If you’ve been thinking that Tesla is missing a trick by blocking video playback on the Model S’s massive 17-inch screen, then it seems Elon Musk agrees.
The Tesla CEO and founder has revealed that Tesla cars will be getting both YouTube and Netflix support “soon”. And if your next thought is ‘well, that doesn’t sound safe,’ then you’ll be pleased to hear that, for now, it’s just a feature that works when the car is safely parked.
“Ability to stream YouTube & Netflix when car is stopped coming to your Tesla soon,” Musk tweeted. “Has an amazingly immersive, cinematic feel due to the comfy seats & surround sound audio.”
Related: Best dash cams
In the immediate term, then, the feature is aimed at people who find themselves with downtime in their cars. People waiting to pick up family members, or Tesla-owning Uber drivers waiting for a fair, for example. In the long run, however, Musk says the company intends to unlock the feature when the car is moving – once our driverless future is truly upon us.
“When full self-driving is approved by regulators, we will enable video while moving,” he wrote in a follow-up tweet.
Video won’t be the first entertainment feature coming to the big(ish) screen. Tesla has already revealed that hard-as-nails platformer Cuphead will be playable on the dashboard, again only when the car is parked and exclusively with an attached gamepad. Weeks later, Musk announced that Fallout Shelter would be following, along with a game called Beach Buggy Racing that you’ll be able to control with the actual steering wheel.
Related: Best streaming sites
While still more limited than your average smartphone, it’s pretty clear that Musk intends Tesla to become a competent entertainment platform in its own right. And when you have a 17-inch screen built-in, it does feel like a waste not to provide the option – as long as the security preventing people using it while driving is suitably robust.
Does built-in Netflix and YouTube make Tesla cars more appealing to you? Let us know what you think on Twitter: @TrustedReviews.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.