Tesla's New Automations Feature — Apple Shortcuts for Your Car | Taha Abbasi

Taha Abbasi dives into Tesla’s newest software revelation: a native Automations feature that could bring Apple Shortcuts-style functionality directly to your Tesla. For owners who have long relied on third-party APIs and Home Assistant workarounds, this is a game-changer.

Tesla Building Native Automations

Tesla is developing a built-in automations system that will allow owners to create custom workflows triggered by specific conditions. Think of it as Apple Shortcuts, but for your car. Arrive at work? Automatically close the garage, turn off Sentry Mode, and set climate to eco. Leave after sunset? Turn on headlights, preheat the cabin, and unlock the charge port.

This feature was discovered in the Tesla app code by the team at Not a Tesla App, revealing a framework for condition-based triggers and automated actions that goes far beyond the current scheduled charging and departure features.

What Automations Could Include

Based on the code analysis, Taha Abbasi expects the automations framework to support triggers like:

• Location-based: Arriving at or leaving specific locations
• Time-based: Scheduled actions at specific times or days
• State-based: Battery level thresholds, parking/driving transitions
• Weather-based: Temperature triggers for climate preconditioning

Actions could include climate control, charging management, Sentry Mode toggling, window and frunk operations, and potentially integration with Tesla Energy products like Powerwall and Solar.

Why This Matters

Until now, Tesla owners who wanted automation had to get creative. The most common approach involved using Tesla’s unofficial API through platforms like Home Assistant, Tessie, or TeslaFi. While powerful, these solutions require technical knowledge, ongoing subscription costs, and rely on reverse-engineered APIs that Tesla could break at any time.

A native solution from Tesla, as Taha Abbasi points out, would be more reliable, more accessible to non-technical owners, and fully supported. It would also reduce the security concerns associated with sharing Tesla account credentials with third-party services.

The Smart Home Connection

This feature becomes even more compelling when you consider Tesla’s growing ecosystem. With Powerwall, Solar Roof, Wall Connector, and soon the Tesla robot (Optimus), a unified automations platform could orchestrate your entire energy and transportation infrastructure.

Imagine an automation that detects cheap overnight electricity rates, charges your Cybertruck to 80%, tops off your Powerwall, and preconditions your cabin for your morning commute — all triggered by a single “Goodnight” routine. Taha Abbasi sees this as Tesla’s play to become the smart home platform for the energy-conscious household.

Competition and Context

Other automakers have dabbled in vehicle automations, but none have the software-first DNA that Tesla brings. BMW’s Connected Drive and Mercedes’ MBUX offer some programmable features, but they lack the depth and flexibility that Tesla’s approach promises. The closest analog in the automotive world is Rivian’s software platform, but even Rivian hasn’t announced native automation capabilities at this level.

When to Expect It

The feature appears to be in early development, with no official announcement from Tesla. Based on the code discovery and typical Tesla development cycles, Taha Abbasi estimates a beta rollout in the second half of 2026, likely starting with a limited set of triggers and expanding over time through OTA updates.

Source: Not a Tesla App

About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy