Certain options on our automobiles allow you to benefit from serious driving comfort! In truth, having a GPS integrated in your car allows you to stay focused entirely on the road while driving to an unknown place without any problems. However the road network is regularly changing, it is consequently necessary to update the GPS of your Tesla Model S , and this is exactly what we will see in this article. To do so, first we will review the different characteristics of the integrated GPS for cars, and secondly, how to update the GPS of a Tesla Model S .

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How does onboard GPS work in a Tesla Model S

In this part we will discover how the GPS of a Tesla Model S works and what are the different sort of GPS.

The pros of an integrated GPS?

A built-in GPS gives many benefits that a mobile phone GPS or Tomtom-type GPS will not be able to give you. Down below is a list of the advantages of these devices:

  • The fact that it is integrated immediately into the dashboard of your Tesla Model S makes it difficult to steal the GPS from your car.
  • Connected to your car’s radio antenna, the GPS will have better reception than any sort of GPS you could use.
  • It is frequently, dependent on the year, attached to steering wheel voice commands, which allows you to use it without taking your hands off the wheel and as a result to drive more securely.
  • The screen is in most cases much larger than a GPS on a smartphone or a nomadic type, so the information is more readable.
  • Linked to your head unit, it can be coupled to music and only appear when you change direction, which limits the risk of you going off course as much as possible.

The different sort of GPS for Tesla Model S

After having seen the advantages and before explaining to you how to update the GPS of your Tesla Model S , we will fairly quickly describe the different kind of integrated GPS that exist for a Tesla Model S, here they are:

  • The traditional GPS: We call traditional GPS the models that equip recent cars, they are linked to a whole multimedia system and are equipped with a touch screen.
  • The old GPS: These GPS were the first generations, the screen is only used for navigation and they are updated with a USB stick or SD card. These systems, nevertheless basic to use and have a lower screen quality, you’ll experience like you’re watching a TV from the 90’s.
  • GPS Android Auto or Apple CarPlay: Finally, last kind of GPS, on the latest automobiles it is possible to have a system including Android or Apple, these systems are autonomous and you use the native applications of one of the two operating systems. They are very responsive and convenient to use.

How do I update the GPS on a Tesla Model S?

We will now move on to the part you are most interested in, how to update the GPS of your Tesla Model S? To do this, we will see for each kind of GPS how the process of updating the cartography, the signalling and the software is done.

Updating old GPS on Tesla Model S

The old GPS systems found on the Tesla Model S until the years 2000/2005, these GPS use a specific software for the brand and the approach to update this GPS on a Tesla Model S is to go to the car dealership who will manage it, for a 50 euros most frequently.

Updating the GPS of Tesla Model S by SD or USB

This kind of GPS is most common on cars that are about ten years old. Most of the makers have called upon the company “HERE navigation” and you will have to go to their site to download the map update of your GPS, then copy it to a USB key or SD card depending on the connectors available on your model and do the update immediately through the menu of your integrated GPS.

Automatic GPS update

Most recent Tesla Model S’s with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay will update automatically, so there is no need for you to make any updates. You can continue to use your GPS with peace of mind knowing that the map and speed limits are up to date.

To find more tips on the Tesla Model S, take a look at the Tesla Model S category.