Tesla to add Sonic game

By Nuno Cristovao

All Teslas feature the ability to play games. The reasoning behind this varies, from why not, to helping pass the time when having to charge on a trip. Whatever the reason, it's a nice little addition that Tesla includes. If nothing else, it's great marketing.

Sonic game headed to Teslas
Sonic game headed to Teslas

The amount of games available for your model will depend on the MCU processor in your car.

MCU 1 vehicles will have access to Atari classics, Solitaire and others. MCU 2 vehicles such as the Model 3 and Model Y will be able to play a larger variety of games, including more modern games such as Cuphead, Stardew Valley, Sky Force Reloaded and others.

While the latest Model S and Model X cars feature Tesla's MCU 3 giving them the ability to play some PS5 style games, such as Cyberpunk 2077.

The latest Model Ys coming out of China also come equipped with MCU 3, and we expect Tesla will eventually transition all Model 3s and Model Ys to come standard with this infotainment processor.

Tesla even supports controllers in most of their games, giving you the ability to play comfortable right in the driver's seat.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Tesla is now adding to the list of games that are available in your Tesla. Last night Elon tweeted that Sonic the Hedgehog is coming to all Teslas.

Sonic, the Hedgehog, game coming to all Teslas!

-Elon Musk

Elon doesn't go into details to describe which Sonic game will be headed to Teslas, but based on historical releases, we are likely to see one of two Sonic games.

The first is Sonic Forces, one of the newest Sonic games. Sonic Forces was released in 2017 and is an action-adventure game developed by Sonic Team.

Since Elon said that Sonic is coming to all Teslas, we expect the game to at least be available to vehicles with MCU 2 and up.

If Tesla added the Sonic Forces game, it will likely be a limited version of the game due to the space constraints on MCU 2 vehicles.

Tesla did something similar with Cuphead where they included the first world of the game.

Another good Sonic game candidate is Sonic Mania, which features various classic Sonic games.

It's likely that this new Sonic game will be a part of the Tesla Holiday Update that Elon said Tesla will be releasing this holiday season.

Update: Sega has confirmed that they're releasing the original Sega Genesis game, Sonic the Hedgehog on Tesla vehicles.

Update: Tesla released Sonic the Hedgehog and many other new features in the 2021 Holiday Update. The holiday update was released with version 2021.44.25.

Tesla Expected to Offer FSD Transfers in Europe

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

It has been a long wait for FSD for European customers, many of whom paid for the feature years ago on now legacy hardware. While the FSD transfer program has come and gone multiple times, there’s something to be said about having it available in North America, where it can be used, and in Europe or other countries, where it still just remains the same as Enhanced Autopilot (differences between Autopilot, EAP, and FSD).

FSD Transfer is a nice goodwill gesture from Tesla that in theory doesn’t cost them anything. Instead, it keeps customers, especially those who have been waiting for years, loyal and happy. It also incentivizes them to upgrade to a newer Tesla with HW4, where FSD will hopefully be achieved.

In a reply to a post on X, Elon agreed with the suggestion that offering FSD transfers in Europe would be a fair solution for those who have already purchased FSD but can’t use its capabilities.

A Fair Solution

FSD Transfer directly addresses a growing concern for many long-term European Tesla owners. Thousands of customers purchased the full package, often many years ago, with the expectation that FSD would eventually be capable and approved for use. However, the reality is that FSD, even as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), continues to be pushed back in Europe.

As the regulatory process continues at a snail's pace, many of these early supporters are now reaching or have already passed the point where they’re ready to upgrade to a new Tesla.

Without the transfer program, it's a difficult choice: either throw away your original investment in FSD and pay for the package a second time (FSD price history), or subscribe to it in the future.

Offering FSD transfers is a good way for Tesla to meet them halfway. It's a difficult situation, and one that’s being hindered by processes beyond the control of both the customer and Tesla. However, a transfer helps both parties. Tesla sells another vehicle, and the customer gets to keep FSD.

When Will it Be Available?

Based on how FSD transfers have worked in the past following Elon’s announcements, this feature is likely to become available for a limited time period in the coming days or weeks. If it happens, we should expect an announcement from Tesla Europe on X and emails being sent out to Tesla customers.

Once the program is in place, all you need to do is complete your vehicle purchase and then inform your Tesla sales advisor that you’d like to transfer FSD. You don’t even have to sell or trade in your old Tesla; FSD will simply be removed from it as a feature.

Hopefully, Tesla enables FSD Transfers for everyone, regardless of region. It should be an ongoing offer until at least FSD is approved in the given country or region.

Tesla Increases Robotaxi Fare Fee, Up from $4.20

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

The introductory price for Tesla’s Robotaxi Network has finally been updated. In a post on X, Elon Musk confirmed that the new fare would be rolling out to complement the new Robotaxi geofence expansion.

This change marks the first adjustment to Tesla’s fares since the initial $4.20 launch price 23 days ago. While the price increase may seem significant in terms of percentages, when compared to other options in the ride-hailing area, it is still drastically cheaper.

Context Matters

Robotaxi currently operates on a simple, flat-rate model. The new $6.90 fare gets you a ride to anywhere within the recently expanded geofence.

So far, this is the opposite approach compared to other services, such as Waymo or traditional ride-sharing options like Uber and Lyft. All these services use dynamic pricing based on distance, time of day, and demand. A comparable trip on any one of these services could cost anywhere from $30 to $65, and potentially even higher during peak hours.

That doesn’t even include the tip fees for human drivers either - another win for Robotaxi (can you tip a Robotaxi?).

Even with the adjustment, the flat $6.90 fare remains less than half the price of a typical competing ride, making Robotaxi the most affordable point-to-point transportation option in Austin, aside from mass transit, for now.

A “Maturing” Service

The price change, moving from one meme-worthy number to another, is a sign that Robotaxi is finally graduating from its initial pilot phase. Following the first major expansion of the service area, this adjustment is a logical next step towards finding a more sustainable flat price.

While the new fare is a 65% increase over the old fare, the key takeaway is that it is still far cheaper than other options, and still just as meme-worthy. Tesla is aiming to have its early access riders complete as many rides as possible during these early months, and this pricing is still very reflective of that.

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