Tesla’s Smart Summon feature, officially known as Actually Smart Summon (ASS), is set to receive long-awaited upgrades that will allow it to function more effectively in multi-level parking garages. The enhancement will likely roll out as part of the company’s next major software milestone, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) version 14.
The news came directly from Elon Musk, who responded to a Tesla owner’s post on X (formerly Twitter). The owner praised Smart Summon’s usefulness in surface parking lots but noted its limitations in multi-level structures:
“This works very well in a surface parking lot. In a multi-level garage (where it is most useful) you’re going to be extraordinarily frustrated. Extreme first world problem but an altitude sensor would be incredible to add to Tesla for this purpose (and to make it possible to use FSD reliably in garages).”
In typical Musk fashion, the CEO replied with a brief but telling statement: “Not for long.”
Why Multi-Level Parking is a Challenge
Smart Summon was first introduced in 2019, allowing Teslas to autonomously navigate parking lots to pick up their owners. While it has steadily improved over the years, one of the more significant limitations has been elevation awareness. In multi-level garages, vehicles struggle to recognize ramps, identify the correct floor, and safely maneuver in tight spaces with limited GPS signal.
The addition of altitude detection—or similar sensor-based improvements—would allow Tesla vehicles to navigate these environments with far greater accuracy. This upgrade could mark one of the biggest leaps for Smart Summon since its launch.
Part of the FSD v14 Rollout?
Tesla is currently preparing to release FSD v14 this week, which Musk has described as a transformative update in which the car will soon feel sentient. Early details point to smoother driving from higher camera refresh rates, the ability to navigate uncharted roads, improved parking capabilities, and the phasing out of traditional Autopilot in favour of an FSD-based “Autosteer.”
Another Smart Summon enhancement that could be included with v14 is Banish, or essentially, the reverse of Smart Summon. This feature, which has been teased since v12 was released in early 2024, is when the car will drop off the owner and then drive away autonomously to park itself.
