Tesla Infotainment Upgrade Performance Test - MCU1 vs MCU2 | 4K 60fps

[@mindseye4914]

This is one of the very few but one of the best MCU upgrade videos I have seen on KZbin. I was suprised to see the utter garbage that people had posted rambling on and on about how MCU2 was the greatest thing since sliced bread....but not really properly detailing the comparitive features. You did a great job with showing the old vs. the new which was exactly what I needed to see to make a determination whether the upgrade cost was worth the money. At this point I feel the slickness and the speediness is great...but i'm wondering if it is really worth $2,500. Idk, I'm torn...it would be great to have my MCU work so much quicker and the added features like YT, Netflix and Dashcam.....ugh!....if this was $1,000 it would've been a no brainer.

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks for the very kind feedback. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Yeah, it's a lot of money for what you get (compared to an equally-priced PC, for instance), but it greatly improved my enjoyment of the car so it was well worth the money for me. Although, I do often wait in the car for long stretches of time, so I probably use the video and gaming functions more often than the average driver, but I was often frustrated by the laggy performance of the infotainment system before the upgrade, so that alone was worth it for me. What did you end up deciding?

[@Nakameguro97]

In my 2016 MX, my microSD was failing, causing weird MCU reboots and slow responses in the GUI - Tesla wanted to charge me $282.50 to replace a 16GB microSD (mostly labor). In lieu of that repair, I'd rather just pay for the MCU2 upgrade, after watching this video.

[@Nicholas-f5]

$250/hr labor

[@anxietyjosh]

Outstanding video. Exactly what I was looking for.

[@EvolutionTesla]

Awesome, glad it was helpful.

[@JohnNguyenVincent]

great video, i really love how thorough you are and organize this video was.

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks for the kind feedback John. I really appreciate it.

[@FurEngel]

Crazy good video. Seriously, has all the information I was looking for. Thanks for making it E-T. Edit: one thing you missed: the features it adds to cars with MCU1+FSD.

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks for the kind comment, D.E. Regarding the MCU2+FSD features, including the enhanced visualizations, I cover a little bit of this in my follow-up video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKrElWqQa7CajcU

[@FurEngel]

@@EvolutionTesla Another feature is the USB ports are connected to the MCU. MCU1 only has standard 5V @ 500mA, but MCU2 upgraded that to 5V @ 1.2A.

[@JohnVig]

Another thing missed is the much improved (internet) radio which has much improved reception and which makes radio stations available from all over the world.

[@JohnVig]

Unfortunately, the new Infotainment system came without instructions, so, thank you Evolution for providing some instructions. Please do another video on the new radio capability which was also greatly improved - can receive radio stations from all over the world!

[@khoado123]

Very nice video. I can't wait for my upgrade in December. Well worth it based on reviews on KZbin

[@EvolutionTesla]

Great news! I hope you got your upgrade by now and have been enjoying it. :)

[@khoado123]

@@EvolutionTesla yep i got my upgrade done just before Christmas. Been enjoying it then. Worth every penny. Happy New Year !

[@tamarm_funkycoldmedina]

Nice content! Are you the Brain Candy TV guy? Your voice sounds very familiar.

[@EvolutionTesla]

Ha ha, yes, that’s me. This channel was a fun side-project but I just haven’t had the time to create more content for it recently. Thanks for watching my main show. :)

[@manishpatel-pi6nl]

Amazing video. thank you very much.

[@kuttanpillai72]

Not just infotainment. That is the heart of FSD

[@mrcaz9164]

I get my Update Friday, can't wait. THe main reason is the camera access. I hate having to take the drive out of the car into the house, or hook it up to my phone to view a sentry event. Really sucks when you can't get reception on your phone to access the app. One question, will all those features that you can't use on your phone app now be available to view live camera, or sentry event as it notifies you, through the app? I'm thinking so, just not sure. Haven't seen anything about the app and MCU2.

[@BryceLovesTech]

Great review. I just scheduled to have mine done as my drivers display is delaminating hopefully they will take care of that also

[@tyranelewis7763]

MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade $1620.00 out the driveway includes the ICU and MCU upgraded parts

[@kevincabrera1893]

with mcu2, does the cameras now work as like a dash cam? while driving does it record?

[@thatwasonce]

they still have MCU1 in some service vehicles and its agonizing I think they do it to make you promptly return it when they finish

[@Nicholas-f5]

And they're cheapskates

[@lesliegweir]

Wasn't Tesla replacing many MCu's under warranty?

[@EvolutionTesla]

If I remember correctly, they were just replacing the eMMC memory chip that was causing issues due to too many re-writes, not the entire MCU. Some said this improved performance a bit, but it didn’t enable the new features like Netflix, better games, etc.

