Can Your Tesla Park Itself in Your Garage?

Teslas are known as some of the most impressive, next-generation vehicles worldwide. Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, is famous for his innovative approach to countless industries, so it’s no surprise he’s led Tesla toward self-parking vehicles. But can you park your EV in your garage or carport without a scratch?

Your Tesla can park itself in your garage if you activate the Summon mode if you purchased the Full Self Driving package. This setting allows your vehicle to self-park within a preset list of parameters. You can determine how many feet of clearance the vehicle needs. Summon mode is available for Models S, 3, and X, but it’s quickly expanding.

Throughout this article, you’ll also learn the following information about having your Tesla park itself in your garage:

How to adjust the Summon mode in your Tesla
Tips to make your Tesla park itself in your carport or garage
What you should know before you get started

Setting Up Tesla’s Summon Mode for Self-Parking

Whether or not your Tesla can self-park in the garage (not all models can, though recent updates change frequently), it’s a wise idea to know the process when you finally get the update. Fortunately, Tesla has made it quite simple to activate the self-parking mode, also known as the ‘Summon’ mode (soon, this mode will drive the car to you from incredible distances).

Here’s how you can set up the Summon mode in your Tesla so it can park itself in your garage or carport:

Search for the Summon mode (not all Tesla models currently have access to this feature since it’s in beta). You’ll learn more about this process in a couple of steps, but you can go to the settings menu and look for driver’s assistance options to find the Summon mode on most Tesla vehicles.
Ensure your Tesla is updated to at least software version 7.1 (it’s required to use the Summon mode). If you don’t have this update, Silicon Angle suggests you might not be able to self-park your Tesla with this mode. The good news is Tesla models X, S, and 3 can all get this update.
Go through controls to settings, then tap driver’s assistance to autopilot. If your Tesla vehicle can self-park in the garage, you’ll find the Summon mode under the autopilot settings. Make sure you cycle through the menu, or you might miss it. This mode is currently in beta, though it’s expanding to more vehicles.
Adjust the stop distance, connect your Tesla to HomeLink so it can open and close your garage, and choose how narrow the vehicle can park. These settings are unique to your parking space, so never use the default options. In fact, you have to activate this mode since it’s turned off when you buy the vehicle.
Always park your Tesla lined up with the garage to prevent possible difficulties. If you don’t align the vehicle with the garage’s center, it won’t work. TechCrunch shows there are multiple ways to activate the self-parking process, but none of them will function properly if it’s off to the side.

As you can see, it’s easy to set up your Tesla’s autopiloting features. The company has made it straightforward, so anyone can park their vehicle or summon it to them.

If you want to know how you can make your Tesla park itself in your garage with a simple five-step tutorial, proceed to the next section.

How To Make Your Tesla Park Itself in Your Garage

Are you tired of parking your vehicle in your garage? Whether you have problems hitting the back or want to enjoy new-age technology, Tesla has what you’re looking for. As long as you checked the previous section to ensure your vehicle is capable of running the Summon mode, you’re in the right place.

Follow this step-by-step process:

Choose your key fob or the smartphone app on your phone to start the self-parking process. Both methods work just as well, though you’re less limited if you use the key fob. It’s almost much more convenient since you already likely have your keys on hand after driving and parking in the driveway.
Consider placing lines on the garage floor so you can align the vehicle beforehand. Although it’s unnecessary, this suggestion will let you line it up so that your vehicle doesn’t have to avoid the edges. The dimension settings will prevent it from adjusting the angle, too.
Hold the middle button on the key fob (or the corresponding smartphone app button) until the hazard lights blink, then push the top button to pull forward or the trunk button to reverse into the garage. This step is the most important part of the process since it’s the actual ‘How-to’ of it.
HomeLink connections will automatically open the garage; Otherwise, you’ll have to manually open it with a clicker inside or outside the garage. You can set up HomeLink with the online store to order the parts. But if you don’t have HomeLink, use a garage door clicker to open the garage before activating the Summon mode.
Press the button on the center of the key fob to stop the self-parking procedure (it’s the same button you pressed to activate the hazard lights). If you’re worried it’ll hit the edges or it’s misaligned, you can stop it whenever you want to. As long as it’s aligned and you have the proper settings, you shouldn’t have to worry, though.

Self-parking is cool and convenient. If you’re fortunate enough to have a Tesla, you should embrace all of its features. However, there are a few things you should know before you self-park the vehicle in your garage for the first time, so read on to review some quick notes.

What To Know Beforehand

There’s no doubt you’re ready to try self-parking your Tesla in the garage, but it’s better to know the whole story before you get started. New updates are always exciting, as is discovering settings you didn’t know existed.

Let’s break down what you should know about Tesla’s Summon mode below.

Not All Tesla’s Can Self-Park

Currently, only the Tesla 3, X, and S can use Summon mode, though they’re always upgrading models and adding new content to future designs. Your Tesla might be able to self-park if you’re reading this a few years from now. Use the steps mentioned above to locate the Summon mode in the settings menu.

Keep an Eye Out for New Software Updates

While 7.1 is the latest update required to use Summon mode, future updates could expand the dimensions settings. Elon Musk intends to allow all self-parking Tesla vehicles to be summoned from across the country, eventually. So, check for an update every so often.

Clean Your Garage Before Trying the Summon Mode

There’s no need to run into furniture, tools, and other items lying around your garage. You can damage the vehicle or prevent it from self-parking, meaning a clean garage is an absolute must-have for the Summon mode.

If you want to review a video about someone self-parking their Tesla in a garage, check out this YouTube guide:

Conclusion

Now that you know how to set up Summon mode, self-park your Tesla in your garage, and adjust the settings whenever you need to, you’re prepared to add convenience to a frustrating task. There’s no denying the impressive, modernized features in the newest Tesla Models; Why not make use of all of them?

Here’s a quick recap of the post:

Make sure your Tesla can self-park by looking for the Summon mode.
Future plans are to let all Tesla’s park and drive for their owners.
Always leave enough clearance on all sides of the vehicle to prevent damage.