Tesla vehicles equipped with the latest Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised software now have the ability to automatically detect when they are approaching a car wash. This new feature prompts a one-touch button on the vehicle’s main touchscreen to activate “Car Wash Mode” before entering the wash bay, making the process more convenient for drivers.
The introduction of this capability was highlighted by Tesla owner Jeff Lutz, who shared his experience on social media. He mentioned that his Tesla FSD version 14.3.3 displayed the shortcut button on the screen as he approached a car wash. Senior Staff Engineer for the Tesla AI team, Yun-Ta Tsai, confirmed that the system was intentionally designed to recognize car wash locations, stating, “Car knows. I trained it.”
While the exact technical details of how the system detects car washes have not been publicly disclosed by Tesla, users speculate that it may utilize a combination of GPS fleet data for known car wash locations and real-time vision processing from the vehicle’s external cameras to identify the unique infrastructure of a car wash entrance.
In addition to detecting car washes, Tesla’s latest FSD software can also recognize drive-thrus, suggesting a similar mechanism may be at play for detecting car washes. Car Wash Mode in Tesla vehicles closes all windows, locks the charge port door, disables windshield wipers, and turns off parking sensor chimes to prevent damage or accidental triggers during an automated wash.
This update simplifies the process for drivers by eliminating the need to manually navigate through vehicle settings menus when entering a wash bay. However, this feature is currently not available for vehicles equipped with HW3 and FSD 12.6.4, with speculation that it may be included in future updates such as FSD 14 lite.
Overall, Tesla’s integration of Car Wash Mode showcases the company’s commitment to enhancing user experience and streamlining everyday tasks for Tesla owners. With advancements in AI and automation, Tesla continues to push the boundaries of innovation in the automotive industry.