For some time now, Tesla has referenced in their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that the option to purchase premium connectivity would be coming “later this year”.
Where can Premium Connectivity be purchased?
Tesla owners will be able to purchase Premium Connectivity through the in-car touchscreen. We anticipate rolling out this functionality later this year.
With it now nearing the end of the year, it appears Tesla may soon be releasing the option to purchase premium connectivity, as Andrew, a Model 3 Long Range owner has noticed a new data usage counter appear on his display.
Premium connectivity allows the owner to have access to additional features on the vehicle’s display that are not available on the standard connectivity plan. As outlined on their website:
- Standard Connectivity offers basic maps & navigation, music & media over Bluetooth® and software updates over Wi-Fi. Note: Important safety updates will continue to be available over the car’s cellular connection.
- Premium Connectivity adds satellite-view maps with live traffic visualization, in-car streaming music & media, an internet browser (for Model S and Model X) and over-the-air software updates via Wi-Fi and cellular.
This release would make sense as Tesla has begun rolling out the new V10 software to Early Access Program (EAP), with wide release to all owners coming soon. Premium Connectivity is rumoured to be needed for some of the new features like streaming Netflix and Youtube.
While there has been no official announcement from Tesla, rumours have persisted that this premium connectivity option would cost around $100USD/year. Pricing in Canada is expected to be around $130-$140/year, depending on the exchange rate at the time of the announcement.
h/t [Electrek]
