Tesla Adaptive Air Suspension gets more custom controls with the 2020.32.1 OTA update

Tesla is currently rolling out a fresh new over-the-air (OTA) software update 2020.32.1. This latest firmware version has introduced new features as well as improved the old ones, especially the Model S and Model X Adaptive Air Suspension gets better damping controls for each wheel, new visualization, and advanced custom controls.

With the updated controls in the ‘Suspension’ interface on the center touchscreen, Model S and X owners can now have more control over the ‘Ride Height’ and ‘Damping Settings’ of their vehicle.

In this relatively larger software update this year, Tesla has introduced more features like Dynamic Brake Lights, Car Left Open Notifications, Close Windows on Lock, and unlocking the full 250 kW V3 charging for Model S and Model X (see release notes below for details).

Advanced Suspension Settings

These ‘Advanced’ suspension settings are in addition to the existing presets Comfort, Auto, and Advanced.

Ride Height

The custom Ride Height in Advanced suspension settings has four levels that the driver can choose from:

Low (13 cm / 5.11 in)
Standard (14 cm / 5.51 in)
High (16 cm / 6.29 in)
Very High (17 cm / 6.69 in)

Damping Settings

Tesla has added 4 levels of custom damping settings for ‘Ride Comfort’ and ‘Handling’ each. Ride comfort can be set from soft to firm and handling from comfort to sport, giving the users extra control over the vehicle according to their needs — professional drivers can surely benefit from these settings at the track.

With the 2020.32.1 update, Tesla Model S / X users are now able to view real-time suspension damping data as well.

Tesla Advanced Suspension settings interface on the Model S and Model X center touchscreen. Credits: u/AndrasHatvani via TeslaMotors subreddit.

2020.32.1 update release notes explain the Tesla adaptive air suspension improvements (adaptive air suspension comes standard on all current Tesla Model S and Model X variants):

Suspension Improvements
You can now see a real-time visualization of how the suspension system is dynamically adjusting each wheel’s damping to account for changing road conditions. Tap “Show Suspension Data” to get even more real-time information.
Adaptive Suspension Damping now has an ADVANCED setting that allows you to set custom levels of Ride Comfort and Handling in addition to the existing COMFORT, AUTO, and SPORT settings.
We have simplified the Tesla suspension control logic to better support both temporary and more permanent heights. If Ride Height is manually adjusted to High or Very High, your car now automatically lowers after you drive a short distance. For snowy or off-road conditions, tap “Keep” next to the Ride Height slider to keep the height at High or Very High until you reach the maximum allowed speed. For steep driveways or places where you repeatedly need a higher ride height, tap “Always Auto-Raise at this Location.” This feature will raise the suspension to the saved height when re-entering the location.
Finally, the suspension system now automatically adjusts between Standard and Low ride heights to optimize ride comfort and range, depending on road type. If you prefer your car to remain lower to the ground, enable “Default Ride Height to Low”.
Note: Jack Mode has been moved to Controls > Service. For additional information about your car’s suspension, please refer to the Owner’s Manual.

These enhancements are one more step towards the Dynamic Air Suspension for the Tesla Cybertruck that Elon Musk said he and his team are working on — the purpose of it is to improve the Cybertruck’s off-roading capabilities and show them off in Baja off-road Motorsport.

We’re working on increasing dynamic air suspension travel for better off-roading. Needs to kick butt in Baja.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 16, 2020

2020.32.1 Release Notes and Features

Car Left Open Notifications

A mobile notification will be sent if the trunk, the front trunk, or any door is left open for over ten minutes. If all doors and trunks are locked, a notification will be sent if any window or the sunroof is detected to be open ten minutes after leaving the car.
A mobile notification will be sent if the trunk, the front trunk, or any door is left open for over ten minutes. If all doors and trunks are locked, a notification will be sent if any window is detected to be open ten minutes after leaving the car.
To adjust which notifications get sent, tap Controls > Locks > Car Left Open Notifications. Notifications will not be sent when the car is at Home if “Exclude Home” is selected.

Close Windows on Lock

Your car can now automatically roll up your windows when it is locked. To enable this setting, tap Controls > Locks > Close Windows on Lock.

Both of these features are demonstrated in the following video by a Tesla Model 3 owner:

Supercharger Improvements

Your car is now able to charge at V3 Superchargers at up to 250kW peak rates. As usual, when you navigate to a Supercharger, your car will condition its battery during the drive, so it can charge faster.

Tesla Powerwall Coordination

Your car coordinates with Powerwall for enhanced charging during a power outage, without exceeding the energy and power capabilities of your Powerwall system. Powerwall continuously responds to the changing power needs of your home and will slow or stop your car’s charging, keeping your home loads powered.
During a power outage, your car will charge from the Powerwall whenever it is above the threshold set in the Tesla mobile app. You can change this threshold to balance your home and transportation energy needs, putting you in full control of your energy ecosystem. Powerwall can also use surplus solar to charge your vehicle during an outage if you keep your car plugged in while the sun is shining.
This release brings support to more Tesla vehicles and was initially released for some vehicles in April 2020.

Dynamic Brake Lights

If you are driving over 50 km/h (31 mph) and brake forcefully, the brake lights will now flash quickly to warn other drivers that your car is rapidly slowing down. If your car stops completely, the hazard warning lights will flash until you press the accelerator or manually press the hazard warning lights button to turn them off.
Written release notes courtesy of TeslaScope.com