Tesla's Music Streaming Platform May Debut Soon

Auto industry player Tesla Inc. (TSLA) may be readying an in-car music streaming service, building on hints provided by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk.

Clean energy news site Electrek recently reported that a Tesla software update showed a tab option for “TTunes" alongside other streaming options for radio, phone, and the TuneIn audio streaming service. (See also: Tesla a Buy, Will Turn a Profit by 2019: Argus.)

In Search of 'Maximum Happiness'

While images of the service were found in Tesla’s software by someone described by Electrek as "A friend of the site and Tesla tinkerer known as Green," it remains unclear when or if TTunes might launch.

Back in June, news broke that the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company was meeting with major music labels about licensing for a similar service. While not directly confirming the rumors, Tesla responded that its primary initiative remains “to simply achieve maximum happiness for our customers.”

“We believe it’s so important to have an exceptional in-car experience so our customers can listen to the music they want from whatever source they choose,” Tesla said in a statement earlier this year.

Sound Options

During Tesla’s annual general shareholder meeting in June, Musk indicated that it’s “very hard to find good playlists or good matching algorithms” for driving using the software and streaming services currently out on the market. He told investors to expect the company to make an announcement about fixing the problem by the end of 2017.

Ultimately, while Tesla seems to be dabbling in the music streaming space, it is not yet known whether the Silicon Valley company has already inked deals with music partners or if the news is simply evidence that the firm could be preparing for a future launch. If offered, Tesla may provide the service to its customers for free or choose to charge a monthly fee. (See also: Tesla to Rise 50%—If Nothing Goes Wrong: Morgan Stanley.)

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