Tesla 2020.36 software update brings speed limit sign recognition and more [Update]

Tesla has begun deploying its latest software update, 2020.36, and brought with it some different improvements for both the Model 3 and Model S and X vehicles.

Two of the biggest changes are a new green light traffic chime and speed limit sign recognition.

Green Light Traffic Chime (Model S, Model 3, Model X)

Gone are the days of not noticing when a light turns green! According to the release notes, your car will now play a chime when a traffic light you are waiting for changes to green. If you are behind a vehicle the chime will activate when it proceeds. This will happen if you are the one driving, and you have no driver-assist features turned on.

If you have Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control (TLSSC) turned on, the chime will play when you can confirm to proceed through the light.

Be aware this feature is just a notification, your car’s behaviour will not change with this feature turned on.

Speed Assist Improvements (Model 3)

This change so far appears only to be for the Model 3, and it is a big one – speed limit sign recognition.

Earlier Tesla vehicles were once equipped with Mobileye, which could read speed limit signs. That partnership with Tesla ended in 2016, and since then all speed limit information in the vehicle came from map-based data.

With 2020.36, the car’s cameras can now detect speed limit signs to improve the accuracy of speed limit data, especially on smaller, local roads.

According to the release notes posted to Reddit, the signs will be displayed in the visualization as well.

This new feature was teased back in June when Tesla hacker @greentheonly found the code, along with images of the new 3D rendered signs.

Cruise Set Speed Improvements

If you’ve ever tried to adjust the speed on your cruise control by tapping the speed limit sign, you know how easy it is to miss the small icon and have to tap it several times before you hit it just right.

Now all you have to do is tap your much larger speedometer for the change to take effect. If you’re a sucker for punishment, you can still tap the speed limit sign to adjust the speed limit.

Here are the full release notes for the Model 3.

Autosteer Stop Sign and Stop Light Warning (Model S, Model X)

This new feature is just for the Model S and Model X, and will warn you when you have Autosteer active and the vehicle detects you are about to run a stop sign or stop light.

Here are the full 2020.36 release notes for the Model S and Model X.

UPDATE: 2020.36 has started rolling out in Canada, and it unfortunately does not include speed limit sign recognition. You can read more here.

UPDATE: Here are some pictures and videos of the new Speed Assist featuring, detecting speed limit signs, showing them on the visualization, and adjusting the speed limit on the display, almost instantly, even when partly obscured by a tree.