Get Used to Saying “Hey Tesla”!

Tesla takes advantage of the launch of the Model Y L in China to introduce a feature that could transform the onboard experience.

The Tesla Model Y L is a six-seat version of the electric SUV, but it’s not just the interior configuration that grabs attention. This model also introduces a feature that could change the way we use our car, the vocal activation phrase “Hey, Tesla.” Until now, you had to press a button to talk to the built-in assistant. Now, you just have to say these two words to activate Tesla’s AI, similar to how we already do with smart speakers at home.

Where Tesla goes further is in how the car knows who is speaking and where the voice is coming from. Specifically, each seat can be configured to activate or deactivate the assistant. This means that a parent driving can keep control and prevent their adorable children in the back from accidentally interrupting navigation during a critical moment. Yes, it’s a real concern. A sort of integrated parental control designed to make driving more relaxed.

Tesla wants to personalize artificial intelligence

But this seat recognition also paves the way for a more personalized experience. Tesla already offers a child mode and could now activate it automatically based on the occupied seat. The assistant might even be able to track a conversation with multiple passengers by remembering who said what, as if each person had their own profile.

Tesla hasn’t detailed the exact workings, but we know it relies on several microphones placed in the cabin, capable of locating a voice and ignoring others. In the car’s settings, a new menu allows you to decide which seats can activate the voice command and even permit the assistant to continue the conversation without needing to repeat “Hey Tesla” each time.

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For now, this feature is reserved for the Chinese market and the Model Y L. But Elon Musk has already promised that Grok, Tesla’s in-house assistant, will also eventually respond to this keyword. The newest models, like the new Model 3 and Y, seem best positioned to receive this function very soon. The next software update, expected shortly, could well be the starting point.

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