If you are just now finding out about Tesletter, you can subscribe here!

If you already know Tesletter and want to support us, check out our Patreon page

Issue 301 - Tesla FSD Beta 12.1.2

DIY Protection with Feynlab

FSD v12

Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta 12.1.2 📹
Whole Mars Catalog received FSD v12.1.2 on his car this weekend and, as expected, he didn't stop recording drives. Here's one where he crosses San Francisco from North to South with no interventions. It's clear from watching the videos that FSD v12 is a significant step forward in the functionality of FSD, and I'm eager to experience it personally. By the way, something cool the car now does is that it pulls over when it reaches its destination, which is pretty cool, right? You can see a lot more videos on Whole Mars Catalog's YouTube channel. Thanks for sharing, Omar!

FSD Beta v12 comes with Automatic Speed Offset 📷
Nice finding by Whole Mars Catalog. In the Autopilot menu, there is a new feature in FSD v12 that allows Autopilot to drive at the speed it determines is most natural. This feature should help with roads where the normal speed of traffic isn't the one seen in the signals. I have one near home that is the start of an onramp to the highway; in theory, the speed is ~25mph, but everyone starts accelerating to be on the highway at 65mph. It's dangerous to go at 25mph and, to be honest, it will irritate all other drivers.

New Model 3

High beam updates in 2024.2 for the new Model 3
The 2024.2 update brings security enhancements but also introduces new functionality for the new Model 3: adaptive high beams. By using the cameras to detect other road users and selectively dimming individual pixels of the headlights, it allows for the high beams to remain on longer, enabling better visibility at night without bothering others.
 

I test-drove the new Model 3 📷
We discovered this weekend that our local showroom not only had a new Tesla Model 3 on display with the configuration of our order (blue, black interior, RWD) but that they were also doing demo drives, so we booked one as soon as we could. The car is great, though the experience could have been improved. I liked the blind spot indicators, the steering wheel, and the seats (yay ventilated seats!), and I didn't miss the stalks at all, although it was a short drive. You can read more about my experience, including some of the lowlights, in the link.

Check if your local showroom has one available and book your test drive: https://www.tesla.com/drive?referral=ignacio9266
 

Upgraded Tesla Model 3 Performance spotted with new exterior design 📷
Our friend The Kilowatts spotted a Model 3 Performance prototype in San Francisco last weekend. In the photo, despite having camouflage, we can see the Model 3 having a new split in the front bumper. If the recent speculation holds, an announcement might come later this month, potentially followed by the commencement of deliveries in March.

 

Under the hood

Library of Custom Tesla Lock Sounds
The Redditor Matt-SW has created a library of custom Tesla Lock Sounds, currently featuring 51 sounds. He even has a form for requesting new ones if you want him to create a specific sound for you. Do you currently have a favorite one? Let us know!
 

No ice scrapers needed 📹
One of the best features of Tesla is the ability to turn on the climate control before heading to your car. In the video, Tesla highlights the defrost functionality, which is handy now during winter. Another trick is to use the scheduled departure feature to have your car nice and cozy in the morning.

True accuracy of Tesla "High Fidelity" Park Assist 📹
Nice video by ai_drivr where we can see the High Fidelity Park Assist at the same time as we can see the car from a drone. As it isn't surprising, the car struggles the most when objects are right in front of the car and not visible by the cameras, because they are close and shorter than the hood of the car. This means that if you can back up into a parking spot, the visualization will almost always be more accurate. Again, pretty cool video!

 

Cybertruck

Tesla Cybertruck vs. Rivian R1T vs. Ford F-150 Lightning specs comparison
Good article, including a specs table, comparing these three cars, take a look!

Cybertruck 10,000-mile review reveals range and charging insights
Owners of a Tesla Cybertruck, after driving over 10,000 miles, report a real-world range of 164 to 206 miles, falling short of Tesla's advertised range. They experienced slow charging at V2 Superchargers, with improved but still lengthy charging times at V3 stations. The article also covers some positive things about the sound system and other parts, but in general, the range and charging speed are concerning. I hope that at least on the charging front, this is now limited by Tesla until they get some more real-world data.

 

• FSD: Full Self-Driving

Producer Supporters

• Teslascope
• Gerald D.
• All Tesletter Supporters

If you enjoy Tesletter, please take a second to forward it to your friends and share it on social media.

If you have any feedback please let me know by replying to this email!