Tesla has rolled out an update to enhance a key safety feature in vehicles equipped with the Media Control Unit 1 (MCU1), providing older models with access to a crash avoidance feature that’s now standard on newer cars. The MCU1 was standard on Model S and Model X vehicles from 2013 to 2018, and Tesla has been gradually upgrading these older models with new features to bring them closer to modern standards.
One of the latest improvements is an upgrade to Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), which now works at speeds of 100 MPH or more and even in reverse. Tesla originally added AEB to MCU1 vehicles in the 2023.12 software update, but this new update makes the feature more effective. According to Tesla’s release notes, AEB will now apply the brakes if an object is detected while reversing, not just when driving forward.
Reports suggest that Tesla may have included AEB to respond to perpendicular vehicles, which could help prevent accidents from vehicles running red lights or cutting off the driver. Additionally, Forward Collision Warnings (FCW) with haptic, audible, and visual alerts are now available with the FSD v12 update for MCU1 vehicles, though these features were not explicitly mentioned in Tesla’s release notes.
Tesla continues to enhance its legacy vehicles with modern safety features, giving owners of older models a taste of the latest technology. These updates reflect Tesla’s commitment to improving the safety and functionality of its vehicles, even those that have been on the road for several years.
