Tesla Lets Owners Disable In-Car Internet With New Parental Controls
Tesla rolled out new parental controls over the last month allowing parents to disable the car’s built-in internet, gaming and streaming systems.
The safety features, which Tesla incorporated into a late May software update, lets owners make the internet, TV, movies and games inaccessible to some — or all — drivers behind the wheel.
“I am thrilled that Tesla has incorporated parental controls into their [2026.20] update,” Lindsey, the mom who warned about Tesla’s lack of internet safety tools earlier this year, told the Daily Citizen.
“This is a huge win for families and a powerful reminder that change happens when people speak out.”
A little over 62% of Telsa vehicles have received the updated parental controls, as of publication.
Lindsey began speaking out after she and her husband discovered only one of their computers didn’t allow them to place any content or safety guardrails on the internet: Their Tesla.
It seemed like a glaring oversight. It’s not as though Tesla offered no other parental tools. Prior to the update, it allowed parents to set speed limits for their teens, monitor their location and what they listen to while driving and even check the car’s internal temperature.
But when Lindsey called the company’s customer service line, a representative confirmed Tesla offered no way to limit the car’s internet access.
The consequences of such a massive loophole are predictable and all over the internet. Now, parents can stop their teenagers (and any other driver) from playing games, scrolling social media or watching pornography on their Tesla’s built-in console — while driving it.
Common sense protections like these could mean the difference between life and death. Teens are at a higher risk than adults of dying from distracted driving, which kills an estimated nine people each day in the United States.
These features also provide critical barriers between children and online predation. Unsupervised access to the internet, social media, AI and gaming platforms like Roblox can have deadly consequences of their own — regardless of whether teens use their smartphone or smart car.
Like Lindsey, the Daily Citizen is grateful Tesla prioritized safety and gave parents the tools to block the in-car internet, streaming and gaming apps.
But the issue remains that smart utilities and modern cars offer kids internet portals parents may not think to protect.
“When the house internet isn’t an option, the computer isn’t an option, the TV isn’t an option — well, the car is an option,” Lindsey summarized in February.
The Daily Citizen recommends all parents with “smart” utilities and other devices touch screen consoles, confirm children cannot access the internet through those interfaces.
If devices in your home offer internet access, search online for parental controls or ways to disable the browser entirely.
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