Tesla’s new holiday update will finally give people the ability to use a new Boombox mode, which can broadcast custom audio on the outside of the car (hence the name). As is common with new Tesla features, Boombox combines real utility with lowbrow humor: owners can use fart and goat sounds in lieu of normal, boring honking sounds car horns usually make.
The mode rolled out with a number of other updates as part of Tesla’s firmware 2020.48.26 update, and is something Tesla fans have eagerly anticipated. In the new mode, which can be seen at the timestamped section in the video below, several sounds are available for Tesla owners through the Toybox section they can use in place of a regular horn: goat baaing, applause, a little “tada” clip, someone speaking posh and, of course, the fart.
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While Tesla owners have been able to create fart sounds inside the car for some time, the Boombox mode effectively allows people with more recent models to use the built-in speaker that blasts audio to poor unsuspecting people outside of the car. Tesla cars manufactured after September 1st , 2019 have the speaker built-in. The speakers were added because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “required electric cars that were silent to omit some noise to alert pedestrians,” according to Teslarati. Here’s a description of what Boombox mode does, thanks to Teslarati:
Turn your car into a boombox and entertain a crowd with your media player when parked. You can also customize the sound your car makes when you press the horn, drive the car or when your car is moving with Summon. Select an option from the dropdown menu or insert your own USB device and save up to five custom sounds.
Farting isn’t just reserved for honking. An update to Tesla’s “Emissions Testing Mode,” which is code for fart sequencing, means cars can now fart whenever, and people outside won’t be able to escape the sounds. Teslarati adds:
Emissions Testing Mode can be used outside the car. To setup, select your desired sound and place the cushion on the external speaker. When ready, play selected sound by pressing the left scroll wheel button or using the turn signal. To access, tap the Application Launcher > Toybox > Emissions Testing Mode.
Alongside being able to fart, people can also use Tesla’s Boombox feature to harass neighbors in other ways. For example, now a Tesla can emit the same sound as an ice cream truck, based on the video above. So if someone really wants to play a cruel prank on kids this summer, just drive around the neighborhood playing a jovial song that makes children think of ice cream cones and popsicles.
Being able to upload five tracks also means people can drive their Tesla vehicles around town with whatever audio they want, apparently. When one person asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk if they could drive their car to Ludacris’ classic ‘00s hit, “Move Bitch,” Musk pointed to the custom upload option.
There are plenty of other additions that came with this year’s holiday update. Car owners have access to three new games — The Battle of Polytopia, Cat Quest, and Solitaire — they can play while parked. Supercharge display improvements and scheduled departure improvements are also included in the firmware update. A full list of updates can be read on Reddit.
Maybe it’s the holiday spirit in me, but allowing your car to fart properly is quite beautiful. It’s like something ripped right out of Shrek — better out than in!
