MCU1 and MCU2
The Media Control Unit is the computer behind the center touchscreen. Vehicles from the SC01 era were built with MCU1. Some have since received Tesla's MCU2 retrofit, which changes touchscreen speed and available media features.
MCU1
NVIDIA Tegra 3
Factory-installed before March 2018
- What it does well
- Runs the core vehicle controls, navigation, audio, and backup-camera display used by early Model S and Model X vehicles.
- Limitations
- The touchscreen and browser are slower than MCU2. MCU1 does not support Tesla Theater video streaming or the expanded Tesla Arcade available with the Intel Atom system.
- What improves
- Tesla's 8GB eMMC recall remedy replaces the affected memory with a 64GB eMMC while retaining the NVIDIA Tegra processor. It addresses the recalled memory condition, not MCU1 performance or feature limits.
- Tradeoffs
- Keeping MCU1 preserves the original infotainment and radio configuration. Confirm recall completion by VIN because build date alone does not establish whether the affected memory is still installed.
MCU2
Intel Atom
Factory-installed from about March 2018, or added as a retrofit
- What it does well
- Provides a faster, smoother touchscreen and browser. It supports Tesla Theater video streaming, an expanded Tesla Arcade, and other later infotainment features where connectivity and licensing allow.
- Limitations
- MCU2 alone does not guarantee every later feature. Dashcam and Sentry Mode recording and viewing also depend on the installed Autopilot computer and camera suite.
- What improves
- Touch response, instrument-cluster rendering, browser performance, video playback, and supported entertainment features improve over MCU1.
- Tradeoffs
- Tesla's retrofit removes access to the original AM, FM, and Sirius XM tuner. Eligibility, included hardware, subscriptions, and current cost must be confirmed for the exact car before scheduling service.
Confirm what is installed
On the touchscreen, open Controls, Software, then Additional Vehicle Information and read the Infotainment Processor entry. Review service records for an infotainment retrofit or eMMC recall repair. A 64GB eMMC recall repair does not convert MCU1 to MCU2, and the model year alone does not establish what is installed today.