What is Tesla Premium Connectivity and What's included

Tesla vehicles receive constant updates to improve functionality, add features, improve reliability and even add games. Teslas will also send you notifications on your phone when your car alarm goes off, if you left your car unlocked, or if the charge level is critically low.

What is Premium Connectivity?

All Teslas come standard with WiFi and cellular modems. When connecting to WiFi either through your home's network or through a hotspot, most features in your Tesla are free to use. However when utilizing your car's cellular connection some features are limited to Tesla's premium connectivity package.

Cost of Premium Connectivity?

Tesla's Premium Connectivity package currently costs $10/month per car in the US. Cars sold before June 30, 2018 include free premium connectivity.

As of February 2022, Tesla has also added a yearly plan for Premium Connectivity in the US. The price of the annual plan is $99/year. You can subscribe to the monthly or the yearly plan by using the Tesla app. In the Tesla app go to the Upgrades section and then tap Manage. If you currently subscribe to the monthly plan, you can also switch to yearly in this same section.

What is included for free, without Premium Connectivity?

The most important data features are included for free in your Tesla, such as phone notifications, software updates, updated navigation maps and even optimal navigation routing that takes live traffic into account.

What does Premium Connectivity include?

The features that require premium connectivity have mostly to do with entertainment while parked or driving. Keep in mind that all entertainment features are available to you if you're connected to WiFi or a hotspot.

Entertainment features that require premium connectivity include music streaming, such as Slacker and Spotify. It also includes video streaming services while parked such as Netflix, Disney+, YouTube and a few others. Keep in mind that some of those services still require a subscription. For example, YouTube is available for free, but Netflix requires a paid subscription. Tesla's premium connectivity simply lets you use the car's data connection to stream those services.

Additional services included in Premium Connectivity are:

• Internet browser - Browse the web to look up restaurants, destinations or other information. It can be used by the passenger while driving.
• Caraoke - Tesla's version of Karaoke which features hundreds of songs and displays the lyrics on the screen.
• Satellite view maps - This displays satellite imagery in your navigation instead of just the terrain view with streets.
• Live traffic visualizations - Traffic visualizations will show you which roads are congested and where traffic jams are located by coloring in the roads in various colors. The traffic view can be turned on or off by tapping the Live Traffic icon on the right side of the maps.
• Traffic Along Route - With Premium Connectivity, your route will be colored in various colors to highlight the areas with traffic.
• Traffic Lights and Speed Camera Icons - Traffic lights, stop signs, speed camera locations and other icons are displayed on the map.
• Traffic in Trip Progress Bar - The vehicle's trip progress bar will show you an overview of the traffic along your entire trip.
• Sentry Mode Videos in the App - If your video has Sentry Mode armed and there is an event, the Tesla app will notify you with a notification of the event and a one-minute video clip. The video clips can also be viewed in the app.
• Sentry Mode Live Access - You can view the live feed of most cameras on the vehicle within the app. Simply make sure Sentry Mode is activated and go to Security and tap on live view.
• Average Speed Zones - If your region uses average speed zones, your Tesla will now display when the speed zone started, how much longer until it ends and your average speed.
• Zoom - You can connect to meetings with the Zoom app (AMD Ryzen processor vehiciles only)
• Steam - You can download and play some Steam games on Model S and Model X vehicles that have access to Steam.

*These features are only available in some vehicles. Steam requires a 2021+ Model S or Model X with 16GB of ram or more, but it's not available on every model. Zoom is only available on vehicles with the AMD Ryzen processor.

Can I share my phone's data (hotspot) with my Tesla?

Yes, with software update 2021.24 and later, you can now choose to share your phone's data connection with your Tesla. It'll get you access to most of the features included with premium connectivity such as music streaming, internet browsing and you'll be able to use all of them while driving.

However there are two features that aren't available without Tesla's premium connectivity, even if you're using your phone as a hotspot. They include the live traffic visualization and the satellite imagery in maps.

