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Stay Safe in the Post-Nuclear Apocalypse inside a Tesla

Back in 2016, Tesla made the news - as it so often does - when it announced its then newly-released product, the Model X electric SUV had a high-end HVAC system that could keep a lot of unwanted stuff out of the vehicle's cabin.
Fallout Shelter on Tesla screen 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
This announcement would have entered the race for the most boring one of the year were it not for the system's catchy name: The Tesla bioweapon defense mode. The big words were used to stress just how safe the lungs of the car's occupants would be from the chemicals outside, and it worked. Now, the Model X is viewed as some sort of above ground nuclear shelter, which, needless to say, isn't in the least accurate.

It's probably also why you thought about the bioweapon defense mode when you read the title, but that would be wrong as well. The truth is actually a lot more enjoyable, especially if you like video games - and, more to the point, the post-apocalyptic series called Fallout.

The first two games were released back when 3D graphics weren't available to everyone, so it used a fixed isometric view and relied on sprites for animation. Even so, the great atmosphere, even better dialogue, and engaging gameplay built a strong community of fans around the game.

Their patience was to be tested, though, as it took three years for the third offering in the series to be released. Fallout 3 was developed by Bethesda - more known for their involvement with the Elder Scrolls series - and marked the jump to a fully-3D world and a first-person perspective (3rd person was also an option). Since then, we've had several add-ons as well as two completely new games: Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, the latter offering an exclusively online experience.

But the successful franchise couldn't afford to stay away from the mobile games market, which is how Fallout Shelter came about. Fully adapted to its platform, Shelter doesn't rely on quick fingers and lightning reflexes, putting the player in the role of a Vault (an underground shelter) administrator.

Starting with the 2020.20 update - which is being rolled out as we speak for early access owners - the game will be available on the infotainment devices inside all Tesla vehicles. The user simply needs to put the EV in "park", navigate to the Entertainment section of the Application Launcher, then choose Arcade and the desired game.

As frightening as it may seem right now, the market for in-vehicles games is definitely going to grow in the coming years, so Tesla can be seen as an early adopter. Once self-driving truly takes off, there will be no reason to squint at the tiny display on your phone when there's a huge one just a few inches further. It'll be a while, but I'm sure game developers will be ready when the day comes.

 
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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