Tesla Display Alternative: Everything the Tesla OS Should Be [VIDEO]

Not a Tesla App

A third-party company called Teslogic, which previously built dashboard kits for Tesla vehicles has launched a Kickstarter for something completely unexpected: a full-bore infotainment replacement for your vehicle.

Screenmate completely transforms your Tesla display from its limited entertainment options into a full-fledged productivity and entertainment hub. But it’s not only for entertainment; Screenmate has built an entire OS that’s capable of controlling most aspects of your Tesla.

Since the unit plugs into your vehicle, it can control various aspects of your vehicle, including charging, operating the glove box, folding mirrors, and even new options Tesla doesn’t include, like preheating your battery or controlling your seats directly from the display.

This is an extremely attractive option that has a fast, intuitive user interface. It even includes CarPlay and Android Auto support.

This could be a good option if you want better access to third-party apps, different navigation options, or even more gaming from within your Model 3 or Model Y.

Features

The top dock/dashboard for Screenmate.

Not a Tesla App

Screenmate is essentially an add-on computer for your Tesla. It takes over the main display, but it can also pass through information from the original infotainment computer, like the FSD visualization.

They’ve also got an updated little top dock that shows all the key car information all the time, including speed, Autopilot / FSD status, speed limit, battery, and the power meter.

App Integration

Screenmate offers a whole host of new apps - pretty much anything available on an Android tablet will be available here. Think better integrations for Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, TIDAL, and others. That’s on top of productivity apps like Zoom, Teams, and even stuff like Microsoft Office or Google Docs.

Navigation Enhancements

Tesla’s navigation system is pretty smart - but a few things are missing that people really would like. Some of these include better information for traffic cameras, speed traps, and other things - usually items available through crowd-sourcing apps like Waze. Screenmate will let you use Waze or another navigation app, and even allow you to display it full screen without having the Autopilot visualizations getting in the way.

Not a Tesla App

While their Kickstarter doesn’t go into too much detail, there could be some shortcomings, such as whether FSD could leverage the routing that you pick on the screen. FSD uses Tesla’s internal routing and also makes its own decisions on the fly, which are likely not displayed here.

Gaming on the Go

Ever since Tesla killed Steam gaming on the Model S and Model X, gaming has been on a steady decline in Tesla vehicles. Screenmate allows you to play most games available through the Android app store or pass through video from a gaming console. Since the Screenmate has a video input, you can display content from almost any device onto the vehicle’s display, including a Nintendo Switch, your phone, or another device.

Streamlined Controls

Not a Tesla App

Screenmate adds an interesting new feature—a control panel for your Tesla. It adds a customizable dock of quick-access options for things you’d normally have to dig into a menu for. You can pull it up with a simple swipe from the left.

This is a feature we’d love to see Tesla add in the future. And the best part? It offers a bunch of features you normally can’t access, like preheating your battery for third-party charging.

Social Media

One thing missing from Tesla’s infotainment is messaging apps—Discord, Slack, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp—the whole host, really—to display their notifications on the screen. Tesla’s infotainment can only show text messages from your phone.

In addition, there’s little to no integration for social media in general. While you can access X or Facebook through a browser, it’s not a great experience.

Since Screenmate can run Android apps, you have access to all of these apps, and they even include notification support.

Not a Tesla App

Carplay and Android Auto

For those who can’t live without Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Screenmate offers access to both via a simple wireless or wired connection.

Front Wireless Camera

Teslogic sells a separate wireless front camera which can be integrated directly into the Tesla display if you’ve got Screenmate. It even pops up like the Cybertruck’s front camera.

This is a great feature for people who park in tight spaces. On the other hand, Tesla is likely going to add front bumper cameras to the Model Y Juniper, and also the Model S and Model X.

Pricing & Release Date

Screenmate is on Kickstarter. While Teslogic is a real company that ships products, Kickstarters are at the backer’s risk. That means they technically could not ship a product, and you won’t receive a refund. However, it seems that Teslogic already has all its prototyping done and is ready to move into production.

So, with that warning aside, the Screenmate starts at $599 USD ($830 CAD) with the early bird package, which is available right now. The intended retail price after launch is approximately $890 USD.

Teslogic says the estimated delivery date is around May 2025, so that’s not too far away for those willing to back a Kickstarter campaign. Installation appears to be pretty simple: It's plugged into the MCU serial buses under and behind the glove box.

You can check out the Kickstarter here.

If you purchase something through a link in this article, we may receive a small commission that goes toward supporting the site.

