Tesla rolls out Grok AI assistant to NZ vehicles

Tesla Australia and New Zealand have announced the rollout of Grok, an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, beginning today with Hardware 3 (HW3) vehicles receiving the first software updates.

Grok is an advanced AI companion built by xAI and designed to deliver accurate and insightful responses to questions across a wide range of topics, according to Tesla’s announcement.

The rollout will proceed in waves, with HW3 vehicle owners receiving initial access today. Over the coming days, additional waves will extend the update to vehicles equipped with Hardware 4 (HW4) systems.

Navigation commands and voice activation

One of Grok’s key features is its ability to initiate navigation commands within Tesla vehicles. The AI can set destinations, adjust routes during travel, and help discover points of interest.

Drivers can activate Grok using their vehicle’s steering wheel controls by setting the personality to Assistant mode. To access navigation commands, vehicles must be running software version 2025.44.25 or later.

Tesla says customers will be notified of the update through their Tesla app.

Privacy and security measures

Interactions with Grok are processed securely by xAI in accordance with their privacy notice, Tesla says. The company emphasises that conversations remain anonymous and are not linked to individual users or their vehicles.

Users can choose to sign in and sync their history across devices or interact in guest mode without requiring an account.

Vehicle compatibility requirements

Grok is available for Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y vehicles that meet specific technical requirements. These include an AMD processor, vehicle software version 2025.26 or later, and either Premium Connectivity or a Wi-Fi connection.

Vehicle owners can check their processor type by navigating to Controls > Software > Additional Vehicle Information on their vehicle’s touchscreen, or by using Tesla Assist through the Tesla app.

Currently, no Grok account or subscription is required to use the service, though Tesla notes that availability and account requirements are subject to change.

The AI assistant is currently in beta and does not include voice commands for vehicle controls such as media or climate systems. Tesla’s existing voice command feature remains unchanged.

Tesla says Grok may become available for additional vehicle models through future over-the-air software updates, though availability is subject to change or discontinuation at any time.