[@djekicccc]

Is the start up of the car improved?

[@EvolutionTesla]

Djordje Djekic I’m not sure what you mean. Do you mean the time it takes to reboot the system or just getting the car ready to drive from when you hit the seat? I’d be happy to time anything for you to compare to your car.

[@djekicccc]

Evolution Tesla Hi and thank u for the quick answer :) Yes the later one, I want to know if its any faster from seat to be able to drive? Tanks again!

[@braincandytv]

@@djekicccc I haven't noticed any improvement in this area, unfortunately. There is still a second or two delay from when I put my foot on the brake to when I can put the car into drive - often resulting in me having to pull the stock twice to get it into drive. It might be difficult to time exactly, but I can try to test the delay from hitting the brake to when I can put it into drive if that helps you.

[@duke2306]

5Ghz WiFi connection? Did you mean to say MUC2's faster LTE than the older MCU1's 3G?

[@BarryFence]

Great job on the video! I just subscribed. What month of 2017 S do you have?

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks, Barry. If I remember correctly, mine was built in late August 2017. I believe it was the first or second day they started implementing AP hardware 2.5.

[@BarryFence]

@@EvolutionTesla Mine was late July or early August so I had the AP2.0 hardware. I've since been upgraded to HW3.0 since I paid for the self-driving upgrade.

[@dreamkiss4u]

Is it available for a 2015 model s p85d?

[@rokasstockunas3955]

Yes

[@jefberthet5001]

Hi, I'm a french tesla owner. The service center has just upgrade the FSD because I have the option full drive (tesla model S 2017 march ) Today I have no GPS, no speed regulator and some other functions. They do change the MCU1. I believe it must be chnage to give the Tesla the real powerful system. Strange because I read on internet that Tesla must change the MCU on the whole production in the US. What bout other countries? You Tutorial is very interesting but need to be a good technician.

[@wadafruit]

Just found your video and the latest Tesla motors club email. Excellent coverage. I had just got a 2013 Tesla Model S P85. Looks like the MCU version one is already failing. After I had done a factory reset. That's when the problems had started. I talked to Tampa Tesla and they said it would be $2,500 to put MCU 2. After watching your video I think I am going to go ahead and do that. If I had just replaced the board they said that's about 400 bucks. Excellently well done video. What kind of camera do you use? I subscribed. Noice.

[@EvolutionTesla]

@Peterson Mathew Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully you'll have access to most of the features that I covered in this video. I'm not sure if your upgrade would include Dashcam/Sentry mode or the Dashcam viewer since I'm guessing your car has Autopilot v1 hardware? I'd be interested to hear what features you do and don't get with your very early Model S. Don't forget that you'll lose AM/FM radio since the upgraded MCU doesn't have a radio tuner, but I've been rather enjoying some of the Slacker Radio streaming channels so I'm not missing it much. I'm not sure if Tesla is scheduling AP1 cars for the MCU2 upgrade yet, but it wouldn't hurt to start the process and possibly get on a waiting list. I use 2 GoPro Hero 6 and 1 GoPro Hero 7 as well as a Panasonic G9 for the interior and studio shots. Thanks for subscribing! :)

[@wadafruit]

Update...looks like after 3 days and now all the software in the car is working back to normal. Will hold off on MCU board replacement or MCU 2 for now. So lesson learned so far is if you do a factory reset to an older tesla just wait a few days and don't get worried. Hopefully things will get back to normal in time. Noice.

[@acejossy]

how come you had a TeslaCam on your MCU1? My 2017 MS MCU1 doesn't have that. Also do you think there will be MCU3 possibly foreseeable uture?

[@EvolutionTesla]

Hi @acejossy I had Autopilot version 2.5 hardware since my car was a late 2017 model (anything built after August 2017 has AP 2.5, I believe) so that gave me the functionality of basic TeslaCam on MCU1. After my MCU2 upgrade, I can now record with the rear-facing camera and have access to the on-board Dashcam Viewer. I'm sure there will eventually be an MCU3 in the future with more advanced infotainment capabilities, since Tesla is always upgrading their components, but I haven't heard a peep about this yet. I'm guessing that after they do a wide rollout of full self-driving, they will invest in a beefier infotainment computer to handle more advanced games and entertainment features, but that could be years from now.

[@JBALLER02]

Great job!!!

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it. I hope to start posting more often once we get the Full Self Driving beta up here in Canada.

