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Tesla is moving away from an SDK and instead planning to allow app mirroring from iPhones to center consoles

Since Tesla launched the Model S in 2012, the automaker has been talking about releasing a software development kit (SDK) to create a full third-party app ecosystem for its 17-inch touchscreen, which acts as a center console for the Model S and X, but despite several inquiries from eager app developers, there has been little communication about the project until now.

During a special event for Tesla owners in Hong Kong this week, CEO Elon Musk opened up on the subject and said that the company “thought about it more” and is likely moving away from the SDK, and instead planning to allow mirroring of apps from iPhones to the center console:

“As we have sort of thought about it more, the logic thing to do from an app standpoint is to maybe allow apps on your iPhone or Android to project onto the center display, as opposed to trying to create a new app ecosystem. So that is probably going to be our focus in the future to enable you to project apps from your phone to the center screen.”

There are currently a few apps available for the Model S, but they are web browser-based, which offers its own set of limitations. I would assume most developers were hoping for a full native SDK, but the capacity to mirror apps would be considered a step in the right direction.

At the very least, it will gradually help developers tap into Tesla’s rapidly growing user base:Tesla’s strategy change might be due to worries over the security risks of releasing such an SDK. The Model S has been technically “hacked” before, but it required physical access to the vehicle. The hackers literally had to rip off the dashboard, connect a laptop and send a software command to start the car – basically presenting an alternative to “hot-wiring” an electric vehicle. The real threat is considered to be remote access as some are worried that the SDK could facilitate such a breach.

Apple CarPlay or Android Auto integration, which relies on projecting data from smartphone apps, are believed to be relatively safe options to integrate app ecosystems in cars and plenty of manufacturers have jumped on board, but Tesla has been so far staying away from a direct implementation of these systems.

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Featured image: Tesla UI redesign concept by Bureau Oberhaeuser 

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Comments

  1. Shalev Lazarof - 8 years ago

    very bad decision for the lond term,
    the end result will be unsupported apps with bad IU,
    tesla know that she cannot convince all the software developers to start and build apps specifically for their car,
    and apple car project is on the horizon and they know it,

    apple ecosystem is so strong and the app store apps are the best quality in the world, that’s a smart and dumb move by them cuz eventually apple car will have its own ecosystem and in the end result their product will be better without a doubt

    company should take responsibility on her software, hard as it can be, and in that case, tesla is going the path of google an MS and doesn’t make it from the ground up.

    • Eric Haislar - 8 years ago

      I don’t think you understand what they are talking about. They want to take whats on your phone screen and project it to your screen. Your phone does it all anyway. Just let your phone do it all and your car reacts to that.

      • Shalev Lazarof - 8 years ago

        thay don’t have a choice, I understand but its to risky to my opinion in the IU side, the developers will not build it to a perfect match with their screen car and it will not be perfect because there are no guidelines how specipcly match it.

    • Stetson - 8 years ago

      This isn’t going to replace Tesla’s in-car software. I think the idea would be to let you pull up Android Auto or Apple Carplay as a part of the car’s UI.

      The Tesla touchscreen is huge (17″) and already has the ability to split the screen into two windows, top and bottom. I think the Carplay UI would just be in one of those windows, still letting you use all of Tesla’s own UI and functionality.

  2. RP - 8 years ago

    I think it’s a smart solution. Let Apple and Android developers go at it. That’s quite an army vs whatever staff Tesla can delegate towards it.

    • Eric Haislar - 8 years ago

      I don’t think you understand what they are talking about. They want to take whats on your phone screen and project it to your screen. Your phone does it all anyway. Just let your phone do it all and your car reacts to that.

      • Eric Haislar - 8 years ago

        ignor

      • RP - 8 years ago

        I got that. Why let people into the guts of it they can just mirror it. Last thing anybody needs is malware on a moving vehicle.

  3. gkbrown - 8 years ago

    In general, it’s a good idea. But I’d personally prefer an extended display rather than a mirrored one.

    • Stetson - 8 years ago

      That’s how CarPlay / Android Auto work. It isn’t literally the phone screen, it’s a separately rendered car-specific UI that is sent to the car from the phone.

      • gkbrown - 8 years ago

        If that’s the case, it seems like simply adopting CarPlay would be a no-brainer.

  4. AeronPeryton - 8 years ago

    That’s a long and convoluted way to say “We really should support CarPlay and Android Auto.”

  5. PhilBoogie - 8 years ago

    That’s got to be the most ridiculous and useless GUI I have ever seen.

  6. cjt3007 - 8 years ago

    My main thing is, since I’m an Uber driver, and future Tesla owner, I’ve been curious about getting the Uber Partner app onto the display. I can’t believe how long this solution has taken to come about, though I’m not sure the Uber Partner app supports CarPlay – I imagine it will soon.

  7. Robert Wood - 8 years ago

    No car manufacturer wants to give up control of their infotainment system because lot ride on it from back-end connectivity to what function/diagnosis to display for user. Ford is trying with Sync 3 and other fighting to stay independent. Problem is Car manufacturer have to put so much more money into staying independent and still may be way behind technology than what Apple or Google can offer. Unless all car manufacturers get together and create unified infotainment system than there is a hope for their independence otherwise why spend extra money in tech which they are not good at. Rather focus on their core competency that is building car.

    • Stetson - 8 years ago

      You don’t have to give up control of the infotainment system to implement CarPlay / Android Auto, it basically just runs as one ‘app’ on the car’s system. There’s really not much downside to having it.

Author

Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

Fred is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Electrek. He sometimes contributes to 9to5mac and 9to5Google.