Tesla’s 2026 Summer Update: auto navigation, Grok phone calls, Caraoke scoring, and more

This is Tesla software news, not a home energy story, but here's what changed. Tesla began rolling out its 2026 Summer Update, adding more voice control through Grok, its AI assistant. Grok can now make phone calls, search and play music, adjust the climate, and open the glovebox by voice, on top of navigation help it already handled. Navigation itself got smarter too: the system now learns routines beyond just Home, Work, and calendar events, suggesting stops like a school drop-off or the gym based on where you actually drive, and it favors roads you've taken before over the default fastest route.

Several features moved to the phone app. You can now view and share self-driving mileage stats, set how much battery charge you want left when you arrive somewhere before you even get in the car, and upload custom wraps (changing the car's on-screen color and finish) without needing a USB drive. Cars with rear screens got a lock so back-seat passengers can watch content but only the front row can change it. Caraoke, Tesla's in-car singing feature, now scores your performance and saves high scores to your profile.

Smaller changes include searching for Superchargers by name, adding Apple Music songs to a queue from search results, adjustable zoom on the self-driving display, camera and microphone support in the car's browser, and new startup animations for the Model 3 and Y. Tesla rolls out updates gradually, so it may take weeks to reach every car.