Tesla’s path to the upgradable car

Tesla designed its Model S from the ground up to allow software updates after it leaves the factory.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

At Tesla’s sunny headquarters in Palo Alto, I asked CTO JB Straubel when to expect the next model upgrade for the Model S. He quickly dismissed the automaker cliche of updates based on model years, saying that Tesla would release new features for the Model S as his team finished creating them.

One of the Model S’ great strengths, beyond its zero emissions, minimal running costs, excellent driving character, and luxury appointments, is that Tesla can deliver over-the-air updates to its cabin electronics.

And those updates can be very extensive, as the Model S features few hard controls. Its instrument cluster is entirely digital and almost all cabin controls live on the 17 inch touchscreen dominating the center stack. Behind the scenes, two Nvidia Visual Computing Modules, hosting Tegra 3 chips, perform all the processing for navigation, media, handsfree phone system, and instrument cluster display.

Nvidia's VCM measures about 3 inches per side and hosts a Tegra 3 chip.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

New trip planner As one example, Straubel said Tesla would soon be releasing a n… [Read more]