Tesla update turns horn sounds into farts

It uses the external speaker to project noise at other motorists and pedestrians

Tesla Model S.jpg

TESLA cars have been able to create fart sounds inside the cabin for some time – now they can share that ‘talent’ with the wider public.

The facility to fart at other drivers and pedestrians as its horn arrives with providing a new ‘Boombox’ feature that can broadcast custom audio.

 If the sound of the expulsion of intestinal gas doesn’t captivate, it can also make lots of other sounds - a baaing goat, applause, ‘La Cucaracha’ and a number of others; even someone speaking posh.

The facility to broadcast alternate noises in lieu of normal honking sounds car horns usually make rolled out with a number of other updates as part of Tesla’s firmware 2020.48.26 update, though it’ll only work if the speakers are fitted, which occurs during assembly.  

US media have reported that Tesla cars manufactured after September 1, 2019, have the speaker built in. 

The sound menu is basically endless, because in addition to the pre-loaded standard sounds, Tesla allows you to upload up to five custom sounds into the system.

The broadcast mechanism is an enhanced version of the external speaker mounted toward the front of the car that is normally used to emit a humming sound to alert pedestrians that a vehicle is nearby.

Most EVs emits a low frequency sound at low speeds, but Tesla is the first automaker to apply extracurricular noises to this piece, reports America’s Autoblog website.

It says  Tesla began to install these speakers on its cars at some point in 2019, so you’ll need a newer Tesla to take advantage of this update. 

The site says Tesla owners will be able to activate their noises of choice by simply pressing the horn once they set it up in the car’s infotainment system.

It understands rhe cars make these noises via the horn press when the vehicle is at a standstill, but will sound the traditional horn when moving, for safety’s sake. After all, as Autoblog notes, “farting at a semi-truck moving into your lane on the highway probably won’t do much of anything.”

However, anybody on the side of the road or walking along near a stopped Tesla will be subject to whatever whimsy the driver decides to cook up.

Autoblog notes that America’s federal and state regulations surrounding horn use in passenger cars are “shockingly light” for a safety feature.

“There’s no federal requirement for a horn or horn sound, though the placement of the horn button is regulated — it must be designated with a clear symbol/marking if it’s not activated by pressing the steering wheel.”

Also included in the latest updates are improvements to the driving visualizer, cabin preconditioning when unplugged, Supercharger display enhancements and new games. The new games include The Battle of Polytopia, Cat Quest and Solitaire.