Tesla vehicles are set to become the most entertaining cars on the road, according to CEO Elon Musk.
Generally speaking, car infotainments are usually limited to playing music, podcasts, audiobooks, and various other ears-only formats. You can get DVD and Blu-Ray players for the backseats to keep the kids entertained, but they’re generally not for the driver’s benefit.
That’s the way it’s been for decades, but it seems that Elon Musk is changing the in-car entertainment game. According to Musk, Netflix and YouTube will arrive on Tesla vehicles soon via an over-the-air update.
"Ability to stream YouTube & Netflix when car is stopped coming to your Tesla soon!” Musk Tweeted last Saturday. “Has an amazingly immersive, cinematic feel due to the comfy seats & surround sound audio."
Not only that, but when fully-autonomous driving is finally approved by regulators, you’ll be able to watch YouTube and Netflix while you drive. We’re not sure when that will happen as most states don’t have any laws on the book for autonomous driving, and only a few states have pilot programs determining self-driving car safety.
Strangely, your best bet for in-car entertainment in a Tesla would be the cheaper Model 3 with its landscape-style display. The Model S and X have large screens as well, but both have then oriented in portrait.
Teslas are becoming some of the best cars out there for entertainment. Recently, Teslas all received updates to the Tesla Arcade (that’s the in-car game option) that included Beach Buggy Racing 2. The developers even made it so you can control your buggy using the Tesla’s steering wheel, although acceleration and braking couldn’t be controlled by the pedals simply due to the car’s electrical architecture.
Musk is also a big fan of Cuphead, a smash hit indie title for PC and Xbox One, which will apparently arrive as another free update sometime in August. Tesla Arcade also just received its own version of Chess, and Musk said in a subsequent tweet that Minecraft is a “high priority.”
Pretty soon, Teslas will all have to come with their own game controller as standard equipment.