Tesla Just Turned Its Cars Into Giant Boomboxes

Ever wanted to express your displeasure at fellow drivers by farting at them? If you're the owner of a Tesla, your dream may have just come true. Announced by company CEO Elon Musk on Christmas Day, the newest software update from the electric car manufacturer features "Boombox" mode, which transforms the Tesla's external speaker into a most unusual sound generator when the driver presses on the horn. Some of those built-in sounds, per Autoblog and Gizmodo: bleating goats, applause, the "ta-da!" sound, and "La Cucaracha," as well as the aforementioned flatulence. For those not satisfied with the built-in options, up to five custom sounds can be uploaded via USB. The vehicle can also share with the neighbors whatever song is playing inside the car or emit a constant sound while driving, such as the ice cream truck jingle—effectively turning the car into, well, a giant boombox.

The horn add-on will work only with newer Tesla models that feature external speakers, meaning if your Tesla was made after September 2019, when those speakers became standard, you're good to go. One note for safety, in case you're already scheming on how you're going to zip by people on the sidewalk laying on the horn and blasting fart noises: The odd horn sounds will function only when the vehicle isn't moving; when it is in motion, only the traditional horn sound will work. To make sure you don't become a total public nuisance, Tesla notes to "please check local laws before use in public spaces," per Car and Driver. You can hear some of the new horn sounds here, starting at 4:55. (More Tesla stories.)