Skip to main content

Tesla’s self-parking feature, Summon, is now available on the Model 3

Tesla Model 3After months of waiting, Tesla Model 3 owners can now get the Summon parking feature, which has been available on the Model S and Model X for some time. Summon allows a car to park itself without anyone in it. The feature allows cars to be parked in tight spaces where the doors can’t be opened, and also creates plenty of opportunities for showing off.

Tesla confirmed the news in a tweet responding to a video showing a Model 3 maneuvering itself into a tight garage. CEO Elon Musk replied to the Tesla tweet, noting that “no one is in the car or controlling remotely. Car is driving entirely by itself.”

Recommended Videos

Summon is part of an over-the-air software update for the Model 3 Tesla announced late last month. Cars must have Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assist system and its requisite hardware suite in order for Summon to work, but it seems likely that most Model 3s built so far are so equipped.

The software update also adds Wi-Fi access and Cabin Overheat Protection, which automatically prevents the interior temperature from exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 12 hours after the driver exits the vehicle. Given the Model 3’s vast expanse of glass, which can let in a lot of heat, that is probably a handy feature to have.

Tesla recently reached a major Model 3 production milestone. The company has been aiming to produce 5,000 of the electric cars per week, but pushed the deadline back multiple times. Tesla said it produced 5,031 Model 3s in the final week of the second quarter, just barely achieving its goal. The company built a total of 53,339 cars in the second quarter, of which 28,578 were Model 3s. Tesla said this was the first time Model 3 production has exceeded combined production of the Model S and Model X.

The company is now aiming to build 6,000 Model 3s a week as it continues working to fill a backlog of reservations (estimated at around 420,000 at the end of the second quarter) and fulfill Musk’s dream of becoming a high-volume automaker. But to achieve the 5,000-unit goal, Tesla took some unusual steps, like setting up an assembly line in a tent outside its Fremont, California, factory. Tesla said that was just a move to achieve its production goal more quickly, but it led analysts to question whether the company can build 5,000 cars a week consistently.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Tesla to begin production on new, more affordable models
Tesla Model 3

With competition increasing from Chinese and other automakers, Tesla boss Elon Musk revealed on Tuesday that his company is planning to begin production of new, more affordable models in “early 2025, if not late this year.” Notably, that's earlier than the previously stated date of late 2025, though whether Musk actually succeeds in meeting the earlier production time frame is another question entirely.

The news came as Tesla released its latest quarterly figures. Revenue for the electric vehicle maker came in at $21.3 billion, down from the $23.3 billion it reported for the same three-month period a year earlier and also down from the $25.2 billion reported in the previous quarter. Profit reached $1.1 billion, marking a 55% fall compared to the same period a year ago.

Read more
Tech giant reveals nice price for new EV to take on Tesla
Xiaomi's first electric car, the SU7.

Xiaomi's first electric car, the SU7. Xiaomi

Tesla already has a tough time in China competing with local auto behemoth BYD, but a new arrival in the electric vehicle market is set to make things even more challenging for the Elon Musk-led automaker.

Read more
Tesla faces new rival as a tech giant launches its first EV
Xiaomi's first electric car, the SU7.

Previous

Next

Read more