Tesla drivers soon able to stream YouTube and Netflix

Vehicle owners will be able to stream while the car is moving once regulators approve full self-driving, chief executive says

The control panel of a Tesla Model S. Owners will soon be able to access online services. Bloomberg

The ability to stream YouTube and Netflix when a Tesla vehicle is not moving is coming soon, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said on Twitter.

The change may come in August but would not take "more than a few months", Mr Musk wrote in response to a Twitter user.

Tesla owners will be able to stream while the car is moving once regulators approve full self-driving, he wrote in a second tweet. The chief executive described the experience as having a “cinematic feel due to the comfy seats and surround sound audio”.

Tesla tweeted on Friday it was beginning its global roll-out of chess for the Tesla Arcade. Mr Musk said on Saturday the Unity game engine port was done and that they were finessing the controls. He added there would be additional game storage via USB.

He also replied the company is “maybe” two to three months away from unveiling its pick-up truck offering. He said Tesla is close, “but the magic is in the final details”.

Version 10 of Tesla’s software will include games, infotainment features, an improved highway autopilot, better traffic light and stop sign recognition as well as smart summon, Mr Musk wrote in a separate tweet. When asked if the version would include the ability to read a text message through speakers, Mr Musk replied “yes”, in another post.

Despite delivering a record number of vehicles in the second quarter, Tesla last week reported it lost $1.12 a share, a bigger deficit than any analyst projected. While Mr Musk is hoping to earn a profit in the three months ending in September, he told shareholders he will prioritise other goals.

Demand was driven by the lower-margin Model 3, which ramped up in the US and started sales in China and Europe.

“Record second-quarter deliveries resulting in a larger-than-expected loss is a clear example that the company will be challenged to recreate the successful US sales model in foreign markets where incumbent, established and well-funded automakers enjoy home-team favor,” said Kevin Tynan, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence.

In a letter to shareholders, Mr Musk said he is still aiming for positive third-quarter earnings, but will focus on delivering more cars, expanding capacity and generating cash. The chief executive said he expects to be "probably around break-even this quarter, and profitable next quarter".