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Tesla's Elon Musk shares MCU1 retrofit target timeframe, estimates $2k upgrade cost
Elon Musk has provided new details about Tesla’s Media Control Unit (MCU) retrofits for vehicles that are equipped with older infotainment systems. According to the CEO, MCU1 to MCU2 retrofits may start in a few months, though he does not personally recommend it, especially considering its estimated $2,000 cost. Musk has instead suggested that Tesla will release an update to older cars that can optimize the performance of their existing MCUs.
Musk’s recent statements were shared on Twitter while the CEO was interacting with Tesla owners, some of whom owned MCU1-equipped vehicles. The limitations of the older hardware have become more prominent over time, particularly as Tesla rolled out media-heavy features such as the Tesla Theater and the Tesla Arcade. Similar to older hardware in mobile devices, MCU1 vehicles have become slower compared to the company’s newer vehicles like the Raven Model S and X, as well as the Model 3.
Elon Musk has previously stated that MCU1 retrofits would be offered to owners whose vehicles are still equipped with older hardware. The CEO confirmed this following the initial rollout of MCU2 vehicles, and the idea was reiterated after the release of the company’s new Tesla Arcade titles. That being said, a number of Tesla owners have been informed by local service centers that an MCU1 to MCU2 retrofit was not possible.
For the uninitiated, Tesla’s MCU1 is equipped with an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, which is capable but a tad slower than its newer sibling. Meanwhile, the MCU2 runs on an Intel Atom E800 series chip and comes with a faster browser. The unit also renders videos with sound, giving it the capability of running new features such as the Tesla Theater, which includes video streaming apps such as Netflix and YouTube, as well as video games in Tesla Arcade. All Tesla Model 3s run on MCU 2, as well as Model S and Model X units purchased after March 2018. Customers who bought their Model S and X prior to March 2018 use the MCU1.
Many Tesla owners whose vehicles are equipped with MCU1 have been clamoring for an update to avail of features only enjoyed by those using the newer system. Tesla has not left those on MCU1 in the dark and has rolled out several updates to improve the performance of the older infotainment systems. That being said, the gap between the actual capabilities of Tesla’s MCU1 hardware and its MCU2 features such are growing, and it has pretty much reached the point where the infotainment systems of older vehicles are significantly slower than those in newer cars.
In a way, Elon Musk’s recent statements hint that Tesla’s current priority is the rollout of its Hardware 3, which is essential for its Full Self-Driving initiatives. Retrofits for HW2.5 vehicles have already begun, and HW2 vehicles are expected to follow soon. HW3 is Tesla’s custom-designed computer that replaces the old Nvidia computer used for HW 2.5. As noted by Tesla during its Autonomy Day presentation, Hardware 3 was specifically built to achieve true Full Self-Driving capabilities and can enhance the electric carβs processing capability by as much as 1,000 percent.
Nevertheless, it would be wise for Tesla to start rolling out its MCU1 retrofits for older vehicles, even if it’s later than expected. Considering that Tesla owners have shown a willingness to pay for the retrofit, and the CEO himself has confirmed that the upgrade is possible, it is in both Tesla and its customers’ best interest to make sure the vast majority of its fleet are able to enjoy the best that the company has to offer — even if it’s just for infotainment purposes.
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Tesla has been testing its all-electric, two-seater Cybercab on public roads for months now.
Nearly two years after its unveiling, the Cybercab has been seen by perhaps tens of thousands as the company has expanded testing to a handful of states, including Texas, California, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, and New York, among several others.
However, nobody has seen one like this quite yet.
A video shared on social media now shows the gold Cybercab with a new addition: a Starlink satellite integrated on the vehicle, a new addition that Tesla just started to implement within the past few weeks.
@lottaherm More cybercabs being spotted now with Starlink integrated π #cybercab #tesla #elonmusk #houston #htx β¬ original sound – ππΌπΏππΉπΉπ§π΅π²π’ππΉπ|π
Just a week ago, Tesla announced that it had built its first Cybercab with Starlink integration and showed it off at Gigafactory Texas. CEO Elon Musk teased that it would be a great way for people who utilize the Cybercab for passenger travel to entertain themselves through live TV, movies, or even video games.
Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said it is also a huge advantage for Tesla as it will enable constant connectivity between the company and the fleet of Cybercabs it has. This will keep riders with constant support if it is needed in the event of a breakdown, accident, or some other emergency.
Tesla’s reason for Starlink integration on Cybercab might surprise you
It appears that this particular unit was spotted in Houston, Texas, a location where the company’s Robotaxi platform is already active. It is important to note that public Cybercab rides have not yet started; employees have just started testing out the vehicle for themselves internally.
