Grok now reaches beyond chat inside a Tesla, taking direct voice control of the car's own settings. Here is what it can do, how to turn on Hey Grok, and where the claims run ahead of what Tesla has actually shipped.
1. What is Grok in Tesla?
Grok in Tesla is xAI's assistant built directly into the car's infotainment system, reachable hands-free while you drive. Tesla's own support page describes it as an AI companion you can talk to in the car, lets you choose its voice and personality, and lists it as a beta feature.
It runs on the same Grok technology behind grok.com and the Grok apps, but wired into the vehicle rather than a phone or browser. You still need a working internet connection in the car, either Tesla's paid Premium Connectivity subscription or a stable Wi-Fi connection, since Grok cannot answer or act on a command offline.
2. What can Grok do in a Tesla?
In a Tesla, Grok can now do more than answer questions, it can directly control dozens of the car's own functions by voice. Tesla's official support page lists commands covering temperature, fan speed and airflow, Dog Mode and Camp Mode, the front seat heaters and heated steering wheel, and Bioweapon Defense Mode.
The list also covers opening the glovebox, folding the mirrors, saving Dashcam footage, arming Sentry Mode, operating the charge port door and controlling the wipers, plus navigation commands such as finding nearby Superchargers or restaurants, routing home or to work, and changing route preferences like avoiding tolls or ferries.
Several outlets that tested the update, including Autoblog and DriveTeslaCanada, also reported that Grok can now chain multiple actions from a single spoken sentence, such as folding the mirrors, turning on the wipers and adjusting the temperature all from one request, rather than needing a separate command for each.
Grok in a Tesla is no longer just a chat window, it can now reach into the car's own controls.
3. How do you turn on 'Hey Grok' in a Tesla?
Open the Grok icon on the car's touchscreen, tap into its settings, and switch on the Hey Grok option. Once it is on, say 'Hey Grok' to start talking, or press and release the right scroll wheel or voice button on the steering wheel if you would rather not use the wake word.
To end the conversation without touching the screen, say 'goodbye', 'bye' or 'turn off'. Tesla positions this as a way to keep your hands on the wheel, particularly useful if you are using Autopilot or Full Self-Driving and do not want to touch the wheel to dismiss a prompt.
4. What is Grok Voice Think Fast 2.0?
Grok Voice Think Fast 2.0 is xAI's next-generation speech-to-speech model, announced on 29 July 2026 as the successor to the original Think Fast voice model. xAI's own announcement describes faster response, with time to first audio falling from 1.25 seconds to 0.70 seconds, alongside improved transcription accuracy and more reliable tool use.
Through the xAI API, Think Fast 2.0 is priced at USD 0.08 per minute of audio, up from USD 0.05 per minute for the earlier Think Fast 1.0. Reporting from outlets including Not a Tesla App and Tesla Oracle says Tesla's in-car assistant now runs on this updated model as part of the Summer 2026 software update, which is what gives it faster, more reliable responses to vehicle commands.
5. How many voice commands does Tesla's Grok support?
Independent trackers do not agree on one exact number, and the count keeps growing as Tesla ships more command categories. Autoblog and DriveTeslaCanada each reported that Grok now handles more than 100 vehicle commands hands-free, while Motor1 counted 116 usable through Grok out of a wider list of 170 total voice commands tested on a recent software build.
Treat any specific figure you see as a snapshot of one software version rather than a fixed ceiling. The safest approach is to check Tesla's own support page for the current, confirmed list rather than relying on a number quoted in an older article.
6. Does Grok control Tesla's Full Self-Driving?
Not yet. Elon Musk has said that Tesla plans to let drivers eventually adjust Full Self-Driving behaviour by voice through Grok, but that remains a stated plan rather than a feature Tesla has documented on its support page or shipped in a software update so far.
Tesla's confirmed Grok commands sit in comfort, convenience and navigation, not the driving system itself. If controlling FSD by voice matters to you, treat it as something to watch for in a future update rather than something you can do today.