Next-gen Tesla Roadster’s jet-inspired futuristic UI is built around the pilot

After days of the unprecedented, historic launch of the next-gen Roadster, Tesla (TSLA) shared one more interesting detail—the car’s center touchscreen user interface (UI).

The next-generation Tesla Roadster is driver-focused, as Elon Musk and Lars Moravy revealed at the unveiling event. It’s an electric supercar for having fun on the racetrack, not intended for daily Full Self-Driving (FSD) convenience.

Performance-focused and professional drivers need more control over their vehicles—the ability to adjust the vehicle’s systems to their driving style and personality. Tesla kept that in mind, and the Roadster UI reflects that commitment.

The retro-futuristic Tesla Roadster UI reminds me of the early 2000s. The glory days of 2Advanced Studios’ Adobe Flash interface designs. They inspired a generation of designers to imagine the future.

However, according to Tesla, this newly designed UI draws inspiration from modern fighter jet cockpits. As the car can fly, Tesla refers to the driver as a ‘pilot’. Tesla does extreme engineering and doesn’t make it look boring.

Tesla shared the following video that shows parts of the new Roadster’s user interface.

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Inspired by fighter jet cockpits, Roadster’s interface was designed around the pilot pic.twitter.com/xHsyuNVrWo
— Tesla (@Tesla) October 23, 2026

System Views and Controls

The 33-second video of the next-gen Roadster UI unpacks a ton about the vehicle. Since this vehicle is the most equipped with advanced, never-before-seen systems (like rocket thrusters and downforce fans), it also requires advanced software controls.

The on-screen render of the next-gen Tesla Roadster doesn’t just show the car’s interior and exterior. It also manifests the internal components like the battery pack, COPV tank, thruster nozzles, and downforce fans.

And it’s not just a visual representation of these critical components. The vehicle’s on-screen visualization is paired with its status information. For example, the screen shows the COPV tank’s live internal pressure (max 10,000 PSI).

The next-gen Roadster is a prototype vehicle. As of the unveiling, Tesla had made around 5 prototypes (different variants). The video shows the top version with rocket thrusters. It has the following four driving modes:

Comfort
Balance
Sport
Custom

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Track Mode

Tesla’s Track Mode allows experienced and pro drivers enhanced control over vehicle dynamics via the on-screen interface. This feature is only specific to Performance or Plaid variants.

Tesla Roadster’s Track Mode has additional controls, as it has far more hardware components, like the wing spoiler for downforce, electric fans for suction to stick to the track surface for extremely agile cornering, and the SpaceX thrusters for flying moves (only on the Rocket version, which is invite-only).

Tesla Roadster Track Mode has the following 4 Modes:

Auto
Low Drag
High Downforce
Custom (screenshot below)

Track Mode Custom setting lets the driver adjust ride height, suspension settings, downforce levels (front and rear wings), aerodynamic load, and fans. Most of these controls have two main settings, depending on your driving goal: High Downforce or Low Drag (see screenshot below).

Custom tab of the next-gen Tesla Roadster's Track Mode settings. — Custom tab of the next-gen Tesla Roadster’s Track Mode settings. Credit: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc. (TSLA).

Unconventional HVAC Vents

Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt was one of the lucky invitees of the Tesla Roadster unveiling event at SpaceX McGregor, Texas. He also got his hands on the new Tesla Roadster UI.

In the following video, the on-screen visualization of the cabin interior reveals the unconventional placement of the HVAC vents. The Tesla Roadster’s HVAC vents are located in the door panel and the center console (blowing air to both sides).

Tesla Roadster interior visualization UI shows non-traditional placement of the HVAC vents. Credit: Sawyer Merritt / X.

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Here's an in-depth look at the new @Tesla Roadster's UI. Love the retro-futuristic design aesthetic. pic.twitter.com/zt2Cy1XJCO
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 16, 2026