Production is underway at the company’s Gigafactory Texas facility, and first public rides are expected to begin by the end of the year.
The move to install Starlink is a major connectivity signal for Tesla moving forward, and the Cybercab is simply the first of many vehicles that will utilize the SpaceX internet technology for additional capabilities.
Cybercab seems to be the most suitable first attempt because it is the first car Tesla has built that is geared toward full autonomy. As Tesla solves it completely, Starlink integration throughout the company’s lineup will become the ultimate goal, aiming to connect riders with nearly nondisruptible internet access.
Tesla is building its largest East Coast Supercharger in New York City, planning to bring a 64- to 68-stall station to Queens, New York.
It will end up being tied for the largest Supercharger on the East Coast with this number of stalls. The largest on the Eastern Seaboard is located in Halifax, North Carolina, and is also 68 stalls.
Tesla is currently building a new 64-stall Supercharger station in Queens, New York. This will be the biggest Supercharger station on the East Coast of the U.S.
It will also have two pull-through stalls for EVs with trailers. Thx for the pics @LetsCleanNYC. pic.twitter.com/CCo0dIoHin
β Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 16, 2026
The location is also set to be fitted with two pull-through stalls for EVs with trailers. We’ve seen Tesla implement these types of parking spots at newer locations as EV ownership continues to expand to those who do more than simply drive their cars.
There are plenty of Superchargers in the New York City metro, but they are mostly located in boroughs outside of Manhattan. There are five Superchargers in various neighborhoods of Manhattan, but there are limited plugs; usually only four per location. There are plenty of Destination Chargers in the Big Apple, though.
Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn have become popular locations for companies to build out charging infrastructure for those who live in the highly populated boroughs. There is simply much more real estate to build effective EV charging stations.
The Supercharger will be located in Maspeth, Queens, at 48-26 54th Road. Maspeth has I-495 running through it, so this will be a great location for Tesla owners to hop off the highway on their way to Long Island or to Manhattan to charge up before continuing their journey.
Tesla has done a really great job of expanding its charging footprint throughout the past several years, especially by building large-scale projects that cater to areas that have a high volume of traffic and are main routes of travel to major areas. Tesla is making an effort to make charging less stressful and more widely available in these concentrated regions.
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SpaceX just launched a secret payload from California
SpaceX launched a classified Space Force mission from Vandenberg, revealing almost nothing about its payload.
SpaceX launched a classified Falcon 9 mission for the U.S. Space Force from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday night, and the government released almost nothing about what was on board. The mission, designated USSF-366, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E with a window that opened at 9:52 p.m. ET and ran into the early hours of Sunday, according to SpaceX’s own mission page, which described the payload only as classified. SpaceX confirmed the launch on its X account and pointed viewers to a livestream that began roughly ten minutes before liftoff.
Watch Falcon 9 launch the USSF-366 mission from pad 4E in California https://t.co/FFEzeYOds1
β SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 16, 2026
The lack of detail did not stop analysts from filling in the blanks. Independent tracking of the rocket’s stage drop zones matched the pattern SpaceX has used on previous Starlink Group 15 missions, according to reporting from Outer Space Today, which pointed to Starshield as the likely payload rather than a one off government satellite. Starshield is SpaceX’s national security product, a version of the Starlink satellite bus built to Pentagon specifications for earth observation, communications and hosted payloads. Unlike consumer Starlink, government agencies do not have to disclose what Starshield satellites are actually doing once they reach orbit.
USSF-366 is the latest entry in a steady flow of classified and semi classified work between SpaceX and the Space Force. The company picked up a $178.5 million task order in April to launch missile tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency, as Teslarati reported at the time, and followed that in July with a $1.6 billion award covering 18 more Falcon 9 missions from Vandenberg through the end of 2027, also detailed by Teslarati. Add those contracts up and SpaceX’s Pentagon business for 2026 alone tops $8 billion.
SpaceX scores another massive Pentagon deal to support military satellites
The Falcon 9 that flew Saturday landed back near the launch site, producing the sonic booms that have become routine for residents near Vandenberg. What is less routine is how little the public will likely ever learn about what the rocket carried. SpaceX and the Space Force have not confirmed the Starshield connection, and government satellite programs built on commercial buses rarely get identified beyond a mission number and a general orbit. For a company that live streams almost everything else it does, from Starship test flights to Optimus robot demos, USSF-366 is a reminder that some of SpaceX’s busiest work now happens entirely out of public view.
Tesla starts testing its Starlink-integrated Cybercab on public roads
Tesla is building its largest Supercharger on the East Coast in New York City
