SiriusXM is launching its streaming app for the Model 3, Model Y and the Cyberetruck as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update.
SiriusXM is a satellite and internet radio streaming service that’s been available in the Model S and Model X with the SiriusXM satellite receiver for many years. However, it has never been available in the Model 3, Model Y, or the Cybertruck - all of which do not have the receiver.
SiriusXM is one of the most popular satellite streaming services globally - Sirius offers bundled packages with other auto manufacturers (like the Model S and Model X) and standalone receivers. Now, they’re offering a different package for Tesla’s other vehicles.
SiriusXM subscribers will get a Tesla-tailored experience with a fully functional app that has a layout similar to Tesla’s other streaming services. Alongside all of SiriusXM’s regular services offered in their 360L package, customers will also receive Sirius’ full podcast offering.
The Tesla package includes the following services:
Ad-free, live-curated music channels across all genres.
Custom stations that users can generate from their favorite bands or artists.
A massive podcast library - including news, comedy, entertainment - and more.
Live sports coverage and analysis from over 20 live sports channels, with industry experts and hosts.
News, Politics, Entertainment, Comedy, Celebrity Interviews, and more on live and recorded channels.
A personalized for-you page in your Tesla (and in the SiriusXM app) that delivers recommended content based on your listening preferences - and it adapts based on your listening and time of day.
A content-discovery system that uses listening preferences to help guide you to new music, channels, and podcasts.
Integrated voice search
Live Sports is an awesome use-case for SiriusXM!
Not a Tesla App
Cost
SiriusXM for your Tesla will cost $9.99 USD a month for the first two years if you sign up using their special starter offer. Once that two-year period is over, you’ll pay $24.98 USD a month to keep your subscription at the same tier. However, SiriusXM offers multiple plans and multiple tiers that you can switch to to match your preferences after the two years.
How to Listen
Like Tesla’s other music services, you’ll need Tesla’s Premium Connectivity to listen to SiriusXM or use an active WiFi/Hotspot connection.
If you’re not a SiriusXM subscriber, you can simply scan the QR code on the screen to create a SiriusXM account and start your free trial or subscribe.
If You’re Already a Subscriber
If you’re already a SiriusXM subscriber, you won’t be able to simply log in to your existing Sirius account. SiriusXM says that you’ll need to give them a call in order to transfer your subscription to the Model 3, Model Y or Cybertruck.
When you see this UI, go ahead and press the big blue button!
Not a Tesla App
Free Trial
If you want to take advantage of the three-month free trial, you’ll need to first create a new SiriusXM account - even if you already had one previously. A new e-mail address will be required.
There’s no payment required for the free trial, and you’re not required to enter a credit card number - so it’s really a risk-free trial. Once the trial ends, you’ll be prompted to use the mobile app or website to enter payment information and select a paid plan to continue listening.
Model S and Model X
The Model S and Model X will retain their SiriusXM capability through their satellite receivers, and it seems that Tesla will continue shipping them with satellite receivers for the time being.
While no part is the best part, Tesla likely has a long-term contract with SiriusXM to continue providing the radios in these two vehicles. Once that’s over, or maybe in a potential future refresh, Tesla may also pivot to using the streaming app.
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That statement has finally come true, with several users on X now having received their refreshed Model Ys, and showing off the capabilities of the matrix LED array in all its glory.
Adaptive Headlights
Adaptive Headlights come with two particular features. The first feature is already enabled globally - Teslas equipped with matrix headlights will track curves on the road and “adjust” the beam left and right, as well as up and down, based on the road ahead of you. This is part of the same functionality behind how FSD works and is based on reading the road lines or shape ahead of your vehicle.
The second feature is now enabled on the refreshed Model Y, which is adaptive high beams. Vehicles with matrix headlights will selectively dim or brighten the LEDs that make up the matrix based on other traffic. That means you can effectively drive with your high beams on, and your vehicle will automatically prevent people ahead of you from getting blinded by glare - because the beam pointing in their direction is dimmed to a normal headlight level.
This is a fantastic safety feature, especially if you’re driving in more rural areas or on two-lane highways outside of cities, where high beams are used more often. It keeps both the driver safe by ensuring they have maximum situational awareness of what is ahead of them and other road users safe by making sure they don’t get blinded by a headlight.
Other Vehicles When?
While Lars didn’t confirm that the refreshed Model Y’s headlights are the same as other Teslas in his interview with Jay Leno, he did confirm other models will be getting the feature. This seems to be more of a vehicle-by-vehicle process, as the functionality is already enabled outside of North America, in markets such as Europe and Asia-Pacific.
