Recently, Tesla officially released the 2025 holiday software update. The most eye-catching feature is the deep integration of the Grok chatbot from xAI into the vehicle's navigation system: drivers just need to voice their requests, and Grok can add or edit multiple destinations in sequence, with the route nodes visualized on the central display. The official calls it "your personal guide."

 Voice is destination, multi-segment route generated with one click

Usage method: Press the steering wheel voice button for a long time or click the in-car app launcher, then say "Find a coffee shop nearby that doesn't require waiting," and Grok will automatically plan a multi-segment route and support subsequent additions or deletions.

Personal mode: Users can switch between "Storyteller," "Assistant Mode," or "Unhinged" to determine the response style.

Hardware requirements: Only supports models equipped with AMD infotainment processors and system versions ≥2025.26 (Model S/3/X/Y and Cybertruck), requires a Premium Connectivity subscription or Wi-Fi connection.

Tesla q

 Not only navigation, the holiday update is full of AI features

Enhanced dash cam: Real-time overlay of speed, steering angle, and Autopilot status on the video, providing "data evidence" for accident liability.

Pet mode monitoring: The in-car camera automatically takes pictures and sends temperature and battery level to iPhone's activity feed in real time, allowing owners to check their pet's status anytime.

Photo booth & light show: The in-car camera supports filters and stickers, and also unlocks Christmas-themed light animations, enhancing the "third space" social attributes.

 Strategic significance: xAI ecosystem enters the "vehicle end"

This is the first time Grok has reached the vehicle control layer since its launch in July. Although it does not directly control the air conditioning or windows, it has entered the navigation decision-making chain, laying the groundwork for future FSD and conversational route planning.

Tesla plans to expand the Grok navigation Beta to more models and regions in Q1 2026. In the future, it may combine predictive maintenance and AI analysis of battery health to form a "driving-diagnosis-recommendation" loop.

Market feedback: Longtime owners are thrilled, hardware requirements spark discussion

On social platforms, the hashtag #TeslaHolidayUpdate had over 120 million views within 24 hours. Longtime owners said "OTA makes the car more valuable again."

Some owners of 2019-2020 models have called for compatibility with Intel processors. Tesla responded that they are "evaluating performance boundaries."

What to watch next

Grok navigation is still in Beta and relies on cloud-based large models. An edge computing version may be implemented in the next generation of vehicles with HW4.0 hardware. AIbase will continue to track its accuracy, latency, and future integration with FSD.