Tesla Model X’s Falcon Wing doors now open and close faster thanks to software update

Tesla’s latest over-the-air Autopilot software update made a number of significant improvements to the vehicle’s semi-autonomous system, including an increasing reliance on radar sensors and a "geocoded whitelist" of objects like road signs and bridges that the radar might otherwise identify as obstacles. But it also includes some cool and previously unmentioned improvements, as discovered by a Tesla Model X owner from Norway.

Bjorn Nyland tested the rate at which the distinctive Falcon Wing doors opened under version 7.1 of the vehicle’s software against the rate under v8.0. He discovered they opened about 1.5 seconds faster after the update, according to a video by Nyland posted on Electrek. The closing speed is also about 2.2 seconds faster.

It’s a pretty minor improvement, but it’s likely to go over well with Model X owners. Earlier this year, Tesla sued the Swiss supplier of the doors, alleging they were prone to overheating (making the doors inoperable), they did not open with speed or symmetry, and they "sagged" beyond tolerance levels. The case was recently settled.

We’ve reached out to Tesla for more information and will update this story if we hear back.

Tesla Model X hands on