This also includes the Cybertruck, whose lower headlight array does indeed feature matrix functionality - so Tesla owners of all models with matrix headlights can look forward to getting Adaptive High Beams in the near future.
High-Res to Low-Res
Tesla introduced their matrix headlights with a high-resolution LED matrix in the past, which allowed precise control over many individual pixels. Over time, Tesla has instead transitioned to a lower-resolution version of the same system. While these low-resolution variants can’t project text during a Light Show, they’re likely cheaper to produce and easier to replace.
Whether you have high-res or low-res matrix headlights, once Tesla enables the feature, you should see a similar experience. You can check our guide to determine if your vehicle has matrix headlights.
XAI recently launched Grok 3, the latest version of their AI model. Shortly after releasing Grok 3, xAI introduced their AI-powered voice assistant. This new voice assistant gives us a glimpse into Tesla’s upcoming smart assistant, which will also be powered by Grok.
What the Grok?
Grok, described by Elon during the Grok 3 unveiling as xAI’s “Maximally truth-seeking AI,” is designed to help answer some of humanity’s biggest questions—such as: Where are the aliens? What is the meaning of life? How does the universe end? But it’s so much more than that. It can also be used to answer your everyday questions, such as ‘What time is sunset today?’ and ‘What is Tesla’s stock price?’ (try not to look).
The name “Grok” comes from Robert Heinlein’s iconic science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land. In the book, Grok is a term used by Martians to describe the deep, profound understanding of something. This mirrors xAI’s goal with Grok—to develop an AI that grasps and comprehends in ways that were previously unimaginable.
What sets Grok apart is its lack of a “cut-off date,” meaning the model doesn’t rely on precaptured information. This enables Grok to actively source and summarize real-time data from the internet, including recent news stories, making it a powerful tool for tapping into recent events.
Why Use Grok?
Grok has already shown its impressive capabilities in just the past few days. For example, while I was stopped at a Supercharger, I shared my location, told it how long I’d be charging, and asked for the nearest, best-rated coffee shop with the shortest line at this time of day.
Grok quickly pulled up a list of local coffee shops and made suggestions based on ratings, proximity, and even average wait times. It used this data to formulate the most efficient recommendation. Below is a screenshot of the entire interaction:
To the Timmies!
Not a Tesla App
Supported Vehicles
Grok is set to replace Tesla’s current voice commands in the near future, a change that Elon has confirmed multiple times, including just recently. This is incredibly exciting news, as it will unlock a bunch of new capabilities for your current vehicle. MCU 2 and MCU 3 vehicles are expected to be able to take advantage of Grok since all the heavy lifting is completed server-side and not in the vehicle.
Much like the quick interaction I had with Grok on the web to gather information, Grok will be able to fetch data, make recommendations, and adjust settings on the fly in your vehicle. The best part is that it’ll continue to get better and better, even without software updates, since it’s completely server-based.
Grok Voice
Grok has its own voice, and upon integration into Tesla vehicles, it’s expected that you’ll actually get an audible response when asking a question, which should make keeping your eyes on the road easier. The voice mode is expected to be very similar to what’s available in the Grok app today. An example of that is shown in the video below.
Cost of Tesla Grok?
Currently, access to Grok on X requires a Premium Account, with Grok 3 access being limited to Premium+ subscribers at a steep $40 USD/month. A standalone plan for Grok that doesn’t include an X subscription is expected to be available in the future for about $30/month — still a steep price.
The big question is, how much will Grok cost in your Tesla? We expect basic vehicle commands to remain free, similar to the current setup; however, users will benefit from vehicle commands being powered by Grok, which will improve voice recognition and the ability to say commands in a more natural way.
The biggest advantage to having Grok in the vehicle will be to ask general knowledge questions and have back-and-forth conversations about any topic. We expect this to come at a premium price. It may require a subscription to Grok, or more likely, it’ll require Tesla’s Premium Connectivity package or potentially even a new Tesla Premium+ Connectivity subscription.
Rivian supports hotspot connectivity with their Connect+ connectivity package, so it’s possible Tesla may introduce a new tier with hotspot connectivity and Grok support.
Release Date
Alright, so you’re excited about Grok, and so am I. But when can we expect it in our Teslas? The answer seems to be “soon.” Elon has consistently mentioned Grok support for Tesla with the word “soon,” but if you know Elon’s timelines, that could range from tomorrow to 2030.
That said, with xAI showcasing voice mode already and a clear push for more real-world data to improve the model, we’re optimistic that it could be sooner rather than later. We’ve already seen some promising voice-related updates recently—so, fingers crossed, we could see Grok integration as early as the 2025 Spring Update.
