Safety is a necessity when it comes to hitting the road. However, it is just as important for drivers to feel their car is safe when they leave their vehicle.
The number of vehicle break-ins and thefts has increased over the last 10 years, reaching as high as 555,543 in 2021, so having a vehicle security system in place is great for theft prevention. The Sentry Mode offered by Tesla, a key player in the electric vehicle revolution, is often considered a bellwether for security monitoring.
Now, the brand strives to balance the safety of its vehicles' drivers with improved energy efficiency.
In a release from Not A Tesla App, the EV company has announced updates to Sentry Mode — known as the Tesla software update 2024.38.4. This update is intended to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the functionality of the security system. Sentry Mode maintains sensors and cameras, informing the owners of any activity that may threaten the vehicle. Sentry Mode, while effective, also drains the car's battery, reducing it by as much as 7-14% or one mile per hour. So, this update will put money back into drivers' pockets.
When it comes to this high-tech security feature, Tesla aims to reduce power usage for Sentry Mode by as much as 40%. In order to achieve this, the company has shared changes to how its onboard computers process video to increase efficiency, thanks to architectural improvements within the software update.
The Cybertruck is set to be the first Tesla model to receive the update. While the number of updates to the Cybertruck is currently low, measurements will be made to assess whether Tesla has reached its goal of achieving a 40% power reduction.
A recent update revealed steps Tesla has taken to change how its vehicles process and analyze video. The vehicle's shifting motion detection and likely compression activity to the Full Self-Driving computer will be able to keep the Media Control Unit asleep, among other changes. Now, Tesla will be able to wake up the system only when needed.
This update is just one example of the many innovations across the EV space.
Another notable update is aimed at improving the rear camera view, allowing for a clearer perspective. Made available for Tesla models equipped with Hardware 4, such as the Model S and Model Y, the update also provides enhanced video quality in the rear camera.
🗣️ If you were going to purchase an EV which of these factors would be most important to you?
🔘 Good driving range 🔋
🔘 Affordable sticker price 💰
🔘 High-tech safety features 😌
🔘 Cheap maintenance costs 🛠️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
These innovations are great for consumers and our planet's air, as every new safety feature should serve to make EVs more enticing for prospective buyers.
Tesla owners shared their reactions to the news in response to Not a Tesla App's post on X.
"Good! I disabled sentry when staying at hotels because of the drain," one user commented.
Another statistically minded user wrote, "It'd be interesting to see the effect of this in Stats app once this release is distributed widely."
"Our cars just keep getting better and better," said a third user.
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