On the east coast of Australia, temperatures are heading towards 40 degrees celsius, but on the other side of the planet, America is freezing. To enable owners to be as comfy as possible when they get in, Tesla has update their mobile app with a nifty new feature.
With version 3.8.0-356 of the Android app (comparable iOS app available as well), you can remotely control your heat warmers.
When you precondition your vehicle, you can now turn on, off, or adjust any of your seat heaters. If it’s available in your car, you’ll also be able to turn on your steering wheel heater. Note: Requires vehicle software version 2018.48.12 or later.
Leather interior is nice, but in winter, it can be cold, like in summer, it can be hot, so pre-conditioning the environment you’re about to drive in, makes the driving experience better for owners when they enter the vehicle.
If you have a Tesla Model S, X or 3 with the latest software update, I recommend you give it a try. This seems like a nice addition to increase the rate at which the inside temperature of the vehicle raises faster, meaning you can get in and drive faster.
This technique should also help melt any snow on the vehicle’s exterior if you happen to be parked outside.
It’s worthwhile remembering how this is achieved, or how it’s even possible. The car is always connected, thanks to its in-built cellular connection. You car and your mobile app both connect to your Tesla account, ensuring you can only access vehicles that are registered to you. When you issue a command, it’s transmitted from your mobile to your vehicle via the Tesla network.
Your vehicle also provides data back in the other direction, reading from vehicle sensors and are then shown to you via the mobile app. This seat heater on/off is the latest extension of their vehicle control system that goes above and beyond almost every other auto maker.
While some auto makers allow you to remotely start your vehicle, what they don’t do is update their abilities after purchase, which is something that helps makes existing owners fall in love with the brand over and over and continue to be brand ambassadors as they show off the new functionality to friends and family.
