Tesla owners start seeing a data usage counter with a 50GB cap
It's not clear if Tesla will charge more for heavy internet use.
Tesla last year started splitting data into standard and premium tiers, but it's now hinting that it might watch how much data you're using, too. Some owners have noticed a data use counter showing up on their cars with a seeming 50GB cap. It's not yet clear what this cap is for or what happens if you chew up more than 50GB of data. However, Tesla is displaying this to people with the Premium Connectivity package, not just Standard.
We've asked Tesla for comment. It may have more to say about data usage once there's a wider rollout for its cars' version 10 firmware. Having said that, it wouldn't be surprising if Tesla charged extra for heavy data use. Netflix and YouTube streaming are on the way, and those can easily consume gigabytes of data in a single session. Caps could discourage drivers from going on Stranger Things marathons in their cars and help Tesla stay on the good side of carrier partners anxious about their network loads.
