Elon Musk clearly believes in integrating core services within the cars that Tesla Motors produces. Tesla Models, including S, 3, X, and Y, will soon have Apple Music and Amazon Music as native in-car services.
The majority of automotive companies rely on service providers such as Amazon, Google, Apple, etc. to shoulder the responsibility of media playback. While there’s highly capable Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Tesla Motors insists on deeper integration of streaming services within the core interface of their cars’ interface.
Tesla Motors allows drivers to completely switch off their smartphones and instead, rely entirely on their cars:
Tesla Motors has been working on integrating different music streaming services within its all-electric vehicles. The tablet-sized, multi-touch, infotainment, and AI-based autonomous driving and navigation system already has several music streaming services such as Spotify, TuneIn, Pandora, Audible, etc. However, not all of them are fully functional yet.
Quite recently, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk indicated that Tesla would add Tidal to its integrated music services. He tweeted, “Entertainment will be critical when cars drive themselves.”
Entertainment will be critical when cars drive themselves
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 28, 2020
Tesla Motors recently released a new software update that enables drivers to hide media sources. With the new update, users can head over to the settings and choose to see only those media sources that they actually use.
The resultant list will then shorten or lengthen as per the setting. Experts indicate such a simple setting will become very useful because Tesla Motors could essentially double the number of music services that drivers can use over the course of the next year.
Why is Tesla Motors insisting on integrating music streaming services within the car’s UI?
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are two of the most popular and commonly available smart infotainment ecosystems. Carmakers regularly rely on these platforms to drive the entire entertainment and information services.
However, one of the most glaring limitations of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is the complete reliance on the connected or synced smartphone. The in-car infotainment system might be large and have powerful hardware, but in the end, it is just a large screen that projects the information that a smartphone sends. The same holds true for the audio, or in this case, music.
Tesla Motors’ approach essentially eliminates the need to have a smartphone switched and connected with the vehicle. Simply put, services do not have to rely on a switched-on and working smartphone to work in a Tesla vehicle.
Looks like more media sources are coming soon. Though it’s not quite there yet.
The icon in UI is wrong, but the correct on is already populated. pic.twitter.com/dmavYUvuh7— green (@greentheonly) December 27, 2020
Tesla drivers will be able to link their music streaming accounts with their respective services directly to their cars. Drivers can then use the services through the car’s interface without ever needing their smartphones.
Traditional techniques linked smartphones with the car’s infotainment system using Bluetooth. Tesla Motors UI does offer a similar option.
Some automotive experts suggest Tesla Motors is keen on remaining completely independent from any third-party platform for its cars’ intelligent UI system. Incidentally, the company has a reliable wireless network functioning within its vehicles to achieve the goal.