- A Kickstarter product promises to add everything that’s missing in Tesla’s infotainment system.
- It offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a wireless connection to a front-mounted video camera.
- You can even connect a game console and play on the car’s screen.
Tesla’s in-car software is widely recognized as one of the best, if not the best in the automotive industry, with smooth animations, a snappy interface and the promise of added features down the line via over-the-air updates. However, it’s also widely known that Tesla EVs don’t have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and that sometimes it can be quite fiddly to get to commonly used controls like turning on the wipers or even opening the glovebox.
But there’s a solution for that, and it comes in the form of a Kickstarter campaign.
It’s called the Teslogic Screenmate. Essentially a standalone computer board that takes just 10 minutes to install, the Screenmate can take control of Tesla’s central touchscreen after the driver holds three fingers on the display for a couple of seconds, all while retaining the car’s original functionality. It sounds complicated–and behind the scenes, it probably is–but in reality, you don’t have to overthink it.
The custom-made board is running Android 14, so you can expect to run pretty much any Android app on the car’s main display in full-screen mode, including Waze. But the list of goodies doesn’t end here.
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a USB Type-C display input, support for a third-party front-mounted wireless camera and the ability to customize the screen’s layout–they’re all included. There’s a quick settings panel that can be personalized with shortcuts for things like wiper controls, seat movement and opening the glovebox or a certain door–pretty much anything you can think of, it’s there. You can even run a dual-screen layout with Tesla’s interface on one side and the Screenmate’s interface on the other–or export Tesla’s interface in a different window altogether.
Teslogic’s device taps into the Tesla MCU’s connectors, as well as the diagnostics connector, while the wireless front camera can be hooked up to the wiring harness that’s near the front bumper.
The device is compatible with all Tesla models, except the Model S and Model X which are older than the 2021 model year. Additionally, development for the Model S, Model X and the refreshed Model 3 is slated to be completed by the end of next year.
Speaking of availability, the Kickstarter campaign–which has already exceeded its goal of $50,000 by over $350,000–will end next month. Production is scheduled to begin in December, with shipments of Model 3 and Model Y kits expected to start in May 2025. Then, in September 2025, the kits for the Model X, Model S and refreshed Model 3 should also start shipping.
Retail pricing starts at a pretty hefty $890 for a single unit, but you could get your hands on one for less if you back the project on Kickstarter.
