Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Spotify is coming to Tesla cars, but failed to specify when exactly. Musk hinted about it last month but only now confirmed via Twitter that Spotify integration is coming for North American users.
In Europe, Tesla users have been enjoying a Spotify app for users, which has been directly integrated into Tesla's system for years. In North American shores, however, Tesla struck a deal with Slacker to provide music streaming services to its fleet of cars.
Tesla And Slacker
Not every Tesla owner is too enamoured by Slacker, though. Many of them have lodged criticisms against the automaker for the service's performance and quality, and it's unclear why it's taking so long for Tesla to officially integrate what's perhaps the world's most popular music streaming option. Rumor says it has to do with contractual issues, as Electrek notes.
Slacker is a very small music service, it's worth noting, and Tesla's fleet integration actually represents an important part of revenue for Slacker Radio's parent company. On several occasions previously, versions of Tesla's Spotify app appeared in the code of North American vehicles, causing drivers to speculate that the integration was imminent. However, the feature was never made available to the U.S. or Canadian fleet.
Earlier this year, Musk himself hinted that it could finally be arriving, but he has confirmed as such, taking to Twitter to reply to a user that Spotify Premium support is "coming." Apart from Europe, Tesla owners in Australia and Hong Kong have had Spotify Premium in their vehicles since late 2015.
To be fair, Slacker Radio isn't so bad an option. It features customizable radio stations based on the listener's personal music tastes. The free and subscription-based service attempted to differentiate itself from Spotify and Pandora by employing DJs to curate programs and, at one point, even sold a portable music player. Despite these attempts, Slacker remains under the shadow of Spotify, which boasts 232 million monthly active users and 108 Premium customers, and counting.
How To Install Spotify On Your Tesla Now
Though there's no official Spotify Premium integration on Tesla vehicles just yet, there's a workaround available for users who want to be able to access the app from their dashboard. Of course, it's still possible to control Spotify via one's phone by connecting it to the Tesla with Bluetooth, but for those who want to see their playlists on the car's touchscreen display, read on. YouTuber Tesla Raj created a quick tutorial that explains how to make Spotify work in Tesla cars.
All that's needed is a smartphone with Bluetooth, a Spotify Premium subscription, and the latest Tesla car software. Watch the tutorial below:
