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Tesla to demo Steam for more in-car gaming soon using Linux & Proton

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Tesla and Steam? It's coming and it sounds like it's progressing nicely with a demo to come soon to show it off.

Something that has been in the works for a while, and we already know their entertainment software uses Linux so it will use the Linux version of Steam. This will also include the Proton compatibility tool for running Windows games as well to enable plenty more gaming in your fancy Tesla.

We actually saw hints of this back in 2021, as Tesla were advertising for "Linux Game Development at Tesla" position which you can see via the Wayback Machine. This involved working with "Linux, Mesa, Vulkan, OpenGL, Proton/Lutris, Wine, etc." so it was pretty clear where they were going with it. Add to that Elon Musk said on Twitter in early 2022 that "We’re working through the general case of making Steam games work on a Tesla vs specific titles. Former is obviously where we should be long-term.".

Just recently on July 16, 2022 again on Twitter, Musk said: "We’re making progress with Steam integration. Demo probably next month.".

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Misc, Steam, Upcoming
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flesk Jul 22, 2022
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Quoting: denyasis
Quoting: fleskTeslas support separate profiles for each driver for driving mode, seat and mirror adjustment, etc. I don't know if that will be integrated with Steam profiles at all though. Probably depends on the extent of collaboration between Tesla and Valve

Did not know that. Cool idea. Im not sure why they would need to collaborate with Valve to change profiles. If it's Linux under the hood and it's just switching users, seems like simple autostart would do that. No different than our PC's, right?

Because from what I can tell, there's no actual switching of Linux user sessions. It's just a profile change that takes place in the Tesla UI. I could be wrong about that though, and it's just so seemless that I didn't notice.

And for all I know, it might not even be difficult to switch Steam users in a single user session. It might just work "out of the box".


Last edited by flesk on 22 July 2022 at 4:16 am UTC
MayeulC Jul 23, 2022
Quoting: denyasisSo, I buy this car for me put steam on. I'm home playing a steam game. My spouse then takes my car to do an errand, it turns on, logs into my steam account ( kicking me at home off). So now I'm trying to call my spouse while they are running errands to go back to the car and close steam?


I can kinda see the criticisms that these innovations are all thought up of people that don't have to think about family life.

Steam has supported multiple PCs being logged into the same account for some time now, since about the introduction of "remote play" (or "in-home streaming", as it was called years ago).

I'm pretty sure you can even restart in offline mode if you want to play simultaneously.
denyasis Jul 23, 2022
Quoting: MayeulCSteam has supported multiple PCs being logged into the same account for some time now, since about the introduction of "remote play" (or "in-home streaming", as it was called years ago).

I'm aware of these features and use them. I'm also aware that when you try to play games independently on the same account, steam blocks you. If your a single PC/steam account type family, it's not a good solution. On the other hand I guess you could stream from your PC to your car? I've used the remote streaming a lot, but never outside of a LAN environment. Might be cool.

Quoting: MayeulCI'm pretty sure you can even restart in offline mode if you want to play simultaneously.

You can, sometimes. But you have to start in offline first. Logging in, trying to play a game, the restarting in offline so as not to boot the other player off doesn't always work. I'm not sure if it sets a local variable or or it phones home regardless claiming to be "offline", either way, the DRM does try to enforce it (although imperfectly). As a single Steam account family, I can fully attest to that. Besides not sure how easy that would be to do while driving.

I think the best way practically would be to setup up a dummy account for family sharing on the car. I think that solves my criticisms.


Last edited by denyasis on 23 July 2022 at 2:49 pm UTC
slaapliedje Jul 23, 2022
Quoting: fleskAccording to Wikipedia, the Steam Deck has a 40Wh battery, while the smallest Tesla batteries are 50kWh, so that'd be at least 1000 times as much gaming on a single charge, unless you also use it for driving.
According to a friend who bought one, and my own opinion having ridden in one, the Teslas aren't really fit for driving anyhow. May as well be a battery for playing Steam games!
14 Aug 1, 2022
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I don't see this as a good idea. When are people going to use it?
Eike Aug 1, 2022
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Quoting: 14I don't see this as a good idea. When are people going to use it?

I could imagine it at the backseat for the children.
flesk Aug 1, 2022
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Quoting: slaapliedjeAccording to a friend who bought one, and my own opinion having ridden in one, the Teslas aren't really fit for driving anyhow.

How so?

Quoting: 14I don't see this as a good idea. When are people going to use it?

Some of Tesla's entertainment features can only be accessed while parked, and are meant to pass time while charging. I imagine this is one of those.
slaapliedje Aug 5, 2022
Quoting: flesk
Quoting: slaapliedjeAccording to a friend who bought one, and my own opinion having ridden in one, the Teslas aren't really fit for driving anyhow.

How so?

Quoting: 14I don't see this as a good idea. When are people going to use it?

Some of Tesla's entertainment features can only be accessed while parked, and are meant to pass time while charging. I imagine this is one of those.
The suspension, even after all of the extras he tried to put on, was pretty terrible. You'd hit a pothole, aand know a baby feels when being cared for by an impatient teenager...
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