Tesla’s operating system has evolved slowly over the years and has managed to stay ahead of the curve. As vehicles integrating Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto improve, most platforms run alongside their own car system. In this case, two is rarely better than one and often leads to a broken function.
An exception, of course, is the Android Automotive platform that brings a native version of Android into the car without relying on a phone to power it. But here, too, the system does not feel completely finished.
Electric vehicles like the Tesla Model S Plaid feel as much for entertainment as they are for driving, and that’s not a bad thing.
That’s not to say Tesla’s solution is perfect, but the combination of a single operating system for everything and some fun quirky additions makes it the best system I’ve used yet. Here are three things I think it does better than other in-car OS solutions.
(Image credit: Tesla)
1. Navigation
The first thing I really noticed about Tesla’s navigation was that it felt like it was designed around driving an electric car. The trip planner automatically builds Supercharger stops into longer trips so you don’t have to think about where to charge.
Patented car navigation has also started to introduce this, but due to the range of chargers on offer, it’s often not as clear-cut as Tesla’s. It also helps to have one system that can access the car’s diagnosis and battery level. This problem is ultimately due to the lack of reliable third-party chargers, and vice versa, Tesla’s impressive charging network. However, it currently makes the driver’s life much easier.
The ability to add stops along the route is a simple yet useful feature that Tesla offers that not everyone does. I’m also a big fan of the automatic navigation option that predicts where you want to go based on the time and your location.
(Image credit: Tesla)
2. Toy box
In addition to impressive video streaming and game arcade functionality in the Tesla, it also includes something called a Toybox.
Toybox is a collection of features that exist purely for fun. It’s something you’d expect to find in some code, but on the Tesla operating system, it’s accessible to anyone from the main menu.
There are currently 10 features listed in the Tesla Toybox for the Model 3. The Boombox uses the car’s external speaker when the car is in Park to broadcast your voice (with megaphone), music on your system, or a range of sound Effects . The light show allows you to set a light sequence to music and even dance by opening and closing different doors and windows.
Other interesting features include the DJ tool, TRAX which allows you to create your own songs and Sketchpad for basic touchscreen drawing and Romance which offers a virtual fireplace.
(Image credit: Tesla)
3. A fully integrated system
The big advantage of having a single control system for the car is that it is easier to control everything from one place. To be fair, most new EVs now seem to do this at least pretty well by giving you access to climate control, charging, and vehicle dynamics from the same screen as the entertainment, but if you’re using CarPlay or Android Auto, you’re still using separate systems.
As I mentioned, the exception to this is the Android Automotive system used in the Polestar, Volvo and Hummer EV. Having this system has the most potential to take Tesla off its top spot, but right now the number of models using it is low and most still have an older build.