Those two features aren't included when on WiFi or using a hotspot because they cost Tesla more than just the data to get them to you. Google provides Tesla both of those features for a fee. Tesla is simply including those fees they pay Google in their premium connectivity package price. So Tesla decides to not provide these features unless you're paying for the premium package.

Find out more about the remain connected to WiFi while in drive.

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Tesla Adds Steering Wheel Guides for All Wheels in FSD 12.5.2

Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s latest FSD update, version 2024.27.5 brings some improvements when parking your vehicle. This is another undocumented, but one we’re happy to see.

Most recently, the Cybertruck received the undocumented change for the Hands-Free Frunk opening (video below). The Cybertruck also recently received Vision Park Assist, which included steering wheel guides in the visualization showing the direction the front and rear wheels were turned. However, it turns out this isn’t just for the Cybertruck.

Update: We’ve updated this article to mention that this feature isn’t included in update 2024.32 yet.

Quick video on the auto frunk. It's literally 🧍‍♂️📐

Works great! pic.twitter.com/QklzH5cRle

— Dirty Tesla (@DirtyTesLa) September 9, 2024

Parking Improvements

Due to the Cybertruck’s unique rear-wheel steering and steer-by-wire design, Park Assist in the Cybertruck displayed the path of the front wheels, and how they would swing while reversing.

This enhancement is also coming to every Tesla vehicle in FSD 12.5.2 and later. It’s also expected to be available in a future update for non-FSD vehicles. However, it’s unclear whether it will be a later revision of update 2024.32 or the next major Tesla update. This is a neat little update, as it helps drivers better understand and predict the path their vehicle will take during a turn.

Brandon, going by @teslaflexx on X, originally spotted the new visuals recently on an AMD-based Model Y running 2024.27.5 and FSD V12.5.2.

Any vehicles who are on update 2024.27.5 or 2024.27.20 should have access to this new feature.

Looks like Cybertruck wasn’t the only vehicle to get the new guide visuals with park assist. Much better than the lines! pic.twitter.com/tF9ZsWCcWy

— Brandon (@teslaflexx) September 8, 2024

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Tesla to Sell Cybertruck Battery Armor and Rock Sliders for Cybertruck

Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s Cybertruck has been used as an awesome off-road vehicle so far, with some great videos from both Tesla themselves, as well as many owners who have been challenging difficult off-road obstacles.

One frequently requested feature, however, is additional armor for the Cybertruck to improve its off-road capabilities. Wes Morril, Program Manager for the Cybertruck, has confirmed that Tesla will be introducing Battery Armor and Rock Sliders as retrofit “options” by the end of 2024.

Battery Armor

The Cybertruck’s underbody plate, while not completely unarmoured, isn’t exactly super thick, and can leave the battery exposed if the weight of the truck is left on a high-center point or a sharp rock. This upcoming battery armor will be similar to the armored undersides offered by other companies specifically for off-roading.

Rivian, for example, sells armor as a single package for $3,950 USD, or $5,800 CAD, along with a 20” wheel upgrade, full-size spare, and a utility panel including an air compressor and enough hose to let you reach any of the tires when airing up or down your tires for off-road. Tesla’s upcoming Battery Armor will be a retrofit option, unlike Rivian’s – which can only be added when purchasing the vehicle.

Rock Sliders

The Cybertruck has a simple and clean bottom corner – but that also means that it exposes the plastic trim directly. Rock sliders go on the bottom edge of off-road vehicles between the wheels to protect the vehicle's body. Rock sliders are a pretty common modification, and some companies have already begun to offer them for the Cybertruck – but a first-party OEM option is always best.

This is especially true since most third-party options use the lift points of the vehicle to attach rock sliders, which can make replacing wheels or lifting the vehicle difficult without removing the third-party additions. This adds considerable time to what should be a quick job.

Release Date

We’re looking forward to Tesla bringing these options to the Tesla store in the coming months. Wes said they’d be available as retrofits before the end of 2024, along with the upcoming Winter Tire Package, which is arriving next month. The Winter Tire Package is already available to order for Cybertruck owners.

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