Tesla takes on Android Auto and CarPlay, opens its cars to third-party apps

Tesla's software ecosystem has so far been limited to mostly apps created by the car maker and it didn't support either Apple's CarPlay or Google's Android Auto. That's finally changing, as Tesla released an official API documentation for developers to start creating apps.

Some third-party apps are running in Teslas today, but they rely on the unofficial API and are pretty basic in terms of functionality. Most of them are mobile and browser-based apps. Now the API is finally official, but there's a catch.

The new API documentation is quite limited and is tailored toward enterprise entities with Tesla fleets, so companies can manage their cars more efficiently. The documentation does mention smartwatch integration apps as well.

The documentation also states that all third-party apps should go through the new API starting next year.

Although this isn't a full-fledged API documentation and an SDK (Software Development Kit), it's a big step toward developing a more open and user-friendly ecosystem. It's about time, as Elon Musk has talked about this since 2016. He envisions a user experience similar to CarPlay and Android Auto but running natively on the Tesla vehicles.

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