Tesla Motors just delivered the very first handful of Model X SUVs last week, and although only insiders like board members and CEO Elon Musk received the first Model X’s, we’re learning more about the types of features it offers through the firmware.
Firmware 7.0 to bring self-driving features to Model X
DragTimes posted a video of the Model X interface with Firmware 7.0 on YouTube. We’ve embedded that video below. The firmware version is currently in beta, but it shows that more self-driving features are coming to Tesla’s vehicles soon.
The automaker has been gradually pushing out self-driving features to the Model S through over-the-air software updates, but the Model X is the first to be built with these features in mind. However, mentions of the self-driving features were noticeably absent from Musk’s presentation of the Model X, so people naturally wondered whether the SUV would be getting any of these features.
Among the self-driving features that will be added to the Model X are the ability to change lanes automatically, auto-steering and self-parallel parking. The Model S already has these features thanks to the software, but apparently they are absent on the Model X for now.
Other firmware updates for the Model
Model X drivers will also get a bit more control over their cars, like fully automated controls for the doors. Drivers can control each door separately through Firmware 7.0 with open and close buttons for the front doors and the back doors.
Also the falcon-wing doors apparently have special sensors that enable them to calculate the precise arc at which they need to open in tight spaces so they don’t hit nearby vehicles. Also the firmware can make adjustments to the air suspension ride height, which again makes sense because the Model S can do this as well. However, there is a new setting called “Very Low,” which is believed to work only when the Model X is going above a particular speed. The reason for this setting is to reduce dag on the vehicle, which then improves its range because less energy is needed to travel at higher speeds.
Tesla also added an “All Off” setting to the cold weather controls for Firmware 7.0. The setting applies to the features that are in the Subzero weather package, including the heated steering wheel, heated seats, and heated washer nozzles, wipers, and defrosters.
Firmware 7.0 minimalizes the interface
Also Teslarati notes that the user interface in Firmware 7.0 has also been very simplified. There are indicators for the doors on the left, a towing indicator located on the top, and a drive status on the bottom right of the interface. There weren’t many changes to the upper menu.
