained about the fact that making adjustments to the vehicle’s temperature or where the air is coming from can be difficult to do while driving.

Tesla listened and is making the panel more streamlined.

Auto Reduction During Phone Call

Perhaps one of the most logical features, which is now available in Tesla vehicles, is the automatic reduction of fan speed when a phone call is initiated.

Ambient noise can be loud with cabin A/C running, and it can make phone calls difficult to execute.

Now, when in Auto, the A/C will automatically lower to reduce the sound during a phone call, making it easier to talk and listen.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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