Skip to content
ContentLora

    Tip: press / anywhere to search.

    product

    Tesla Arcade

    Also known as Tesla games, Passenger Play

    Tesla Arcade is the games feature on Tesla's centre touchscreen. NHTSA records that it was introduced in June 2019 and works only with the car in Park.[1] An in-motion variant, Passenger Play, was disabled after a 2021 NHTSA investigation into driver distraction.[2][3]

    Editor reviewedUpdated GamingTech policy
    Key facts

    Tesla Arcade is the collection of games built into Tesla’s touchscreen software. Its history includes an NHTSA investigation of in-motion games, which ended with games limited to parked cars and a regulator calling for technological lockouts.[1][4]

    Arcade in Park

    According to NHTSA, Tesla introduced Arcade to its fleet in June 2019. Occupants could play games on the centre screen with the car in Park, and gameplay ended if the car was shifted out of Park.[1]

    Passenger Play and the NHTSA investigation

    On 24 December 2020 Tesla added Passenger Play, which let selected, mostly turn-based games run on the front centre screen while the car was in Drive and moving.[5] NHTSA opened Preliminary Evaluation PE21-023 on 21 December 2021, covering 580,121 vehicles.[2] Tesla disabled in-motion play with firmware 2021.44.25.1 in response to NHTSA’s request and reported a 97% update completion rate a month later.[3]

    Tesla’s data showed that in about a third of the trips with Passenger Play use, the game was used in motion with no front passenger detected.[6] NHTSA said the feature fit content its voluntary guidelines recommend locking out for drivers.[7] It concluded that technological lockouts, not warnings, are needed.[4] The investigation closed on 26 May 2023 without a recall.[8]

    Steam

    In December 2022 Tesla launched a Steam beta on refreshed Model S and Model X cars. It supported games verified for Valve’s Steam Deck on 2022 and later cars with 16 GB of memory and Premium Connectivity.[9] In May 2024 Not a Tesla App reported, citing messages to customers, that newer Model S and Model X vehicles no longer include Steam.[10]

    In context

    Other carmakers have since added games through platforms such as AirConsole, mostly limited to parked cars.[11][12]

    Questions readers ask

    Can you play Tesla Arcade while driving?

    No. According to NHTSA, Arcade works with the car in Park and gameplay ends when the car is shifted out of Park. The in-motion Passenger Play feature was disabled at NHTSA's request.[1][3]

    What was Passenger Play?

    A Tesla feature introduced on 24 December 2020 that let selected, mostly turn-based games run on the front screen while the car was in Drive and moving.[5]

    Did NHTSA order a recall?

    No. NHTSA closed its investigation on 26 May 2023 without a recall after Tesla disabled the feature, saying closure did not mean it had found no defect.[8][3]

    Do Teslas have Steam?

    Tesla added a Steam beta to refreshed Model S and Model X cars with 16 GB of memory in December 2022. A May 2024 report said newer Model S and X vehicles no longer include it.[9][10]

    Sources

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Status shows how well established it is.

    1. [1]

      According to NHTSA, Tesla Arcade was introduced in June 2019 and let occupants play games on the centre screen with the car in Park, ending gameplay if the car was shifted out of Park. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    2. [2]

      NHTSA opened Preliminary Evaluation PE21-023 into Passenger Play on 21 December 2021, covering 580,121 model year 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3, S, X and Y vehicles. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    3. [3]

      Tesla disabled Passenger Play in moving vehicles with firmware release 2021.44.25.1 in response to NHTSA's request, and reported a 97% over-the-air completion rate a month later. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    4. [4]

      NHTSA concluded that many drivers disregard on-screen notifications and that technological lockouts are needed to prevent non-driving tasks while a vehicle is moving. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    5. [5]

      Tesla's Passenger Play, introduced on 24 December 2020, allowed selected mostly turn-based games to be played on the front centre screen while the vehicle was in Drive and moving. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    6. [6]

      Tesla's data showed that in about a third of the trips with Passenger Play use, the game was used in motion with no front passenger detected. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    7. [7]

      NHTSA said Passenger Play fits content its voluntary driver-distraction guidelines recommend for "per se lockout", meaning it should always be inaccessible to the driver while driving. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    8. [8]

      NHTSA closed PE21-023 on 26 May 2023 without a recall, stating that closure does not mean it found no safety defect. confirmedas of 2023-05-26

    9. [9]

      In December 2022 Tesla added a Steam beta to refreshed Model S and Model X cars, supporting Steam Deck-verified games on 2022 and later cars with 16 GB of memory and Premium Connectivity. confirmedas of 2022-12-14

    10. [10]

      In May 2024 Not a Tesla App reported that Tesla was no longer including Steam support in newer Model S and Model X vehicles, citing messages to customers awaiting delivery. reportedas of 2024-05-20

    11. [11]

      Volkswagen says AirConsole lets occupants play multiplayer games on the infotainment screen while parked, joining by scanning a QR code so their smartphones act as controllers, with 20 games at launch. confirmedas of 2026-09-23

    12. [12]

      In October 2022 BMW announced it would bring AirConsole games to new vehicles starting with the BMW 7 Series in 2023, playable only while parked, using smartphones as controllers. confirmedas of 2022-10-11

    13. [13]

      AirConsole is made by N-Dream, a Zurich-based subsidiary of KPIT Technologies, whose automaker partners include BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Skoda and Tata. confirmedas of 2026-09-23

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 10, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 10, 2026. Next scheduled review: Jan 10, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "Tesla Arcade." ContentLora, updated Oct 10, 2026. https://contentlora.com/wiki/tesla-arcade

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

    Keep exploring

    Connections
    AirConsole Alternative platform
    ☰ Contents