Last month Tesla released its latest ‘Autopilot’ update (v7.1), which we covered intensively on Electrek, but if you are not up-to-date with Tesla’s latest software, the Model S’ Autopilot now includes a new feature called ‘Summon’, which allows Tesla owners to remotely move their vehicle without anyone in it.
At the moment, it is primarily used to get the Model S in and out of a garage easily, but in the future, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says you will be able to summon your car from across the country and it will come meet you while charging at Tesla Superchargers along the way.
Yesterday, less than a month after the wide release of the Summon feature, iOS developer Allen Wong from Rego Apps updated his popular ‘Remote S for Tesla‘ app to allow Model S owners to use the Summon feature with the Apple Watch.
We reported on Wong’s app before, when he managed to start his Model S using Siri on his Apple Watch.
With the latest update to Remote S, not only does the Summon feature work on the Apple Watch — something not possible with Tesla’s official app — but Wong managed to get around the feature’s 39 feet range limitation.
A Tesla currently equipped with the Autopilot hardware needs to be within 39 feet of its final parking spot for the Summon feature to work. In the release note, Wong says that you do not have the same limitation when using the Remote S app, but a recent test shows that the keyfob still needs to be within range of the vehicle.
Update: Allen jumped in the comments and confirmed that if you press the ‘Keyless Start’ button before using the Summon feature, it will remove the need for the keyfob to be near the car.
Watch Model S own Mark Schey try the feature:
You can get the Remote S for Tesla app on the App Store for $10.
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How can tesla’ summons feature be legal? No one is driving the car. What if it is involved in an accident while you are controlling it ? I’m pretty sure the insurance company will say there was no licensed driver in the car and you will be at fault.
It is very cool though.
I know you saw the answer on electrek, but for the benefit of others here it is again:
As of now, it can only be used on private proprieties, hence the getting out of the garage thing. Chances that the car would hit anything on “Summon” is extremely low due to the low speed and use of ultrasonic sensors, but yeah in case of an accident using any of the Autopilot features, the “driver” is at fault because you are supposed to be monitoring the car at all time and press stop if you see any risk.
“Tesla CEO Elon Musk says you will be able to summon your car from across the country and it will come meet you while charging at Tesla Superchargers along the way.” My question is, why would my car be on the other side of the country as I am?? Maybe I took a flight somewhere, but I could get a rental car faster than waiting for my car to drive across country, stopping to charge. I think Elon Musk is an awesome person, but this idea is ridiculous.
Well obviously the statement is to illustrate the capacity. But you imagine plenty of possibilities like buying the car and have it delivered itself from the factory.
My parents are retired and spend the winter months in Florida. They’d love to fly down and have their car follow them down.
why is it ridiculous? it’s just the logical end to the idea: to get your car to come to you ~wherever~ you are.
Running over old people at intersections and smashing kids who wander out in the street chasing after a ball as it tries to get to you cross country.
We already have old people that step on the GAS instead of the BREAK and go running over crowds of people! A kid wondering into the street going after a ball, how many people have said they didn’t see the kid? Or not enough time to react? I think the Self driving car would be better. The days of having old people having to freedom to get around because now their car is doing the driving and not them would be great. I hear how it sucks getting your licence taken away after driving all your life. No longer having the freedom you once did. Quite frankly, self driving cars can’t come fast enough and get into all cars. The roads would be a safer place.
The keyfob doesn’t need to be within range of the vehicle. If you press the Keyless Start button before using the Summon features, it will remove the need for the keyfob to be near the car. You can truly summon the car from anywhere in the world, because I’ve removed the requirement by Tesla to turn on your iPhone’s GPS and be near the car to activate Summon features.
thanks. I updated the article (and the one on Electrek) to add your comment.
I’m not really sure what the point of that is, but it’s pretty cool.