With Tesla software update 2024.38 and up, Tesla and Spotify have added the ability to use Spotify in the vehicle with a free Spotify account. While this has been a downgrade in Europe and Oceania, in North America, it’ll be a welcomed addition.
Spotify Premium
Owners in North America were required to log in with a Premium Spotify account to use Spotify inside their Teslas.
However, starting with the 2024.38 update, users in North America can enjoy Spotify for free, but with some limitations. The free version of Spotify will include ads, have limited skips, and users will be unable to play songs in a specific order or organize their listening queue.
No More Free Premium
In Europe and Oceania, Tesla previously bundled a Spotify Premium subscription with Premium Connectivity, while in North America, Tesla offered a free premium version of LiveOne Radio (previously known as Streaming in the vehicle). However, both of these premium plans went away
However, both of these premium plans are going away as Tesla stops bundling subscription audio services with its Premium Connectivity services.
This appears to be a cost-saving measure, but it’s not unexpected. Since Tesla now includes a variety of music streaming services in the vehicle and music subscriptions have become more popular, it makes less sense for Tesla to pay for a premium subscription for each owner.
Tesla’s Premium Connectivity offers plenty of features, though, including music and video streaming without a hotspot and a host of other features which include:
Internet Browser
Satellite View Maps
Live Traffic Visualizations
Traffic Along Route
Traffic Lights and Speed Cameras on the map
Traffic in the Trip Progress Bar
Critical Sentry Mode videos in the Tesla app
Sentry Mode Live Access
Zoom Meetings and more
That’s a lot of features, but only you can judge whether it’s worth the $99 yearly subscription cost. Depending on the feature, you may also be able to use it by connecting to your phone’s hotspot or a local WiFi network.
While the loss of a premium LiveOne or Spotify subscription will be a bummer to some, many users in North America will be able to access Spotify with a free account for the first time.
While a Premium version of Spotify costs $12/month, it does include ad-free music, higher audio quality, unlimited skips and more.
Overall, the one positive takeaway here is that anyone can now use their free Spotify account without also needing Premium Connectivity to take advantage of it. That’s a pretty good deal for those who use their phones to tether and provide Wi-Fi to their cars!
