NEW YORK – Elon Musk’s Tesla battery-car company has launched a Sentry Mode anti-theft system to freshen the attraction of its vehicles.
The feature will go into US Model 3 vehicles dating back to August 2017.
Known auto thefts in the US through 2017 totalled 773 139 – the most since 2009 – according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation – but Tesla’s blog reports that the system can monitor any threat from its host’s environment through external cameras.
FLASHING TOUCHSCREEN – OR HOWLING MUSIC
A minimal threat – perhaps somebody leaning on the car? – will trigger a message on the facia’s touchscreen to warn that its cameras are recording.
Break a window, though, an a so-equipped Tesla will go into emergency mode: the car’s alarm will scream, the audio system will play hideously loud music, and the communications package will alert its owner via Tesla’s mobile app.
- Times are tough: Tesla has reduced the price of its Model 3 sedan for the second time in a year in the US to tempt buyers and perhaps put the company in profit for 2019