Tesla adds nifty feature to help keep drivers aware of air quality

Tesla has added a nifty new feature to its vehicles to help keep drivers aware of the outside air quality. This will bolster the already robust entertainment center with a more well-rounded suite.

Tesla is now letting drivers in the U.S. know if the air quality around them in the area they’re traveling is poor. Added with Software Version 2024.26 earlier this month, the new feature will display an alert if air quality is subpar.

The automaker has offered this feature to drivers in China for some time, with one slight difference. According to Not a Tesla App, the drivers are constantly told what the air quality index (AQI) is outside, even if the air rating is high.

Air quality awareness has been a focal point of Tesla ever since it added several distinct modes to its vehicles in the past, including Bioweapon Defense Mode, which works in conjunction with the HEPA filtration system to strip any outside pollen, bacteria, or pollution from getting into the cabin of the vehicle.

Tesla shows off its super-effective HEPA filter and Bioweapon Defense Mode in crazy new test

Tesla describes the feature on its website:

“The end result is a filtration system hundreds of times more efficient than standard automotive filters, capable of providing the driver and her passengers with the best possible cabin air quality no matter what is happening in the environment around them.”

HEPA has not been put into all four Tesla vehicles, as it is currently only standard in the Model S and Model X. The Model Y features the HEPA filter and Bioweapon Defense Mode as well, but came well after the S and X were equipped.

There are third-party and aftermarket HEPA filters available for the Model 3, but they do not feature the Bioweapon Defense Mode that Tesla has flexed for several years.

Now, the presence of an AQI alert system will give drivers more awareness regarding the quality of air around them, and could help make them more cognizant of when disasters, like wildfires, and their impact as polluted air spreads.

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