Tesla car doors won't open if it detects a moving bicycle in the vehicle's blind spot

With the upcoming 2024.44 software update that is now being tested by employees, Tesla is introducing a new safety feature in the US.

Already available under a different form in China, the Blind Spot Warning While Parked option is coming to North American Tesla owners before the big holiday update.

When the blind spot detection feature lands, a Tesla will second-guess the driver's intent to open the door and exit the vehicle if there is someone hurtling past the car's rear left corner, entering the gray area where they can't be seen in the mirror unless it has an extra like the Model Y blind spot accessory installed.

Those who have slammed in suddenly opened car doors while biking past parked vehicles know painfully well those blind spots. There are plenty of examples of moving vehicles taking out whole doors of absent-minded drivers or of those who simply didn't have time to react to someone emerging from the bling spot, too.

That is why Tesla will be releasing its Blind Spot Warning While Parked feature in the US soon, and it seems to cover both audible and visual cues:

If you try to open a door while an approaching object is detected in your blind spot (e.g. a cyclist or other vehicle), the blind spot warning light will flash, an audio warning will sound, and the door will not open on the first press of the button.

While blocking the door from opening might look like second-guessing the actions of the driver, they would actually be grateful for the option's existence in those situations where it takes a split second for a passing bike to slam into the door.

Tesla simply advises waiting for the moving object to pass, then pressing the door button again to halt the audiovisual warnings, and open it.

Interestingly enough, the Blind Spot Warning Light that Tesla talks about in the release notes, is only present on its latest vehicles, the Model 3 Highland refresh and the Cybertruck. The upcoming Model Y Juniper facelift will probably also get it next to the front speaker, but for now it is only on Tesla's 2024 models.

Thus, it is not yet clear if the Blind Spot Warning While Parked feature will come just to the Cybertruck and the Model 3 refresh, or to the Model Y as well, but without the visual cue.