[@AlexMoloneyRealEstate]

and now the upgrade is $2000 CAN. My MCU 1 is starting to get pretty slow now. is the web browser useable with MCU2 - I don't even use it. Didnt know you were in the GTA !! Dec 2017 Model S

[@EvolutionTesla]

Hi Alex. Yes, the web browser is certainly useable now, especially compared to before, but it's definitely not as smooth as a modern-day tablet. I don't use it much myself, but there are certain scenarios where it could come in handy for some, like using Waze or ABetterRoutePlanner.com, or some entertainment web apps like Bell's Fibe TV for watching live and recorded TV shows (though again, this isn't as smooth or reliable as on a modern mobile device, but it's still pretty cool to have the option to play live TV on your car's screen). The upgrade was well worth the cost for me when I paid full price for it, but it's nice that Tesla has decided to offer a cheaper price, especially for customers who are experiencing issues with their current infotainment units.

[@pskirby128]

I have a March 2016 Model X P90D, with Autopilot 1 and MCU 1. If I upgrade to MCU 2 for $2500 will I get Netflix, games, etc? And will dashcam (front camera only) work? Thanks in advance.

[@EvolutionTesla]

@Peter K I wouldn't want to give a definitive answer since I'm not experienced with that particular upgrade path, but I would imagine that you'd get all of the infotainment features like video streaming and games. I'm not sure if the dashcam and dashcam viewer would work since that also relies on the AP computer and cameras - it would be nice if you could get those features with just your front camera at least though. Perhaps you could ask in the big MCU2 update thread on the Tesla Motor Club forum and hopefully someone there would have an answer for you: teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/tesla-confirms-infotainment-system-upgradeability-from-mcu1-to-mcu2-for-2500.145473/ . I don't think Tesla is scheduling upgrades for AP1 vehicles yet (according to the official Tesla support page here: www.tesla.com/support/infotainment ), so maybe dashcam question is still unknown. Hope this helps.

[@pskirby128]

Thanks very much!

[@RT-qz5ci]

In case you’re still wondering. I have a march 2016 model S and just did the MCU upgrade. I had to as I was having issues with MCU1. But yes, I got all of the new features including netflix, games, etc. It’s worth it imo

[@pskirby128]

@@RT-qz5ci thanks. What kind of issues were you having? And did you get a front dashcam?

[@RT-qz5ci]

@@pskirby128 no dash cam. I wish! MCU1 was restarting/crashing constantly on me. To the point where i was late for work a few times bc it took 30 min to restart. Also just moving slow and freezing up in general. I complained non stop at the service center about how this wasn’t right until they agreed to discount the upgrade. I got it for 2200+ tax. If you’re having issues with MCU1 I would complain and demand a discounted upgrade.

[@c.dufresne3468]

Hi Michael. I was offered the 2000$ MCU upgrade but beside getting the MCU2, will the ECU will be upgrade too from the HW2.0 I have on my 2017 Model S? When we're talking about upgrading, is MCU and ECU two different things and treated separately by Tesla with money to be spend each time we want an upgrade? Thanks in advance.

[@EvolutionTesla]

If you’re referring to the recalled upgrade of the 8GB eMMC to the 64GB eMMC flash memory module, then yes, the MCU2 upgrade includes this new memory chip. It’s one of the reasons I decided to do the MCU upgrade, since I knew these memory modules were prone to failure and causing performance issues.

[@c.dufresne3468]

@@EvolutionTesla thanks. I heard that the MCU2 upgrade comes with also an upgrade of the hardware from HW2.0 to HW3.0 and they also install a new screen. Is it true?

[@EVtripper]

How much did Tesla Charge you for the upgrade. Website says $1750, but the service center quoted me $3500.

[@EvolutionTesla]

I believe I paid $3160 Canadian for the upgrade back in 2020, but I thought they dropped the price substantially a while ago.

[@EVtripper]

@@EvolutionTesla I guess not 😞

[@monortues]

I did the upgrade yesterday on my 2016 MX. The price was us $1750+500=2250. $500 is for FM/AM antenna upgrade. The old antenna is not compatible with MCU2.

[@TransitAndTeslas]

8 minutes for navigation instructions? At that point I’d pull out my phone. Sheesh you need the upgrade for sure!!

[@TurboNFRStwoK]

The issue with using your phone is it doesn’t route you through superchargers or plan your charging time. The first trip I did in my Tesla was a 2000 mile cross country trip without using the Tesla navigation (at the time I didn’t know it planned the superchargers and charge times for you). It’s a real pain in the ass to google superchargers. Even using an app like plug share it’s still way more complicated just plugging it in the Tesla nav and going.

[@TransitAndTeslas]

@@TurboNFRStwoK You can search for something on Apple Maps and then hit Share then hit the Tesla app, that will send it to the car nav.

[@TurboNFRStwoK]

@@TransitAndTeslas You just learned me something. I had no idea you could do that lol.

[@JasonGeraldG]

Great video.

[@Reddylion]

Nice

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks, Reddylion. Glad you liked it.

