Tesla Software & Features
Section updated .
The software side of a Tesla needs four habits: install updates deliberately and read what changed, treat driver-assist as assistance that needs your full attention, set up more than one way to unlock the car, and use Valet Mode, PIN to Drive and Speed Limit Mode when someone else is driving. None of them is experimental, and all are settings you can see.
A Tesla changes between visits. An update can move a menu, change how a feature behaves, or alter a default, and the car will not ask whether you noticed. That is the trade for getting improvements without a dealership trip, and the cost is that owners need a light routine for reading release notes and re-checking settings.
This section keeps to features that are already available, easy to use, and aimed at reliability or safety. It leaves out anything that is experimental or that depends on a particular software version staying exactly as it is today.
Guides in this section
Manage software updates deliberately
Read the release notes, choose when to install, and recheck the few settings that matter after each update.
Read the guide →Know what driver-assist can and cannot do
Autopilot features are assistance, not autonomy: what needs your hands and eyes, and the warnings you should never ignore.
Read the guide →Phone key, key card and a backup
Set up more than one way into the car, and know what to do when your phone is flat or lost.
Read the guide →Valet Mode, PIN to Drive, Speed Limit Mode
Three settings for when someone else drives: what each limits and how to confirm it is active.
Read the guide →How to work through this section
Start with the updates guide, because everything else here sits on top of the software version you are running. Read what driver-assist can and cannot do before you rely on it. Set up phone key and key card before the day your phone dies. Use Valet, PIN to Drive and Speed Limit Mode whenever the car is handed to someone else.
After each update, spend two minutes on the settings in these guides, since updates are the usual reason one of them quietly changes.
Frequently asked questions
Should I install Tesla software updates right away?
For safety or reliability fixes, yes, after reading the release notes. For large feature releases, a short wait is reasonable if you depend on a particular behaviour, but check what the update changes first.
Can my Tesla drive itself?
No. Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) are driver-assistance features that require you to pay full attention and be ready to take over at any time. The car will warn you if it detects you are not.
What if my phone dies and I cannot unlock my Tesla?
Use the key card, which taps on the door pillar and the centre console, or a second phone key. Setting up the key card in advance is the whole point of the access guide.
What is PIN to Drive?
A setting that asks for a four-digit PIN before the car can be driven, even with a key present. It adds protection if a key is stolen or if the car is borrowed.
Do menu names differ between models and versions?
Yes. Tesla changes its interface regularly, so treat the menu paths in these guides as a guide and confirm in the owner's manual for your model and software version.
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