Tesla hacker and Twitter user @greentheonly has speculated that it won’t be possible to retrofit current MCU 2 (Media Control Unit) Teslas employing Intel chips with the new and improved Ryzen-based processor that is used in MCU 3.
In an up-close inspection of a new Model Y’s internals Green stated that “retrofit for intel cars definitely looks impossible - totally different power and other harness and thickness of the unit.”
The news hasn’t been confirmed nor denied by Tesla or its CEO, Elon Musk, but if proven to be accurate it would most certainly disappoint a great number of MCU2 vehicles owners, who were expecting to be offered the possibility of an upgrade, in the same way current MCU1 owners are able to upgrade their chips for a $2,000 (plus tax) fee.
MCU (Media Control Unit) is the computer controlling Tesla’s touchscreen, processors, RAM (short term memory), non-volatile memory (long-term memory), the audio subsystem, 5 amplifiers, WiFi, Cellular, Bluetooth, GPS, the Ethernet bridge, multiple CAN bus communications, the LIN bus, USB ports and many more.
It handles every software operation, excluding Full Self-Driving/Autopilot, which are unaffected by which MCU version a Tesla is equipped with. All Tesla’s built after November 2016 are capable of Full Self-Driving.
MCU2 came out in the spring of 2018 (fall of 2017 for Model 3) as an upgrade to the NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor found in MCU1. All cars delivered after that point benefited from the improved responsiveness and extra features that came with the Intel’s Atom E8000 Series CPU.
From a technical standpoint, the two chips possessed entirely different architectures. The release of software update V10 highlighted the differences, as MCU1 owners were excluded from both Tesla Theater and Tesla Arcade. Effectively, MCU1 doesn’t support Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or any other streaming services that may be added in the future. It also doesn’t support any of the games Tesla added. Additionally, the web browser on MCU2 is much quicker and more capable as it’s built on Google’s Chromium platform.
In summer of 2021 Tesla released the redesigned Model S with a more powerful infotainment processor MCU. At the time no one was sure whether this was Tesla's next generation MCU or whether it would trickle down to other models.
Then in late 2021 the first news of a new Tesla MCU chip generation started to flood the web, with reports coming from China of a new AMD Ryzen-based computer being present in newly delivered Model Y’s.
The new MCU is faster and brings noticeable improvements in responsiveness in the web browser, as well as while using video streaming services, such as Netflix and YouTube.
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Tesla’s new in-car AI assistant, Grok, will be getting a hands-free wake word soon. Tesla added Grok to its 2025.26 update, and it’s already working on ways to improve the feature.
Elon Musk stated on X that Grok will soon be able to be activated on Tesla vehicles with the “Hey, Grok” wake word. The conversational assistant will feel even more human-like by having it respond to its own name.
Currently, Grok is activated with a long press of the voice command button (or a long press of the right scroll wheel on older vehicles). A single tap of the button/wheel is currently reserved for the outgoing voice command system, which is expected to be replaced by Grok in the future.
When you’re barely touching the steering wheel on FSD, having a wake-word will be especially useful since you don’t want to deactivate Autopilot accidentally by grabbing the steering wheel.
Grok in a Tesla is going to be far more useful than on a phone or smart speaker, because Grok has access to a whole set of real-time contextual data about the vehicle and its surroundings. While Grok already has access to your vehicle’s location, in the future it’ll be tied in with a lot more, likely knowing your destination, route, battery level, and a lot more. This is all data that Grok will be able to use and take into account when responding to one of your questions.
“Hey, Grok - what’s the best coffee shop along my route that’s within 15 minutes?” will be easily answered by Grok in the future.
Expect More Improvements
Seamless, hands-free activation will be a big improvement for voice commands, especially if the syntax isn’t as rigid as it is today. “Hey Grok, turn on the heated seats”, or “Hey Grok, add a stop at the nearest coffee shop.”
While Grok is going to be an in-development product for quite some time, the confirmation of a wake word tells us that Tesla is already planning its next set of improvements. We don’t expect these to be added all at once, but we can see a long list of features that could be added to Grok.
Once Grok has access to vehicle controls, we expect it to be much more capable than it is today, not only from a syntactical point of view, but also in terms of the actual functions it could control. For example, you may be able to ask Grok to open your garage door when you get home, or tune to a specific radio station at a specific time.
Now, we just need to be able to talk to our vehicles from outside, Knight Rider style.
The very first Tesla Diner in Hollywood appears to be in its final stages of preparation before its grand opening. There’s been a flurry of activity on site, mostly focused on wrapping up and finalizing all the details. That includes stress testing the on-site Superchargers, testing the movie screens, recording what appears to be a promotional video, and taste-testing the food.
There are a lot of potential menu items, but we have our first look at some of the food that will be served at this 24-hour diner. There are also what appear to be some collectibles that Tesla will give away to patrons. It’s all coming together.
Lights, Power, Action!
Thomas Adamian / Not a Tesla App
Recent observations by readers Thomas Adamian and @tesla_lighting_ show that the diner is now fully operational, at least from an infrastructure standpoint. The Superchargers outside the building are now being stress-tested, making sure they’re ready for what’s sure to be a packed opening day. After dark, the diner itself is all nicely lit up, with a large, retro-style Tesla Diner logo shining brightly.
The two large movie screens have been spotted lit up numerous times, but the best sign that the Tesla drive-in diner is ready to open is that Tesla appears to be filming on-site, in what will likely be a video posted to YouTube and other social media channels.
A First Look at the Menu
@tesla_lighting_ / Not a Tesla App
For the first time, we’ve finally got a sneak peek at the type of food that will be offered at the diner. We’ve been expecting traditional diner fare, so this list of food isn’t surprising.
The items spotted on the tables for taste-testing included hot wings, sandwiches, and a side of either salad or coleslaw. These will be joined by other staples, including burgers and hot dogs, which were also spotted.
Tesla is extending its Tesla Diner branding to drinkware and likely other tableware. The soft drink cups can be seen sporting Tesla’s lightning bolt logo. There also appears to be what looks like a Cybertruck-themed takeout box or a platter of some sort (can be seen on the very bottom left of the food image above).
Tesla previously teamed up with McDonald’s to offer a Cyber Spoon, so it’s possible they may make similar type offerings at their own diner.
Tesla has invested a lot in making this a unique destination. There’s no doubt that this place will be packed nearly 24/7 and will surely be a fan favorite destination.
Opening
While we haven’t heard of an official opening date yet, these final preparations, from promotional filming to taste testing, indicate that the wait for Tesla’s first Diner and drive-in movie experience is nearly over. Let’s hope it goes well, and they continue expanding the Tesla Diners across the globe.
![Tesla Diner: First Look at Its Food and Potential Collectibles [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/2025/tesla-diner-logo.webp/feaab9ffb76b08874e474c8abdf2684d/tesla-diner-logo.jpg){kind=logo}
