3 Tesla Features Worth Knowing: Adaptive Headlights, Trip Planner and Camp Mode

Quick Read

• This week's three Tesla features are the automatic exterior lights with Adaptive Headlights, Trip Planner and Camp Mode.

• Tesla's exterior lights reset to Auto at the start of every drive and turn on by themselves in low light or whenever the wipers are running.

• Trip Planner adds Supercharger stops to long routes and warms the battery on the way so it charges faster, a step Tesla's cold weather guide recommends.

• Camp Mode keeps the climate, USB ports and touchscreen running while you stay in the parked car, but it also turns off Sentry Mode and the alarm.

Welcome back to our weekly Tesla features column. Every Tuesday we pick three Tesla features, explain what they do, show you how to use them and add a tip for driving in the Willamette Valley. Last week we covered Pet Mode, scheduled preconditioning and Sentry Mode. With daylight saving time ending Nov. 1 and the rain settling in, this week is about the lights you will lean on after dark, the planning tool that keeps a cold-weather road trip on schedule, and a mode for when you just want to stay put and stay warm.

Menu paths can shift a little between software versions, and some features depend on your car's hardware, so if something looks different on your screen, check the owner's manual for your model. We link to Tesla's own manual pages throughout.

1. Auto headlights and Adaptive Headlights

What it does: Your Tesla's exterior lights, meaning the headlights, tail lights, side marker lights, parking lights and license plate lights, are set to Auto each time you start the car. In Auto, they turn on by themselves when you are driving in low light or whenever the wipers are running, according to Tesla's Model 3 manual. Adaptive Headlights handles the high beams. On cars that support it, Tesla says the beam adjusts automatically, so when traffic approaches with your high beams on, individual pixels of the high beams dim to reduce glare. The headlights also adjust to curves in the road ahead for better visibility at night. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) page notes that some vehicles have Auto High Beam instead.

What's new: Adaptive high beams were available in Europe first. Not a Tesla App reported that the pixel-dimming high beams finally arrived in the U.S. and Canada with the 2025 Spring Update, software 2025.14, after an earlier update brought curve-following headlights to North America.

How to turn it on:

• Leave the exterior lights on Auto. If you pick a different setting, the car goes back to Auto on your next drive.

• Touch Controls > Lights to check Adaptive Headlights. Tesla says it is on by default and turns on at the start of each drive. If you turn it off, it comes back on whenever you engage Autosteer or Full Self-Driving (Supervised).

• To latch the high beams on in a newer Model 3 with steering wheel buttons, press and hold the high beam button on the left side of the wheel until the timer on the screen finishes. A quick press flashes them. On cars with a turn signal stalk, push the stalk away from you, according to the 2017 to 2023 Model 3 manual.

• For a dark driveway, turn on Controls > Lights > Headlights After Exit. The exterior lights stay on for up to a minute after you park in low light, or until you lock the car.

Which models: Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y manuals describe Auto exterior lights and Adaptive Headlights, with the caveat that availability depends on market, configuration and software. Not a Tesla App says the pixel-dimming high beams need matrix headlights, found on newer Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y vehicles but not the Cybertruck. Its tip for spotting matrix headlights: look for a large, round projector dome on the outer edge of the headlight.

Tip: Tesla's manual warns that the rear tail lights are off while only the daytime running lights are on, and tells drivers to make sure the headlights and rear lights are on when it is dark, foggy or the road is wet. Auto covers you once the wipers start, but on a misty valley morning when the wipers aren't running yet, glance at the headlight indicator on the screen. Also expect Adaptive Headlights to hold off on high beams at low speeds, in well-lit areas and in heavy traffic, so they may stay low until you are out of town on a dark road like Highway 22 heading into the Santiam Canyon. Tesla calls the feature a convenience only, and you are still responsible for using the right lights.

2. Trip Planner and Supercharging

What it does: If your destination is farther than your battery can take you, Trip Planner routes you through Superchargers and picks the stops and charging times that keep total driving and charging time as short as possible, according to Tesla's navigation guide. The turn-by-turn list shows each Supercharger stop, how long to charge there and how much energy you should have when you arrive. While you charge, the screen shows how much longer you need to reach your next stop or destination, and later stops adjust if you charge longer or shorter. If a Supercharger on your route has an outage, Trip Planner notifies you and tries to reroute you to another one.

