Tesla has rolled out version 4.45.0 of its iOS app, and with it comes a long-awaited feature for iPhone users – Live Activity support. Currently, the only Live Activity supported is for Supercharging sessions, bringing real-time charging data directly to the iPhone’s lock screen and your Apple Watch, but this also sets the stage for Tesla’s upcoming robotaxi service.
What Are Live Activities?
Live Activities were introduced by Apple in iOS 16, offering a way for apps to display ongoing, real-time updates on the Lock Screen or in the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models and newer. These updates are perfect for tracking things like food deliveries, ride-share arrivals (hint-hint), sports scores—and now, Supercharging.
To access this new Tesla feature, users must be running iOS 17.2 or higher on a compatible device. For iPhones with a Dynamic Island—such as the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and their non-Pro counterparts—Live Activities appear in both the Dynamic Island and the Lock Screen, depending on device usage. On older models without a Dynamic Island, the information appears solely on the Lock Screen.
What Tesla’s Live Activity Feature Shows
When a Supercharging session begins, the Tesla app now automatically activates a Live Activity showing:
- Time remaining until the charging session completes
- Battery state of charge, displayed as a percentage
- Estimated cost of the charging session
- Charging power (kW)
- Charging speed
- Range or battery % added
This gives Tesla owners real-time insight into their charging process without needing to unlock their phones or open the app, enhancing convenience—especially when waiting in the car or nearby. Here is what the Live Activity for Supercharging looks like on the lock screen (left, up), Dynamic Island (left, down), with support also extending to the Apple Watch (right).
The update is available now in the iOS App Store, and users can check their version by navigating to the iOS App Store. Make sure your device is updated to at least iOS 17.2 to take advantage of this new feature.
Live Activities for Tesla’s Robotaxi Service
In addition to Supercharging updates, Tesla plans to extend Live Activity support to its robotaxi service, set to launch in Austin, Texas, next month. The Tesla app will enable users to request rides, track estimated arrival times, monitor trip progress, and manage ride details directly from their iPhones. Live Activities will provide real-time updates on the Lock Screen, offering information such as vehicle approach, trip duration, and arrival notifications, all without needing to open the app.
The initial rollout of the robotaxi service will feature approximately 10 autonomous Model Y vehicles operating within designated areas of the city. Tesla aims to expand this fleet to around 1,000 vehicles in the following months, depending on the success of the pilot program.
