Will Tesla vehicles one day offer built-in internet access to SpaceX’s Starlink? A new patent suggests the automaker is working on a satellite integration for its EVs.
The company has submitted a patent application in the US for an outer panel car roof “that incorporates radio frequency (RF) transparent materials to enable integration of overhead electrical modules and components.”
It adds: “In some examples, this assembly enables the integration of overhead electrical modules and components, including antennae, directly into the roof structure, facilitating clear communication with external devices and satellites.”
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The application is naturally raising speculation that Tesla might add Starlink antennas to its cars. Currently, some subscribers, including RV drivers, resort to manually installing the Starlink dishes onto their vehicles to connect to the satellite internet service.
However, neither Starlink nor SpaceX are mentioned in the filing. The patent merely notes how the roof panel could include a “satellite communication component” and “satellite antenna” capable of transmitting to an orbiting navigation satellite—not necessarily for internet access.
An included diagram shows the roof would feature a field-of-view to tap a satellite-based Global Navigation Satellite System, in addition to receiving cellular signals from LTE.
(Credit: USPTO/Tesla)
It’s also important to note the patent was filed in May 2024 and was published on Dec. 4, 2025. Existing Tesla vehicles already have cellular antennas to power a “Premium Connectivity” feature. However, SpaceX and Elon Musk are also working to deliver a cellular version of Starlink for phones, in addition to the Starlink service for homes, businesses, and RVs.
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In September, SpaceX bought valuable radio spectrum from EchoStar to bolster the cellular Starlink service, which is currently available through T-Mobile. Since then, SpaceX has also filed a trademark for “Starlink Mobile.”
In the meantime, the Tesla patent goes on to include images of the “antenna module” and roof assembly. “This arrangement provides a clear and unobstructed view for these components to communicate with their respective external devices, satellites, networks, and so forth,” Tesla also wrote in the application.
(Credit: USPTO/Tesla)
The patent application also mentions “pre-populating the roof with electrical components, allowing for a single-unit installation and the potential for full automation in the assembly line.”
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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