Unlock & Lock
Your phone is your key – cars have never been this easy
Phone as Key
Install Tesla App
Download the official Tesla App from the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android).
Log in with your Tesla Account
Use the same credentials as on tesla.com. If you don't have one, create an account.
Activate Bluetooth
Your phone connects automatically via Bluetooth to the Tesla – no pairing required.
Just Approach!
Approach the car with your phone in your pocket. The door handles extend automatically (Model S/X) or simply pull the handle (Model 3/Y).
Key Card
To Unlock: Hold to B-Pillar
Hold the Key Card to the B-pillar (between front and rear door) on the driver's side. You'll hear a confirmation tone.
To Start: Place on Center Console
Place the card on the marked area of the center console (under the screen) and press the brake pedal.
To Lock: Hold to B-Pillar Again
After exiting, hold the card briefly to the B-pillar again – done!
Locking – Automatic!
Tesla vehicles have Walk-Away Lock – as soon as you move away with your Phone Key, the car locks automatically. The mirrors fold in, done.
Walk-Away Lock
Automatically after ~30 seconds
Via App
Lock from anywhere
Confirmation
Beep + mirrors fold
Driving – So Easy!
No ignition key, no shifting, no stress – just get in and enjoy
Get In & Drive
Get In
The Tesla automatically recognizes your phone. The screen wakes up, the car is "on" – no start button needed!
Press Brake Pedal
Press the brake pedal – now the selector lever (or touchscreen in newer models) is active.
Select D for Drive
Model 3/Y (older): Press right lever down.
Model 3/Y (new): Tap "D" on the touchscreen or swipe right.
Drive!
Release brake, press gas – and enjoy the immediate torque. Welcome to the future!
P = Park
Press lever or button
R = Reverse
Lever up
N = Neutral
Tap lever briefly
D = Drive
Lever down
The Car Thinks for You
With Tesla, you just focus on driving. Everything else happens automatically – you barely notice, but it just works.
LED Lights
Turns on automatically at dusk – high beams dim themselves
Windshield Wipers
Detect rain via camera and adjust speed automatically
Mirrors
Dim automatically when blinded, fold in when locking
Air Conditioning
Maintains the set temperature constantly – automatically
One-Pedal Driving
When you lift off the gas, the Tesla brakes automatically through regeneration – energy is fed back into the battery. With some practice, you hardly need the brake pedal!
Energy Recovery
Up to 30% more range
Less Wear
Brake pads last forever
More Relaxed Driving
One pedal for everything
Turn Signals & Wipers
Left Lever = Turn Signals
Up: Left signal | Down: Right signal | Press: High beams
Left Lever – End Button
Press: Single wipe | Hold: Wipers + water
Assistance Systems (Optional)
Tesla offers many assistance systems that make driving easier. You can use them – but don't have to. Each system can be activated or deactivated individually.
Autopilot
Maintains lane and distance on the highway – you just monitor
Collision Warning
Warns and brakes automatically in danger
Lane Keeping Assist
Gently steers back if you leave the lane
Parking Assist
360° cameras and sensors show every angle
The Touchscreen
Your command center – everything in one place
Screen Overview
The 15-inch touchscreen works just like your smartphone – swipe, tap, zoom. Usually, you set everything once (seat, mirrors, steering wheel, climate) and don't have to touch it again. The car remembers everything under your driver profile.
Left Half
Vehicle visualization, speedometer, navigation
Right Half
Apps, music, climate, settings
Bottom Bar
Quick access: Climate, seat heating, defrost
Top Status Bar
Time, temperature, Bluetooth, LTE
Swipe from bottom: App launcher
Two-finger zoom: Zoom in map
The Most Important Functions
Air Conditioning
Tap the temperature display at the bottom. Here you can control temperature, ventilation, seat heating, and even steering wheel heating.
Navigation
Tap the search bar at the top and enter your destination. The Tesla calculates the route including charging stops automatically!
Music & Media
Spotify, TuneIn, podcasts – all integrated. Connect your Spotify account under "Media" → "Settings".
Cameras
Tap the camera icon to see all exterior cameras – perfect for parking and dashcam recordings.
Comfort Settings
Tap the car icon at the bottom left – here you'll find all vehicle settings. Once perfectly set, your Tesla remembers everything under your driver profile.
Seat Heating
All seats! 3 levels, also for passenger & rear
Seat Ventilation
Perfect in summer – cool back guaranteed
Mirrors
Electric adjustment, auto-fold, auto-dim
Steering Wheel
Height & depth electric, heating, save position
Charging – Easier than Refueling
At home, on the go, at Supercharger – how to charge properly
At Home
Like your smartphone: Just plug in at night, full in the morning. With a wallbox or even a regular household outlet – slow, but sufficient overnight.
Supercharger
Tesla's own fast charging network. 15 min = 300 km. Just plug in – payment runs automatically via your Tesla account. Often cheaper than third-party providers, especially off-peak. Prices shown in navigation!
Public
Ionity, EnBW, Allego and thousands more stations. All current Teslas have the European CCS connector – fits everywhere without adapter!
