Connect with us

Lifestyle

Tesla Arcade is priming us for the self-driving future, we just don’t know it yet

Teslarati's Tom Cross goes up against Vector Unit co-founder in Beach Buggy Racing 2 (Photo: Teslarati)

Published

on

This is a free excerpt of our weekly members-only newsletter. Each week, we give you our take on the biggest stories of the week, behind-the-scenes coverage, our favorite photos & videos, and much more. Join the family and become a member today!

A stone’s throw away from Giants stadium in downtown San Francisco parked an unassuming Midnight Silver Metallic Tesla Model 3, only this one was loaded with a real game-changer. Literally.

“Thanks for coming out to check out the latest Beach Buggy Racing 2,” said game developer and co-founder of Vector Unit, Ralf Knoesel, to Tom Cross and I who had just arrived to witness Tesla’s first foray into the billion-dollar global gaming industry.

“We’re really excited to show you guys what we’ve been working on,” a Tesla representative tells us, further explaining that the electric carmaker had been working with game studios like Vector Unit on developing fun and unique experiences for Tesla drivers and passengers alike. Experiences that would keep them entertained while they’re Supercharging or waiting in a car.

Sure, one can argue that there’s no replacement for the entertainment value that comes by way of Tesla’s in-car fart-on-demand app and its Classic Atari games, but they would be sorely mistaken.

Advertisement

Stay ahead of the curve and be the first to learn industry trends. Every week!

Follow along as our team gives you their take on the biggest stories of the week.


Tesla Arcade has taken the richness and interactive gameplay of traditional mobile apps and gaming consoles and made them available directly inside the vehicle.

Lightning bolt powerups? Check. Ability to unlock secret boss levels? Absolutely. And do this while challenging a passenger (or perhaps, one day, other outside players) in multi-player mode? F-yeah! It’s all there. And this can all be experienced in full surround sound with active feedback from the vehicle’s steering wheel which doubles as a gaming controller. Playing Tesla Arcade is akin to gaming in the world’s most realistic simulator. Well. Because it is.

40 minutes of gameplay whizzed by before we knew it. And that, my friend, is precisely what Tesla wants. You see, by zapping away time, the feeling of having to wait while charging your car becomes non-existent. More importantly, by creating an SDK that allows app developers to interface with the vehicle’s hardware, Tesla is planting the first seeds that will sprout an iTunes-like ecosystem to support our autonomous future. We just don’t know it yet.

Advertisement

Entertain Me

If you think about it, it makes complete sense to have a rich library of apps and games inside a vehicle. This will especially be the case when self-driving cars become prevalent.

In a culture where human-to-human connections have given way to our digital overlords, having an extension of your life that includes your favorite video streaming platforms; your favorite business apps; and all of your favorite on-demand services (hi DoorDash, I’m looking at you) with you, while passing time during a commute inside a Tesla, feels like a no-brainer.

By the end of 2020, Elon Musk says Tesla owners will be able to add their vehicles to the company’s self-driving, ride-hailing “Robotaxi” network, which will enable Tesla and its vehicle owners to run a similar business model to Uber or Airbnb. Having entertainment will be paramount, filling the void of awkward conversations with strangers and enhancing the overall ride-sharing experience.

We’re at the cusp of a massive behavioral shift toward enhanced in-car lifestyles. Tesla’s opening of a gaming SDK that allows 3rd party developers to interface with the vehicle’s hardware is a pioneering moment for an entirely new industry that is about to awaken.

“Tesla, order a deep dish pizza from Zachary’s for home delivery at 7 pm.”

Advertisement

What do you think? Let’s chat in the comments below.

Lifestyle

EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

Published

on

Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

Advertisement

Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

Advertisement

In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row

Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

Published

on

elon-musk-europe-vs-us-relations
Joel Kowsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.

Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

A Near Fall

During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately. 

Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.

X User to the Rescue

It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.

Advertisement

Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

Not Planned, But Welcomed

The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump. 

“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger

The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

Published

on

Credit: Hammer_of_something/Reddit

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail. 

A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.

Charging Charger Fails

As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.

Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.

Alleged Aftermath

As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.

Advertisement

The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.

Continue Reading

Trending