At first, Tesla offered the user many functions that required an Internet connection, free of charge. Currently, only navigation remains in the standard access (Standard Connectivity package), which will work for 8 years. Then, for its operation, you will have to buy an extended package of options (Premium Connectivity package), which currently costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year.

The automotive industry is very “fond” of navigation. Many cars are equipped with navigation devices, but in order for the car to show the map, the buyer needs to additionally purchase, for example, a memory card with it for several hundred dollars. (The quality of these maps and updates is a separate issue.) Here, Tesla has followed almost the path of BMW and introduced subscriptions for some services in their cars.

Previously, navigation in these electric cars was free, as well as displaying traffic, images from cameras, traffic for streaming services, etc. In 2018, the company introduced a premium package that required payment for such functions, but navigation remained free. After July 20, 2022, Tesla also has such a system, but 8 years after the start of use, navigation will also become paid.

The difference between the Standard Connectivity package and the Premium Connectivity package is very noticeable, where the premium package will allow you to see traffic, use the browser, streaming services, karaoke and more.

It is also worth noting the lack of support for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Most of the premium functions, such as various navigation options and music services (which are more necessary in a car than Netflix), can be taken over by a smartphone. But Tesla still does not support such connection options, so it is not possible to display data from a smartphone on the display of the multimedia system.

So, in order to use all navigation and multimedia options, Tesla will have to pay for premium communication in any case. And when buying an 8-year-old car, you should not count on even basic navigation.