ATS “Tesla 10.4” Android Headunit”
By: Brent Ackley
Video and content provided by Justin Hawkins of the unboxing/install process. He will also be doing a review video. I know this is a popular option and gives the ability to run Torque Pro for added gauges and monitoring.
Is there a way to get the factory backup camera to work?
As of now I do not believe that there is. I do have an Email in to Rhino asking about this and will update if I do get it working. That being said others have said the HD upgrade is well worth the money and I plan to go that route either way.
Does the Aux plug still work?
It does not because this unit uses the Aux plug to feed audio to the vehicle.
Is there an EQ built in?
Yes, There are more options as far as Audio setting than the factory CUE. That being said you can make it either sound really good or you can royally screw it up and make it sound like crap.
Is it easy to install Apps?
Yes, It functions like any other Android OS so its as simple as going to the play store and downloading the App. The one thing I would add is to access these you scroll over at the top of the screen to the tab labeled Apps to get to them versus being on the main screen.
Any known issues or problems to work through?
Yes, The unit isnt perfect and I had to go into the advanced settings to the “Install Set” and change the parameters to get the functions to show up on the screen that mimics the factory CUE. Other than that getting the Audio to play was odd as I said above the unit feeds sound to the car through the Aux port which I wasnt aware of and didnt find until I went to their trouble shooting guide. To change the input setting to Aux you use the steering wheel buttons and change it on the cluster itself.
Issues during install or setup and operation?
The install is very easy and took me maybe 45 mins total with the longest part being running the wiring and mounting the GPS antenna. Once you pull the factory unit you take the mounting brackets off and transfer them over to the Tesla unit and the only minor inconvenience was that one mount point the hole was bigger than the supplied hardware but was easily taken care of with 2 small washers.
Quality
Overall Im very impressed with the overall quality of the unit. The fitment to the dash is great and Ive had friends assume that it was a factory upgrade so that should speak to the fitment. The screen is very responsive and works flawlessly with no lag or dead spots so to speak of.
Passthrough of the AEM X Series?
I have not tried this yet but definitely plan to try and make it work and will update once I get around to it.
What version do I have and do I wish I got a faster one?
I opted for the highest available unit being the 64g/4g version with Android 9.0. Looking at the pricing and knowing I was planning on keeping the car for awhile and wanting to run Torque Pro I wanted to make sure the unit wouldnt lag. That being said the only part thats noticable as far as load time is the initial boot time which is around 12ish seconds so its not overly long but I hadnt timed the CUE to compare.
Summary-
The unit is great and I have no regrets buying it and would buy it again. That being said it also isn’t perfect and can be kind of quirky and odd to navigate or at least get used to. Google Maps in a large screen is a huge plus when it comes to navigation but you need to link to a phone to get updates, traffic delays, etc. The sound quality is on par with the CUE or if you were that worried before the install of this unit DO NOT disconnect from the CUE on your phone and you can still link to the car directly the same as before changing the unit because the bluetooth function links to the HMI and not the CUE itself. The unit does have a mirror link function so you can screen share from your phone or you can download youtube,videos and watch them on the unit which is great for passengers on road trips (My Wife loves it). The installation is very easy and straightforward forward and even an inexperienced person shouldnt have any trouble as its plug and play and the only tool required is a 7mm socket/ratchet. For those wondering I did buy the unit through Rhino Radios after multiple attempts to buy units through Aliexpress/Alibaba as these all come from China. I would recommend going through Rhino or Phoenix as its soooooo much easier and faster plus having someone that speaks English and understands questions is a huge bonus. If you have any other questions leave them in a reply and I will go back and add them to this file.
