Friday, June 11th 2021
Elon Musk Demoes "PS5-level Performance" of the AMD-powered Model S In-Dash Game Console
The latest Tesla Model S comes with an infotainment system with serious gaming capabilities. EV manufacturers have turned their attention to making the infotainment systems of their vehicles a lot more capable, as they look to give car owners something to do whilst their vehicle fast-charges—a concept pioneered by the Honda e.
The new Model S infotainment system is a proper x86 PC powered by AMD Ryzen and custom AMD Radeon graphics. The GPU in particular, is based on the new "Navi 23" silicon powered by RDNA2 technology, and Elon Musk claims that the console offers performance rivaling a PlayStation 5 (which also uses an RDNA2-based graphics processor). The gaming-capable infotainment system is part of the $130,000 Plaid variant on the Model S. Its main touchscreen pivots into landscape mode. Meanwhile, images of a Tesla-branded game controller not unlike the one a PS5 comes with, surfaced on Reddit. It's unconfirmed if one of these comes included with the car, but it would make sense for a console-like controller to be the input device for games on this infotainment system, as a tablet-like touch interface would be sub-optimal with the fixed location of the screen.The recording of the Model S Plaid launch event follows.
Sources:
The Verge, Paul Spivak (Reddit), Tesla (YouTube)
The new Model S infotainment system is a proper x86 PC powered by AMD Ryzen and custom AMD Radeon graphics. The GPU in particular, is based on the new "Navi 23" silicon powered by RDNA2 technology, and Elon Musk claims that the console offers performance rivaling a PlayStation 5 (which also uses an RDNA2-based graphics processor). The gaming-capable infotainment system is part of the $130,000 Plaid variant on the Model S. Its main touchscreen pivots into landscape mode. Meanwhile, images of a Tesla-branded game controller not unlike the one a PS5 comes with, surfaced on Reddit. It's unconfirmed if one of these comes included with the car, but it would make sense for a console-like controller to be the input device for games on this infotainment system, as a tablet-like touch interface would be sub-optimal with the fixed location of the screen.The recording of the Model S Plaid launch event follows.
102 Comments on Elon Musk Demoes "PS5-level Performance" of the AMD-powered Model S In-Dash Game Console
With people spending more and more time in their vehicles it's only logical to have some comfort and such.
It's another story however, that the more parts a given system has, the more its chance to experience a fault increases. 'Silicon Valley' did a really good episode on Tesla. Well, a few actually.
Another thing is the practicality of a gaming console in a car. I for one use the rest stops to actually go out and stretch my legs when travelling. I don't see how I would want any more time in the car, other than the time needed to get to from A to B.
Now, long-haulers, campers and similar are obvious exception but we're talking passanger cars here. Inb4, if one stays 3 hours in traffic jam each day and need some enterntainment, that's entirely different problem.
lmao
I also bet that there will be a crypto mining mode while the car is charging.
Maybe I am old style guy but I like to drive my car myself and don't want the electronics to fully control the car and drive it for me. :laugh:
The current and future cars have too much software in them and we know that software is never free of bugs. :fear:
At least in the functional safety areas of software there is more deeper testing at suppliers because they need to fulfil certain ASIL levels (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) .
For safety relevant electronics with slow manovering systems they need to fulfil ASIL-B and things like brakes are ASIL-D.
I don't need a gaming console in the car.
For children there are portable devices but to be honest my children are already spending too much time on these at home so I don't need them to do that also in the car. :eek:
When we go on long drives, I usually prefer to make a few stops to have children stretch their legs instead of them sitting whole time focusing on a small screen.
Ironically enough, modern airplanes and spaceships are so safe because of electronics. Inb4 Boeing, that was a case of cheap and stingy top management staff. Not because the electronics were faulty per se.
Autopilot and uber license
Crypto wallet
GAming console
ASics for car heating and mining .
App to buy and sell elektricity when stationary.
And great audio
Mfg
Jan
Meanwhile there is a single point of failure on the B737-Max to bring down that plane, Boeing were skimping on so much safety measures that it is a flying deathtrap, even their own test pilots couldn't do anything once the MCAS force the plane to nose dive.
For cars I wouldn't think there are any redundancy (maybe the 5th wheel?), the worst that happen is people stuck with a dead car on the road side :roll:.
What Boeing did with the Max is cut cost for profit and then spent a hudredfold more for damage control. That's incompetent management 101.
I couldn't understand what's the funny part with a bunch of guys being dead in the ditch, though.
Today people believe that Musk was the brain child.
There was a video on Youtube with a Musk sheep asking people on the street who created Tesla and if a person didn't know they would say Musk.
Musk use's other people to make himself seem like the very intelligent one.
This gaming crap is as stupid as when they put TV's into cars in the 90's.
I honestly don't know how that Boeing debacle escaped through Functional Safety standards at the company.
In car industry also topics like Functional Safety are taken very seriously.
For ASIL-D which is highest safety standard, you need to make sure there is redundancy in system. Brakes, and autonomous driving would be classified as ASIL-D relevant functions. Such system for example need two independent power supplies for control unit in case one fails then the unit will not stop suddenly exposing the driver to danger. There is also special safety SoC on such control units which monitors other function on this control unit.
I work im Automotive industry at one of larger suppliers therefore I know a few things about this industry. :D
What I can say is that control units are getting very complex in the recent years increasing testing efforts.
What makes me wonder though with this press release from Tesla is if AMD has now automotive grade components. :rolleyes:
The cars are expoxed to many harsh environments and usually we don't use consumer grade components there.
The component suppliers need to make sure certain temperature/humudity/life spam criteria are fulfilled.
Unlike consumer products the car components need to survive in tough environment for longer time.
I as car owner would be angry if I need to replace parts after 3 to 4 years for example.
As for automotive, for as long as the infotainment systems are separated from the CAN bus with a measily gateway, I won't touch a car with even electrical windows.
I hoped that the automotive industry would not impact the availability of semiconductors, I guess now we must press on and push the desire to create our own semiconductors here in Europe.
The problem is many don't know the road rules or only follow them when they want to, or are just inconsiderate.
Self driving cars will alleviate those issues, unfortunately a blanket rule to compensate for idiots means the few that can drive will have that fun taken away from them.
In automotive it takes up to 3 years to design and fully qualify even non ASIL relevant electronics. Safety is only one aspect and also reliability is very important.
There is design validation and product validations phases which each takes between 5 to 6 months alone and these are quite tough tests where usually some issues could be found taking some time to fix these and re-run the tests.
I wonder also how Tesla can do releases very quickly.