22 Tesla features that make them unlike any other electric cars

In 2019, Tesla’s got a new “caraoke ‘ function, which allows Tesla owners to choose from a vast selection of music and song lyrics.

The feature became especially popular in China. In January, the carmaker’s $188 in-car  Tesla karaoke microphones sold out within an hour of the initial launch in China. The TeslaMic is currently only available in China.

The “caraoke” music selection also features music in different languages. But don’t get the idea that you’ll be able to sing caraoke while driving, in order for this feature to work, the car has to be parked. 

Tesla’s Model X and Model Y, as well as more recent versions of the Model S and Model 3, are equipped with a HEPA filtration system that prevents toxic chemicals from getting into the cabin of the car.

The Tesla filtration system targets anything from pollution and bacteria to pollen, the carmaker has said

In January, Tesla released a demo video on X comparing a Tesla filter with a non-Tesla one.

Tesla is constantly updating its infotainment system with apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu.

The system also has several options including Theater, Arcade, Toybox, and Browser. With the Arcade setting, drivers can use the steering wheel buttons or a USB controller to play full games.

The majority of the entertainment features are only available when the car is parked, but drivers have said it has helped them pass time when Teslas are charging or stuck in major traffic jams. In 2022, a Tesla driver said he watched Netflix while stuck in a 14-hour traffic jam in snowy weather.

Each Tesla is programmed with virtual Easter eggs that can range anywhere from Santa in a sleigh, a rainbow-like road, and even the port of your supercharger lighting up with colors of the rainbow.

Sentry mode allows you to keep a close eye on your parked vehicle from anywhere in the world.

Let’s say someone hits your car with a shopping cart, your Tesla will start recording from the outside cameras and alert you that your vehicle has been hit through the Tesla app. This feature eliminates the stress of ever wondering where that mysterious dent came from. 

There are plenty of options that aren’t traditional keys for a Tesla.

If you don’t want to use your phone or the card, there are also unique key fobs shaped like a Tesla car. 

The Tesla Model X has doors that unlock and fully open as the driver approaches, carrying the key.

The automatic-open option is a setting that can be turned off or on in Tesla’s in-car display.

In July 2022, Musk dubbed the feature “one of the best” Model X features.

Tesla vehicles frequently receive over-the-air updates which are designed to send new features to the vehicles and “make them safer,” Tesla’s website says.

The vehicles cannot be operated when updates are being installed, but you can operate your vehicle when updates are downloading. Other automakers have since adopted Tesla’s approach for vehicle updates. 

Tesla Model S Plaid mode is another feature for speed racers.

Teslas with plaid mode “have batteries and three electric motors that can produce up to 1,020 horsepower and can take the car from zero to 60 miles an hour in just two seconds,” CNN says. That brings these cars in the same performance bracket as Bugatti’s and Lamborghinis.

With your family pooch in mind, the carmaker introduced Tesla dog mode to keep them in the car with the temperature of the car being regulated to avoid the animal overheating.

The touchscreen on the car will display a background letting curious bystanders know that your car is a comfortable temperature for your dog and that you will be back.

In December 2022, Tesla released an additional feature that enables users watch to their dog in realtime while its in the car by transmitting a live feed from the cabin camera directly to the Tesla app.

Tesla cars are equipped with a fart mode that allows your vehicle to sound like its breaking wind.

The driver can even choose which speaker the sound comes from to give the impression that the sound is coming from a specific seat or direction.

The carmaker used to have a boombox mode as well, which allowed drivers to replace the sound of their horn with anything from the sound of a bleating goat to a round of applause, but the feature was disabled in February over concerns from the NHTSA.

Through your Tesla music app on the infotainment system, you can censor explicit lyrics in songs, which is perfect for driving with young children.

The rumored 2024.26 update was released to employees on July 3, according to Not a Tesla App and Tessie, two websites that track Tesla software changes.

The update includes new parental controls, with a number of features that can be enabled with a vehicle PIN, according to the reports. The new “Night Curfew” feature sends notifications to the Tesla mobile app when a vehicle is driven past a set curfew time.

For parents who worry their kid could be taking advantage of the extra zip and high top speed possible with a Tesla, there may also be new controls that give parents the ability to set a maximum speed limit and reduce acceleration.