Tesla rolls out 'sentry mode' safety feature

The feature will be compatible with US Model 3 vehicles


Reuters February 14, 2019
A Tesla logo is seen at a groundbreaking ceremony of Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory in Shanghai, China January 7, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS

Elon Musk’s Tesla on Wednesday launched a safety feature called “sentry mode” for its electric cars, as it attempts to make its vehicles more attractive to buyers.

The feature will be compatible with US Model 3 vehicles, followed by Model S and Model X vehicles that were manufactured after August 2017, the electric carmaker said.

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When enabled, the "sentry mode" monitors the environment around an unattended car and uses the vehicle's external cameras to detect potential threats, according to Tesla's blog.

A minimal threat will be detected if anyone leans on the car, triggering a message on the touchscreen and warning that its cameras are recording.

For a more severe threat, like someone breaking a window, the mode activates the car alarm, increases the brightness of the center display, plays loud music and alerts owners on their Tesla mobile app.

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The United States had 773,139 motor vehicles stolen in 2017 - the highest since 2009, according to data from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Last week, Tesla lowered the price of its Model 3 sedan for the second time this year to make its cars more affordable for US buyers. The Palo Alto, California-based company has been cutting costs as it looks to turn in a profit this year.

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