Tesla has begun supporting the conversational AI Grok for use in its vehicles in Japan.

Japan ITmedia reported on July 10 that Tesla Japan said on its official X account that it has applied Grok to Tesla vehicles in Japan.

The feature is available on vehicles with software version 2026.20 or later. Users must subscribe to Premium Connectivity, a paid in-car connectivity product. An English help page also set out a condition that users can choose a Wi-Fi connection instead of Premium Connectivity. Vehicles equipped with AMD processors were also listed as eligible.

Tesla introduced the feature by saying, "Ask Grok anything," and, "Tesla's mobility experience evolves further." In a video it released, Grok responds by voice and supports navigation routing, place searches, web searches, checking vehicle location, checking battery status, reviewing driving routes, setting reminders and searching the vehicle manual.

The expanded in-car AI remains limited in scope. Grok currently operates in beta. As of July 10, it does not require a separate Grok account or additional fees. It does not support vehicle control functions such as operating the climate system or playing media. Existing voice command functions remain in place.

For this reason, the rollout is closer to information search and driving assistance than a voice assistant that directly controls vehicle functions. It means users can now, first of all, recheck routes while driving or ask about vehicle status by voice. Commands such as adjusting cabin temperature or playing music must continue to use the existing system.

Grok is a conversational AI developed by SpaceXAI led by Elon Musk (일론 머스크). Tesla began installing Grok in the United States from July 2025, and Japan became the next market. As a result, Tesla is expanding in-car AI touchpoints in Japan as well as the United States.

The core of the expanded support is broadening a natural-language interface inside the vehicle while operating it separately from existing vehicle control systems. The next points to watch are which models and user groups Tesla will expand coverage to in Japan, and whether the scope of linkage to vehicle functions will widen after the beta stage.