Why Carmakers Turn Dashboards Into Gaming Platforms

An in-depth look at why automakers integrate games into car dashboards, from infotainment strategy to EV charging time, based on recent industry reports and launches.

A few years ago, the idea of playing video games directly on a car’s dashboard sounded like a technological novelty. Today, it is becoming a deliberate part of how major automakers rethink the role of in-car screens. Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, General Motors, and Tesla are all, in different ways, turning infotainment systems into something closer to a game console.

The shift is driven less by entertainment itself and more by economics and long-term strategy. In-car infotainment is no longer a secondary feature. According to Oliver Wyman, the market for automotive infotainment solutions continues to grow and is increasingly treated as a standalone business area. Against this backdrop, digital services—from video streaming to gaming—are seen as ways to extend the value of a vehicle well beyond the moment it leaves the dealership.

Gaming fits especially well into the daily reality of electric vehicles. Charging sessions, waiting for passengers, or time spent parked have become distinct use cases. General Motors explicitly frames this scenario as “Pass Time While Parked,” allowing access to video apps and games only when the vehicle is stationary. Tesla follows a similar logic, with games in its Arcade available exclusively when the car is in Park. In these moments, the car functions less as transportation and more as a temporary personal space.

From a technical perspective, automakers have chosen a pragmatic approach. Instead of dedicated hardware controllers, the smartphone becomes the gamepad. Via a QR code, phones connect instantly and act as controllers for games displayed on the central screen or, where available, a passenger display. This is how AirConsole works in models from Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, and Porsche. BMW uses its Curved Display, while Audi relies on the MMI touch display or a dedicated passenger screen.

Safety remains the decisive constraint. Most gaming features are locked to situations where the car is not moving. When games are accessible while driving, they are limited strictly to the passenger and supported by technical safeguards. Audi employs a dynamic privacy mode that makes the passenger display invisible from the driver’s seat. Porsche uses special screen films with a similar effect. These solutions illustrate how manufacturers try to balance entertainment with the need to minimize driver distraction.

Partnerships with gaming brands add another layer to this strategy. Volkswagen, together with AirConsole and Atari, introduced classic titles such as Asteroids and Breakout, adapted for in-car use for the first time. Porsche continues to expand its catalogue via the Porsche App Center, including games from developers like Gameloft and Obscure Interactive. For automakers, this content is not just filler—it makes digital features more visible and emotionally engaging.

All of this aligns with the broader move toward software-defined vehicles. Industry analysts point out that cars are increasingly treated as platforms that evolve through updates, apps, and subscriptions. In this context, games become a clear symbol of change: they showcase screen quality, computing power, and the growing app ecosystem inside modern vehicles.

In the near future, car dashboards are unlikely to replace dedicated gaming consoles. Still, the direction is clear. For automakers, in-car gaming is no longer an experiment but part of a longer-term vision. Cars are starting to compete not only with each other, but with the digital devices people already carry—and the battle for attention inside the cabin has only just begun.