[@teslapool3165]

I have a 2014 Model S do I have hope of having a chance to upgrade to MCU2?.. I heard they go from 2018 and down to 2012...

[@braincandytv]

According to the official Tesla Infotainment Upgrade page here: www.tesla.com/en_CA/support/infotainment , it looks like they still aren't doing upgrades for cars before October 2016 (AP 2.0 and later) but upgrades for all other Model S and X vehicles are "coming soon." Hopefully that means that you'll have access to the upgrade soon, but some features may still be lacking due to hardware restrictions (like the lack of cameras for Sentry Mode and Dashcam).

[@sneakerhead4913]

@@braincandytv awh man i got a 2014 86 :(

[@f36443]

Got my 2015 P85D scheduled for a MCU2 upgrade, all models are supported

[@bruceh2880]

@@braincandytv The Tesla Service Center tech I just spoke to today said it was available for my 2013 Model S

[@MeepAdventures]

love it, love the channel

[@EvolutionTesla]

Thanks for the kind words, Gadget Candy. I haven't been posting much here lately since I've been focusing mostly on my primary channel (educational videos for kids), but I just ordered a Plaid Model S so I'm sure I'll be posting some new content here in the next couple of months! :)

[@MeepAdventures]

@@EvolutionTesla awesome. I am about to get the mcu2 upgrade so this really helped. Looking forward to what you have to say on the plaid!

[@SquatSimp]

Still waiting for Tesla to recall MCU1 for an MCU2....

[@oootassss]

Hehe this will never happen. They do recall now, but their replacing MCU1 eMMC chip from 8gb to 64.. thats all.

[@ckhalifa_]

@@oootassss were you able to freely schedule your appointment and do the replacement?

[@oootassss]

@@ckhalifa_ in the App or your local service centre.

[@Somatik]

We need this upgrade in the EU!

[@EvolutionTesla]

I hope you get it soon. I feel giddy every time I get to drive the car again, like it used to be in the early days of ownership (with the MCU2 upgrade as well as the FSD hardware upgrade). Are there still major restrictions to Autopilot in Europe, or is it just certain countries?

[@Somatik]

@@EvolutionTesla I have AP3 (since 2 months) with mcu1. No traffic lights, no cones, highway restrictions. AP3 did not change anything. I have the impression that starting the car is even slower now. Totally crippled this way. You can check out "Steven Peeters" on KZbin to see the current state here.

[@EvolutionTesla]

@Francis De Brabandere Sorry to hear that. My next video coming soon will discuss my experience with HW3/FSD in Canada. We're pretty much caught up with our US neighbours except for the speed limit sign recognition, but we often get new AP features weeks later than the States. I hope you'll at least get the software restrictions lifted soon, if not MCU2 upgrades as well.

[@alittlebitmoore]

We already have MCU2 in EU, Steven Peeters made a video about it a few weeks ago in Belgium. Not many available yet (I am still waiting for my 2017 S with AP3 already fitted)

[@Somatik]

@@alittlebitmoore Last time I checked with my service center they only had kits for MCU2 + AP3, MCU2 only was not available here in Belgium :-( Now I wish I postponed the AP3 hw upgrade. On the positive side I do have traffic lights and speed signs on mcu1 now.

[@jetizon]

my Lexus would never have this upgrade... I must buy a new car (aka another $40-60k) just to get any of these features. the car is overall fine... just much dated tech from 2015. it's great tesla's allow this.. wow.

[@Arya_amsha]

you can change infotainment system from a electronic mechanic here

[@EvolutionTesla]

Yeah, I must give Tesla kudos for listening to all of the customers who asked for this upgrade to be offered. The infotainment system is such and important part of the car (and will likely become more important as we get closer to full self-driving functionality) and I've never heard of another manufacturer who offers such an upgrade to keep their customers' cars up-to-date with the latest tech and features.

[@jetizon]

@@Arya_amsha Do you have a recommendation? Yeah I found a 3rd party person that could add an unofficial apple CarPlay system with my Lexus. I tried it out and it wasn't fluid nor felt meant to be ( had Chinese text, wasn't touch screen, and limited warranty of 1 year / no updates). Tesla creating a true update for their cars which is more ideal and what I'm seeking. Lexus said that would would not be possible at all (officially).

[@moineaux9173]

@@jetizon an ipad will be way faster and better than even the tesla giant screen. People are using ipad pros for their headunits and it works fantastic with 120hz display

[@rvalent9366]

From unusable to bad

[@AnyTwoWillD0]

I got my MCU 1 upgrade to MCU 2 for free

[@LaciPucak]

how?

[@M5JamesE39]

Thanks for nothing lol

[@Nicholas-f5]

Maybe before 100k

[@jkoonce4244]

he did gay stuff