Tesla’s Trip Planner has received a significant overhaul with a substantial rewrite of the software’s backend, resulting in more accurate predictions and unlocking new features that make road-tripping even easier.
For years, Tesla owners have relied on the Trip Planner to optimize routes, estimate battery usage, and locate charging stations. However, environmental factors such as wind, speed variations, and terrain occasionally caused discrepancies in arrival state-of-charge (SoC) predictions.
With this recent update, which appears to have come with the release of software update 2024.33.35, also known as FSD v12.5.6.3, Tesla has refined the algorithms powering the Trip Planner.
According to a report from Dan Burkland on X, who frequently takes long trips in challenging conditions in the midwestern US, the updates have given Trip Planner remarkable improvement in prediction accuracy.
Burkland says the Trip Planner estimated their arrival SoC within a single percentage point, even while driving 9 mph above the speed limit—a notable difference compared to past experiences where estimates could deviate by as much as 10%.
These updates were confirmed by Cybertruck lead engineer, Wes Morrill, who also revealed the rewrite unlocks additional functionality for Tesla owners. One of these is the ability to set a desired arrival SoC. This allows users to customize their trip planning experience by specifying how much battery charge they want upon reaching their destination.
For example, a road trip to a remote location can now be planned with a buffer charge in mind, or drivers can prioritize faster charging stops or aim to maximize efficiency based on their specific needs.
