How to add an additional driver?

[Oldrocky]

Hi,
My nephew is visiting us in a couple of weeks. I'd like to add him as an "official" driver. So
that he can use his phone, his name will be on the driver list, etc. Model X 2018 (if that
matters) - I bought it used in July and still learning the car/software.
- Jim

 

[John in LB]

Go to Tesla.com, in menu select account, then manage your car... see attached snapshots.

 

[DCGOO]

Hi,
My nephew is visiting us in a couple of weeks. I'd like to add him as an "official" driver. So
that he can use his phone, his name will be on the driver list, etc. Model X 2018 (if that
matters) - I bought it used in July and still learning the car/software.
- Jim

Depends on what you mean by “official.” My first thought is you mean you want to establish a driver profile in the car. Profiles are nice especially if you have a unique key fob to assign the fob to. But the driver profiles do not carry over to the app. If he installs the app, he will use your login creds to access the car. Your car is tied to your account at Tesla.com. I have multiple Tesla cars ( a 3 and an X) tied to my account. My wife and I both have the app installed and we can access both cars.

If you mean visiting for a limited time, the extra driver profile is probably all you need. You can offer the app installation if you want, but beware he can buy stuff on your credit card. Probably not really needed.

If you had a 3 or Y, he could install the app, and create a unique key on his phone. But that option does not exist (yet) for the X.

 

[Oldrocky]

OK, thanks guys. I'll see if I can work it out. I'm mostly hoping for stuff like
he uses the car and it remembers his seat settings (as driver), charging, But I
think I'll wait until he is here so we can add the App to his iPhone. - Jim

 

[DCGOO]

OK, thanks guys. I'll see if I can work it out. I'm mostly hoping for stuff like
he uses the car and it remembers his seat settings (as driver), charging, But I
think I'll wait until he is here so we can add the App to his iPhone. - Jim

Yep. Sounds like a good plan. But he does not need to install the app to do that.

 

[Oldrocky]

This is a 2018 Model X - it does not have the card key(s) it has those dumb
"model car key fobs" and we only have two - one for my wife and one for me.
And, also because it is a 2018, you can't really use your phone as a key - you
still have to have the fob with you.
I call the model car fob "dumb" ... because it is too big/thick to comfortably go
in my pocket. I like the "cool" part of it (it's a little model of my car) ... but it is
NOT convenient. I have been told, and accept, that I can not convert the car to
using key cards (dumb, dumb, dumb - Tesla). I also do not like it that you
can't really use your phone as a key. I think that's "just software" since the
car recognizes my phone. Probably some silly "security issue" that Tesla is
unwilling to work out how it can work and still be secure.
I think that there is a way for our phones to be fully functional keys - and
still be secure. I would propose that the car owner (with fob) be involved in
the "authorization of a phone as a key" and that, once done, the phone is
"just like a fob".

I'm waiting for my nephew to get here - because I want him to have the app
and have all of the functionality that provides. Including having the app on
his computer (he is likely to use the car for several days without returning
and since his computer is his office he needs as much function for the car
as he can get).
- Jim

 

[DCGOO]

The current model X is basically a 2015 design. The models (hopefully) shipped next year (2022) will have those features.

 

[Bigriver]

If he installs the app, he will use your login creds to access the car.

Doesn’t have to be that way. The nephew could create his own Tesla account, and @Jim Betz can define him as an authorized user, as was shown in the second post.

And, also because it is a 2018, you can't really use your phone as a key - you
still have to have the fob with you.

No current model X’s have the passive “phone as key” but the car can be driven with only the phone app (no key fob necessary). In the app, go to Controls menu, and there is a Start option. (This is where it is in the recently redesigned app.) Select it and it starts a 2 min countdown to take the car out of park and start driving. It is not passive, has to be done each time, but it can keep you from having to carry the fob. Note that if the car is somewhere without a cell signal, this will not work.

'm waiting for my nephew to get here - because I want him to have the app
and have all of the functionality that provides. Including having the app on
his computer (he is likely to use the car for several days without returning
and since his computer is his office he needs as much function for the car
as he can get).

There isn’t a computer based Tesla app. You can log onto your account at Tesla.com, but that doesn’t include any controls of the car.

 

[Oldrocky]

But there is "Tesla Controls" which allows me to do pretty much everything I can do
from my phone app - from my Windows computer. No, it's not "from Tesla" but it
knows everything my phone knows/can do everything my phone app can do ... and
more. And, primarily because the screen is larger, is easier to use to do stuff like
check the charge state, climate controls, etc. When I use it - the car "wakes up"
from its "sleep state". And this is from my living room, thru my wireless connection
on my laptop, to the web, to the car (via my home router).
I have not tried "Tesla Controls" while the car is not here in my garage. The car is
definitely connected to my home router.
- Jim

 

[offhegoes]

Well I'm pulling my hair out on this one. I have been unable to add a driver in the app. My Tesla app is updated to 4.6.0 on my iPhone and I've reinstalled the app several times. In my security tab all I have is the sentry, valet and speed limit mode settings. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Oldrocky]

I know this is so obvious it hardly seems like it should be necessary ... and I haven't followed all
the posts on this thread ... but you do have the second driver 'enabled' (set up) in the car (not
in your phone) ... correct?
- Jim in PNW