How to Charge Properly
Open Charge Port
Press briefly on the charge port (rear right) or tap the lightning icon on the screen. At Superchargers, it opens automatically when plugging in!
Plug in Cable
Plug in until it clicks. Green flashing indicates: Charging started!
Monitor Charge Status
On the screen you'll see: Current level, estimated time to desired charge, and charging power.
Unplug Cable
Press the button on the plug and pull out. Charge port closes automatically when driving off.
Tesla vs. Competition
Model 3 & Model Y in direct comparison with BMW, Audi & Mercedes
Why Tesla?
Tesla offers not only more range and cheaper charging costs, but also unique features like the frunk, over-the-air updates and the Supercharger network. The German premium brands have caught up – but Tesla remains ahead in many areas.
A "Frunk" is a Front Trunk – so a trunk in front under the hood. Since electric cars don't have a large combustion engine, Tesla uses this space for additional storage. Perfect for wet items, charging cables or valuables – separate from the main luggage!
Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, Cybertruck & more – with all variants, prices and image galleries for each trim!
→ View Tesla Fleet
Model 3 vs. Sedans
Tesla Model 3
Long Range
BMW i4
eDrive40
Mercedes EQE
300
Electric vs. Gasoline vs. Diesel over 5 years? → To Cost Calculator
Model Y vs. SUVs
Tesla Model Y
Long Range AWD
Audi Q4 e-tron
50 quattro
Mercedes EQA
250+
With over 1,000 liters total storage and flat loading floor, the Model Y offers double the space of comparable premium SUVs. The frunk even fits a carry-on suitcase!
Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, Cybertruck, Cybercab, Optimus – all variants with prices, specs & image galleries!
→ To Complete Tesla Fleet
Tesla Exclusive Advantages
Supercharger
World's largest fast charging network – plug in & done, no app
OTA Updates
New features free via WiFi – your car gets better instead of older
Frunk
Additional front storage – up to 117 liters extra
FSD-Ready
Hardware for autonomous driving built-in from factory
Tesla is often cheaper than combustion engines: Lower electricity costs, hardly any maintenance (no oil changes, brake pads last forever thanks to regeneration), and better resale value.
→ Calculate Costs Now
The Future: FSD
Full Self-Driving – from parking spot to parking spot, fully automatic
FSD Supervised (Today)
FSD Supervised means: The Tesla handles complete driving – gas, brake, steering, signaling. You sit in the driver's seat and monitor. Your task: Look forward and be ready to intervene at any time.
You must sit in the driver's seat, keep your gaze mostly forward, and be able to take over anytime. The system detects via camera if you're paying attention. That's how simple it is!
🚗 What FSD Can Do:
Start: Your Driveway
Reverse out, merge into street
City Navigation
Traffic lights, intersections, roundabouts, crosswalks
Highway
Enter, lane change, overtake, exit
Destination: Parking Spot
Find parking spot and park
📍 Example Trips:
To Work
From your garage in Kassel → through the city → onto A7 → exit Göttingen → into company parking garage. You just sit and watch.
To IKEA
From home → country road → roundabout → highway → IKEA parking lot. The Tesla even finds a free parking space and parks.
On Vacation
500 km to Munich – the Tesla drives, plans charging stops at Supercharger, and you relax (with eyes on the road).
Narrow Old Town
Even through winding alleys, one-way streets and pedestrian zones – FSD navigates everywhere.
Tesla drivers with FSD have, according to Tesla data, 15× fewer accidents than the average driver. The system learns from billions of driven kilometers.
FSD Unsupervised (Future)
FSD Unsupervised is the next level: The car no longer needs a driver in the seat. You summon your car via app – it comes to you. You get out – it parks itself. This is the technology that enables robotaxis.
Summon Car
Via app – it drives to you
Robotaxi Mode
Your Tesla earns money while you sleep
Pick Up Kids
Car drives to school alone
Night Parking
Car parks outside and comes in the morning
FSD Unsupervised is already active in certain areas in the USA (June 2025: Texas & California). In Germany, we're still waiting for approval – but the hardware is built into every new Tesla!
Every Tesla from 2024 has the HW4 hardware for fully autonomous driving built in. When approval comes, you'll get the feature via software update – no workshop visit!
What Do You Need to Do?
Sit in Driver's Seat
Buckle up as usual. You are the "Supervisor" – the watcher.
Enter Destination & Activate FSD
Start navigation, then press the right lever down twice (or in newer models: activate on screen).
Look Forward
The interior camera checks if you're paying attention. You don't have to stare – but look forward regularly. Check phone? Briefly okay. Constantly? System warns you.
Be Ready to Intervene
Hands don't need to be on the wheel, but you must be able to take over anytime. In uncertainty: Just grab the wheel – FSD deactivates immediately.
You sit relaxed in the car, look forward (like a passenger who's watching), and the Tesla does the rest. After a week, it feels completely normal – and you never want to drive yourself again.
Ready for the Future? Experience Tesla Yourself!
Theory is good – practice is better.
Book a free test drive and experience the Tesla feeling.