by Tesla’s 2025 Holiday Season Update
Tesla traditionally releases a major software update for its electric vehicles during the holidays. In 2025, it includes a number of useful improvements to navigation, charging, and everyday use of the car, as well as entertainment features to create a festive mood.
Key innovations include:
Grok Voice Assistant in Navigation
One of the most talked-about changes was the integration of the Grok chatbot, developed by xAI, directly into the navigation system. Drivers can now ask Grok to add or change a destination by voice. If the system correctly recognizes the command, it will eliminate the need to touch buttons on the screen. Furthermore, Grok will provide additional context about destinations, such as reviews or other interesting nearby points of interest.
Useful Features for Everyday Use
Tesla also introduced new 3D maps of Supercharger fast-charging stations. They are currently available in a small but growing list of pilot locations. The maps display real-time charger availability, site layout, and nearby amenities. This feature looks like a logical step before Tesla can implement more detailed charging station reservations.
Owners who frequently use “Dog Mode” for their pets will appreciate the new “Live Activity” feature. It periodically takes snapshots of the car’s interior and makes them available to the owner via the app. The dashcam viewer has also been updated: recordings can now display overlays with information about speed, steering wheel angle, and Autopilot status, which could be extremely valuable after an incident.
Minor Improvements and Holiday Entertainment
Among the smaller but pleasant improvements are the ability to set battery charge limits based on location, an alert for a phone left in the car, an option to disable wireless charging pads, and automatic routing using high-occupancy vehicle lanes, taking local regulations into account. Since this is a “holiday update,” it also contains quite a few entertaining software changes.
For 2025, this includes an updated “Santa Mode,” new light shows, and even an in-car “Photo Booth” mode. Owners can also add virtual vinyl wraps, license plates, and window tint through the updated “Paint Shop.” Completing the update package is a SpaceX ISS docking simulator—a 3D mini-game created based on real NASA control interfaces.
https://t.co/9wppdFR5EI
— Tesla (@Tesla) December 6, 2025
Like most of Tesla’s seasonal releases, this update is a mixed bag of features. It will be interesting to see how owners use them. Perhaps the dashcam data overlays will help clarify the causes of confusing accidents more quickly in the future.
This update package clearly demonstrates Tesla’s dual approach: on one hand, the company strives to implement serious technological innovations, such as AI integration into navigation and detailed charging maps, which directly impact practicality and safety. On the other—it continues to cultivate the unique “playful” and entertaining component of its cars, which forms a special emotional connection with the brand. Such a combination may be key to maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction between hardware updates. The success of features like voice-controlled Grok will largely depend on the quality of its performance in real-world conditions, beyond promotional videos.
