A new over-the-air software update for the Tesla Model X recently went through, reportedly improving the obstacle detection ability of the much-vaunted falcon-wing doors and the rear liftgate.
The new update — v7.1 (2.24.78) — is the second in recent times that has attempted to address lingering operational problems with the falcon-wing doors. Granted, a great many Model X owners seemingly have no complaints about the doors — but for other owners, the doors haven’t quite lived up to the hype (as of yet, anyways).
Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented during the company’s most recent shareholder meeting that next over-the-air software updates would be addressing remaining problems with the doors.
“The software that controls the Model X and the operation of the doors has been incredibly difficult to refine,” Musk commented at the meeting. “I think we’re almost there in making the doors useful.”
“Digging ourselves out of the hole has been quite, quite hard. I think with the software release that’s going out shortly and then the other one that’s going out in a month or so, I think finally we’ll be at a point where the doors will be better than normal doors as opposed to worse.”
As noted in the coverage from Teslarati, the newest update means that the “Model X will limit how high the doors and rear liftgate will open when it detects low overhead clearance. Building on previous features that allows the vehicle to save ride height settings by location, the new software update will allow Model X to save door height settings by location.”
Another change is the option of opening “the driver’s front door through the key fob. Currently, the unique self-presenting front doors can be closed either by proximity detection to the key fob (when walking away) and via a press of a button (see video). However opening the doors requires either a manual press of a recessed door button or being within a finite distance of the vehicle.”
The reason for the change concerning the limiting of door opening-height with the detection of low overhead clearance is, of course, that there have been reports of damage to doors following collision with undetected objects overhead (roof beams, etc.).
Hopefully, this latest update solves that lingering issue.