Tesla software update adds Disney Plus, Car Wash mode and more

Tesla drivers will soon be able to catch up on the latest episodes of Loki or the Mandalorian from the dashboards of their high-tech electric cars . The latest software and infotainment update, 2021.24, rolling out now, brings a host of new features and improvements, including the addition of Disney Plus video streaming to the Tesla Theater Mode app.

Theater Mode is an in-dash app accessible via the Entertainment section of the infotainment software that comes in Tesla vehicles. You can find Netflix, Hulu (also owned by Disney), YouTube, Twitch and now Disney Plus streaming services under this menu. Access to subscription-based services like Disney Plus isn't included in Tesla's Premium Connectivity data package, so you'll need to sign up and purchase that separately. 

Access to Theater Mode, like the Tesla Arcade gaming section, requires the vehicle to be parked. At the very least, this gives drivers something to do while waiting to charge at one of Tesla's Supercharger stations.

The 2021.24 update also adds a new Car Wash mode to Tesla's bag of tricks. Accessing this setting in the Service menu primes the vehicle for scrubbing by closing all of the windows, locking the charging port and disabling the automatic windshield wipers, sentry mode alerts, walk-away door locks and parking sensor chimes. Drivers who frequent automatic conveyor belt washers can also select the Free Roll option, which shifts to neutral and prevents the parking brake from automatically engaging if you leave the vehicle.

There's a new toggle for disabling and enabling side mirror auto-dimming. Drivers can select whether to display a percentage or estimated distance when displaying the battery's state of charge; simply tap the icon to toggle. The TeslaCam dash cam can now be programmed to automatically save clips in the event of a collision or airbag deployment. (The release notes specify that this is an opt-in feature and "recordings captured are stored locally and never transmitted to Tesla.") 

There's also language support for Hungarian, Romanian and Russian. Finally, there's a new option to remain connected to Wi-Fi when shifting into drive, which should be useful for drivers who wish to use a hotspot for connectivity rather than Tesla's Premium Connectivity package and the onboard modem.