Tesla's future 'dog mode' would prevent humans from panicking

[Rhiannon12866]

Last edited Tue Oct 23, 2018, 07:15 AM - Edit history (1)

It could reassure people that pooches are safe.

Tesla already has a feature to prevent its electric car interiors from overheating. Not everyone knows that, though, and that's a problem when people may call the cops or break into your ride to rescue a pet that's actually quite safe. You might not have to post a please-don't-worry sign on your window for much longer, however. Elon Musk has signaled that he'll implement a "dog mode" in future Tesla software that would tell passers-by not to panic. While he only just agreed to the idea (it's likely a long way off), it could include both a message and the current cabin temperature to assuage jittery humans.

The future solution draws attention to a recurring problem for EVs: many people are still operating on assumptions that stem from the limitations of gas-powered cars. While it's frequently impractical to leave a conventional car running to cool your dog or host a tailgate party, an EV can do that for hours at a time without flinching. It might take widespread EV adoption before you can leave your pooch alone without needing a mode like this.

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(Short article, no more at link): https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/20/tesla-dog-mode-plans/



Roberto Baldwin/Engadget