The cold-weather bonus: When you navigate to a Supercharger, the car warms its battery on the way so it arrives at the right temperature to charge, which cuts charging time, Tesla says. This is separate from the departure preconditioning we covered last week.

What's new: The 2026 Summer Update, software 2026.26, lets you set your desired arrival energy for any trip from the Tesla app and adds the ability to find Superchargers by name in the car's destination search, according to the release notes posted by Not a Tesla App.

How to turn it on:

• Touch Controls > Navigation > Trip Planner. Once you are navigating, you can also reach it from the map's settings icon.

• Enter your destination. If charging is needed, Supercharger stops are added automatically. Touch Remove all charging stops for directions only, or Add charging stops to bring them back.

• To arrive with more cushion, touch Set Arrival % in the direction list (if available) and use the slider.

• You can also plan the trip on your phone. In the Tesla app's Location tab, enter a destination, use Edit Trip to add stops and Set Arrival Energy to pick your arrival charge, then send it to the car. The release notes say Set Arrival Energy requires app version 4.58.0 or later. Tesla's mobile app page covers the rest.

• Trip Planner won't route you to non-Tesla fast chargers on its own. To see them on the map, turn on Controls > Navigation > Third-Party Charging Stations, then add one to your route by hand.

Which models: Trip Planner is part of Tesla's built-in navigation where it is available, and the Summer Update release notes list the arrival energy feature for the Model S, 3, X, Y and Cybertruck.

Tip: For a fall trip from Salem to Bend over Santiam Pass, or out to the coast, set the Supercharger as your destination early. In its cold weather guide, Tesla recommends navigating to the charger with Trip Planner for at least 30 to 45 minutes before you arrive so the battery is warm and ready. If the drive is shorter than that, warm the car before you leave. A blue snowflake on the screen means some battery energy is unavailable because the battery is cold, and charging can be slower. Tesla also notes that tires lose about 1 PSI for every 10 degree drop in outside temperature, and that seat heaters use less energy than the cabin heater, so check your tire pressure before heading up into colder country and lean on the seat heaters to stretch your range.

3. Camp Mode

What it does: Camp Mode keeps the climate system running while the car is in Park and you stay inside. It also keeps the USB ports and low-voltage outlet powered and the touchscreen on, so you can play music, browse the internet, play games in the Arcade or watch shows in Tesla Theater, according to Tesla's climate controls page. Tesla says it is ideal for camping or staying in the car with a child. While Camp Mode is on, Sentry Mode and the alarm system are off and Walk-Away Door Lock doesn't work.

How to turn it on:

• Make sure the car is not in Low Power Mode.

• Shift into Park. Camp Mode is only available in Park.

• Set the temperature you want, then touch Camp Mode on the climate controls screen.

• From your phone, open the Tesla app's Climate screen and swipe up from the gray bar to find Camp Mode.

• To turn it off, shift out of Park or turn it off in the climate controls.

Which models: Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y manuals describe Camp Mode, and Not a Tesla App's Camp Mode guide says it is a standard feature on Tesla vehicles and doesn't require Premium Connectivity to control from the app.

Tip: Because the alarm and auto-lock are off in Camp Mode, lock the doors from the touchscreen before you settle in for the night, Not a Tesla App suggests. Its guide estimated Camp Mode typically uses roughly 10% of the battery over eight hours, more in cold weather, and its comparison says the climate modes shut off if the battery reaches 20%. The Tesla app will notify you if the climate turns off for any reason, and software updates won't install while Camp Mode is on. If your campsite on the way to Crater Lake has power, plug in. It is also a comfortable way to wait out a downpour at a coast pullout or a rainy youth soccer practice. If you are stepping away and leaving the dog in the car, use Pet Mode instead, which displays the cabin temperature on the screen for passersby.

Next Tuesday

That's three more. A new column runs every Tuesday morning in our EV & Tech section, and we won't repeat a feature. Have a Tesla feature you want explained? Let us know in the comments.

Cover photo: A red 2023 Tesla Model 3. Photo: Willamette News.