Imagine being able to drive a car with a video game controller. While it may seem farfetched, one man claims to have already done it. He posted a video of his Tesla moving while he stood outside using the controller. Is this something you should try at home?
Despite one man’s alleged experience driving a tesla with a PS5 controller, it’s not practical or feasible to drive the car in this way. Even if you can get the Tesla to move a little bit with the controller, driving it on real, active roads would be both difficult and dangerous.
You can definitely connect the PS5 controller to a Tesla for other uses, though. The PS5 controller can be used to play games while in the car and offers many other functions. Let’s take a look at what you can and can’t do with a DualSense controller in your Tesla.
How One Tesla Owner “Drove” a Tesla with a DualSense Controller
Check out the video for yourself. It supposedly shows a person connecting a PS5 controller to a Tesla and then moving the car by hitting buttons on the controller. As we discuss in our Ultimate PS5 Owner’s Guide, the DualSense can do a lot of neat things, but this one is really wild.
Comments on the video range from those who believe it and are in awe to those who say it’s a total fake; there could be someone in the car or that the car is really being controlled from the Tesla app on a phone. It’s tough to know for sure exactly how this was accomplished.
People also point out that there is a feature on the Tesla app called Smart Summon where the car can be controlled remotely as long as you are within 200 feet and it’s in your line of sight. This is for automatic parking.
Even if it were possible to drive the car with a PS5 controller, this is illegal in many countries and it presents many issues regarding the safety of driverless vehicles.
It also can be hard to steer and get the car to do exactly what you want when using a controller. And what if the signal goes out or the controller gets unpaired from the vehicle?
Can You Drive a Tesla With a PS5 Controller?
You can’t drive a Tesla with a PS5 controller. Even if you can get it to move a little bit through this method, for reasons already discussed, it would be too hard to maintain this functionality on public roads and it presents too many safety and legal issues.
However, the PS5 DualSense is quite a unique, state-of-the-art controller that can do a lot, including you connecting to a Tesla to play video games. When using this controller, you get more physical sensations related to what’s taking place in the game you are playing.
The DualSense is quicker, more precise and more tactile, according to Sony’s website. There is functionality related to adaptive triggers that offer resistance in certain game situations, the ability to chat online through a built-in microphone, voice capture capability, and the ability to record and post moments using the create button.
All of this makes for a more realistic and enjoyable gaming experience whether you are in your home or in your Tesla.
How to Connect a PS5 Controller to the Tesla Model 3
Connecting your PS5 controller to a Tesla is fairly straightforward. Even though it’s one big computer, you can’t control it with a DuelSense through Bluetooth like on a PC or a smartphone. The output will show up on the big screen in the car’s center only after you connect with USB.
Here are the steps:
- Use a USB-C cord and connect one end to the port in the car and one directly to the controller.
- If this method doesn’t work, open the glove compartment and connect it to the USB-A port.
- If you try both of these options and it’s still not working, unplug the cord and then plug it back in.
- When the connection is good, a light will show on the controller.
- Select the game you want to play using the touchscreen monitor and start playing.
It’s possible that not all games will work in a Tesla, but many do. Enjoy!