The Tesla Model 3 has a bevy to technological features inside and out. From supercar performance stats to a massive 15-inch infotainment screen that can do as much as your average laptop computer, the Tesla Model 3 seemingly has all. But does it have Apple CarPlay?

What does the Tesla Model 3 have to offer?

To put it as simple as possible: No, the Tesla Model 3 does not offer either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. However, it does offer a lot more than what those two phone integration platforms currently do. For example, if you like to sing, you can make use of the car’s karaoke feature, in which you can sing along to your favorite songs with the lyrics displayed right on the screen. Additionally, you can watch Netflix and view videos on YouTube, which are actions that you can’t do with Apple CarPlay.

What else can you do with the Tesla interface?

While you might not be able to use Apple CarPlay in a Tesla Model 3, you do still have plenty of other features like navigation and other music applications. Spotify is now standard on all Tesla models and the beauty of having such a large infotainment screen is that you can configure how much real estate the application uses on it. For example, you can have the navigation map take up a quarter of the screen while the Spotify app takes up the rest of it.

You can also play games in the Model 3 via the Tesla arcade and if you need more videos to watch while you’re parked, you can even watch Hulu. One of the main advantages to having a Model 3, much like all of the other Teslas, is that there a bunch of “Easter eggs” to be found. A couple of which include a sketch pad on the infotainment display as well as nods to popular movies like “Spaceballs” and  “Spinal Tap.”

Why doesn’t the Tesla Model 3 have Apple CarPlay?

That’s the million-dollar question, however, the general consensus seems to be that Tesla only wants to use its proprietary software on its vehicles without having to use the slightly cumbersome CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces. Also, considering the Model 3’s current infotainment can do so much, it technically negates the need to use that type of phone integration software. However, you can still connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth.

Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has stated, “The goal for the infotainment system is to say what’s the most amount of fun you can have in a car. I don’t think other car companies really think about it that way. It’s not just some sort of transport utility device with no soul and no character.”

The future of infotainment

It’s clear that Tesla’s take on infotainment is a bit Avant-Garde, considering it consists of a large screen that acts as an all-in-one information center. It not only does all of the aforementioned games and unique features, but it also displays all of the pertinent information for the driver including the vehicle’s speed, seat settings, and it can even control the direction of the interior vents.

And while the lack of Android Auto and Apple Carplay might be annoying for some, Tesla could be onto something with this new type of infotainment. We’ll see what the future holds.