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Tesla Update 2025.20 Tear Down Reveals Grok Personalities and Icons

@greentheonly on X

While most automakers are adding basic and un-integrated AI assistants to their vehicles, Tesla appears to be working hand-in-hand with xAI to build out an entire cast of characters for in-vehicle Grok. In the latest dive into Tesla’s firmware, Tesla hacker @greentheonly uncovered a few new details about the upcoming Grok feature.

This discovery, part of a larger batch of changes found in Tesla update 2025.20, also offers a hint at the hardware required for the Grok.

A Dozen Groks

While we knew from previous firmware teardowns that Tesla was adding various Grok personalities to the vehicle UI, this update introduces a new one called Language Tutor, which may allow users to learn and practice a new language. 

These are the different personas that will be included in Grok:

• Argumentative

• Assistant

• Conspiracy

• Doctor

• Kids’ Stories

• Kids’ Trivia Games

• Meditation

• Motivation

• Romantic

• Sexy

• Storyteller

• Therapist

• Language Tutor

• and the Grok Classic - Unhinged Mode

Release Date

Icons for these personalities have been added to the firmware for the first time, leading us to think Tesla is getting close to releasing the feature. However, even after the feature is developed and included in vehicle software, Tesla may only enable it selectively — such as for select employees for testing.

Grok is expected to be one of the largest vehicle features added via a software update, so it’ll be a big deal when it’s finally released. While we know more or less what to expect from Grok, what we don’t know is about vehicle requirements or whether it’ll require a subscription beyond Premium Connectivity.

Grok Requirements

While subscriptions required are anyone’s guess, vehicle requirements may be a little clearer now, thanks to Green’s discovery that Grok is only being added to AMD-based vehicle software builds.

Unfortunately, this likely means that older, Intel-based vehicles will not receive Grok support, at least for the time being. When Tesla introduced a voice assistant in China, they also started off with AMD-only support but later added Intel support, so it’s possible that the same could happen with Grok.

Energy Saving

Green also found a new undocumented navigation feature in 2025.20.3. This one focuses on leveraging Tesla’s vast amounts of data in an interesting way and offers drivers proactive advice to save energy on a well-traveled route. 

In the Energy App, your vehicle will display, “This route is typically driven at X mph. Slow down by Y mph to save Z% for the rest of this trip.’ 

As you can see in the photo below, Tesla recognizes that vehicles typically drive at 66 mph on the route being driven and offers the driver the option to go five mph slower to save 1% of range. While this example doesn’t provide much incentive to slow down, it could be useful for someone with a low state of charge or if the savings are more significant.

The new line in the Energy App

Not a Tesla App

In the future, Tesla could even use this, alongside the road surface data they’re gathering, to help plan routes for Robotaxi and Unsupervised FSD.

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NHTSA to Streamline Approvals for Control-Free Vehicles Like Tesla’s Cybercab

Not a Tesla App

In a letter to industry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that it is overhauling its approvals process for vehicles designed without human controls.

The change addresses a regulatory bottleneck that has slowed down American companies like Tesla from deploying purpose-built Robotaxis, rather than relying on using traditional vehicles with steering wheels and pedals. The policy shift is outlined in a letter posted to the NHTSA’s website, which you can find here.

Reducing Approvals From Years to Months

Under the existing rules today, any vehicle that is built without a steering wheel or brake pedals must receive a special exemption from federal safety standards.

Obtaining exemptions for a particular vehicle was a time-consuming process for both the companies requesting exemptions and the NHTSA. The process was often a black box—nobody knew when an exemption might be granted, and approvals could take years.

The NHTSA, under the new administration’s guidelines for autonomous vehicle development, is now committed to streamlining this process. The agency will be implementing a new, faster approach immediately for receiving exemptions for autonomous vehicles without standard controls. The NHTSA expects decisions on exemption requests to be determined within months rather than years. 

Accelerating the Cybercab

This change has massive implications for Tesla, which is banking on the production of the simplified and easy-to-maintain purpose-built Cybercab. The Cybercab is developed from the ground up as an autonomous Robotaxi and will be one of the key beneficiaries of this move by the NHTSA.

Knowing that a final design won't be caught in a multi-year regulatory limbo provides a level of certainty that has been missing. It allows Tesla to confidently plan the manufacturing, development, and deployment processes without worrying whether the project will get stuck in regulatory approvals.

According to the letter, the agency will publish its improved instructions for the streamlined process "shortly." With Tesla already having begun Cybercab pre-production and the goals for its deployment as soon as late 2026, there’s still a lot to be done to make autonomy a part of Tesla’s new sustainable abundance mission statement.

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