Sentry Mode

[Eno Deb]

So I haven’t gotten the new update but I wanted to comment on a recurring concern that keeps being raised about Sentry mode. To those that keep insisting that a thief could just steal the USB drive after breaking the window, I am fairly certain Tesla would have programmed the doors to remain locked after sentry mode is activated (disable opening of door from inside button press). So then how would the thief get the USB drive? Climb through a partially broken window and risk injuring him/herself???

They can do exactly the same thing that they do today to steal stuff from your cabin or trunk after smashing a window: crawl into the car as far as needed through the window (to avoid setting off the alarm by opening a door). Car windows use safety glass that shatters without leaving very sharp edges, so there is little risk of injury.

 

[aspec818]

So I haven’t gotten the new update but I wanted to comment on a recurring concern that keeps being raised about Sentry mode. To those that keep insisting that a thief could just steal the USB drive after breaking the window, I am fairly certain Tesla would have programmed the doors to remain locked after sentry mode is activated (disable opening of door from inside button press). So then how would the thief get the USB drive? Climb through a partially broken window and risk injuring him/herself??? Would they really go through that much trouble or would they just choose an easier target?

Ppl love to speculate. Assuming thieves will waste time and effort to crack the front window as well and climb in. If they have to go through all that trouble everytime for a Tesla, would that even be worth it? I think sentry mode is a great deterrent once word gets out all Model 3’s are equipped with it.

 

[aspec818]

They can do exactly the same thing that they do today to steal stuff from your cabin or trunk after smashing a window: crawl into the car as far as needed through the window (to avoid setting off the alarm by opening a door). Car windows use safety glass that shatters without leaving very sharp edges, so there is little risk of injury.

At this point the car alarm would already be blaring with your speakers at max volume once you break the rear quarter window...

 

[sreams]

At this point the car alarm would already be blaring with your speakers at max volume once you break the rear quarter window...

I'd like to know how exactly the car knows the quarter window has been broken...

 

[MP3Mike]

I'd like to know how exactly the car knows the quarter window has been broken...

Most likely the sound. But even just banging on the window sets the alarm off.

 

[Matt L]

Well some random people on the Internet already figured out how to build a latch blocker and put it up for sale. Shouldn't be too far fetched that Tesla could change the latch assembly entirely and do a better job.

I know it's hard to be objective about a car that you spent good money for to own, but just like other production vehicles on the market, Tesla is far from perfection. A little dose of reality and healthy criticism is important. Without criticism, autopilot would still only be a button on the screen, and the trunk would open very differently. The charging port that is prone to freezing has lots of software hacks to try and warm it up, but in the end Tesla is going to have to swap them out.

It's ok to be a fan and a critic... that's the only way the car gets better.

So is this the first car you have purchased that wasn’t perfect? In the remote chance your others cars weren’t perfect, did you run to the internet and share everything that wasn’t perfect about those cars?

Ive never had a perfect car. There will always be things about a car that I would rather have different. But I look at a car wholistically. I don’t overlook everything unique and revolutionary about these cars and zero in on a few PERCIEVED shortcomings.

It honestly just gets old hearing all the complaints. They release 2 FREE features last week, and the number of entitled whines about them is quite honestly amazing. “OMG it does’t use all cameras” “OMG I have to arm it every time” “OMG the words on the screen aren’t big enough” “OMG the music is going to blow my speakers” “OMG it doesn’t send the video to my phone”. And on and on.

As someone relatively new to Tesla, the entitlement of this community is striking.

 

[Eno Deb]

At this point the car alarm would already be blaring with your speakers at max volume once you break the rear quarter window...

With active Sentry feature yes, but not today. I was just pointing out that getting to the USB drive wouldn't be any different from what they are doing today even if the doors couldn't be opened after breaking the window.

 

[mhan00]

With active Sentry feature yes, but not today. I was just pointing out that getting to the USB drive wouldn't be any different from what they are doing today even if the doors couldn't be opened after breaking the window.

It would be an extra step, which is possibly all that’s needed to encourage the would be thief to move on to the next car. You’re never going to stop a guy who is determined to break into your vehicle (or home). Technically, they could just put on a mask or just ignore the cameras entirely since the police are generally fairly uninterested in putting much effort into chasing guys who damage people’s cars to grab some valuables and the faces are often hard to see. But these guys most likely want to get in and out ASAP and attract as little attention as possible in the process, so an extra complication might make them think twice.

 

[EVDRVN]

He's wrong, dashcam doesn't record when parked. I think he's just talking about regular old vampire drain.

Ok, so the files that were recorded while my car was parked and locked at 4 am were just vampire drain. Makes sense. Perhaps they removed that recently but I have the files to prove it and I was no where near the car and the car was locked and off. I have done extensive testing of the drain on the 3 and the use of the dash cam when it was released increased my drain significantly.

 

[ProfessorMoody]

I'd hope the flash drive is still in the car so I could turn the video over to my prosecutor, and put it on social media so maybe the purp gets recognized.

 

[XxArkayxX]

They should give the option to permanently use sentry mode when parked (geolocation aware turn off or manual turnoff for freak occasions). Who's going to keep remembering to toggle it on after parking every single time? I wouldn't mind the vampire drain.

It's big usage for me wouldn't be break-ins, although it's a nice-to-have it doesn't happen all that much depending on what neighbourhood you live. The big usage for me would be people parked next to you banging their door into yours because they're stupid. Or people keying your car. That happens a whole lot more then actual breakins over here. At least then you have the oppertunity it'll catch a look at his licence plate or mugshot of the guy keying your car.

 

[banned-66611]

So is this the first car you have purchased that wasn’t perfect? In the remote chance your others cars weren’t perfect, did you run to the internet and share everything that wasn’t perfect about those cars?

Ive never had a perfect car. There will always be things about a car that I would rather have different. But I look at a car wholistically. I don’t overlook everything unique and revolutionary about these cars and zero in on a few PERCIEVED shortcomings.

It honestly just gets old hearing all the complaints. They release 2 FREE features last week, and the number of entitled whines about them is quite honestly amazing. “OMG it does’t use all cameras” “OMG I have to arm it every time” “OMG the words on the screen aren’t big enough” “OMG the music is going to blow my speakers” “OMG it doesn’t send the video to my phone”. And on and on.

As someone relatively new to Tesla, the entitlement of this community is striking.

The problem is twofold:

1. Tesla is trying to build a $35k car and sell it for $80k, and people have rather high expectations of a $80k car. Few other cars can more than double in cost just by adding options, especially if the base price is $35k.

2. The problems that Tesla does have are stuff that most other manufacturers in even the $30k price range fixed decades ago. Comparisons are inevitable.

 

[Knightshade]

The problem is twofold:

1. Tesla is trying to build a $35k car and sell it for $80k, and people have rather high expectations of a $80k car. Few other cars can more than double in cost just by adding options, especially if the base price is $35k.
.

...what?

TONS of luxury cars can double in price between base and highest trim/loaded...the most expensive BMW 3 series car for example has a LARGER price gap between cheapest base model and most expensive loaded one than Tesla does for example.... Mercedes C class? Same. Audis jump even more if you consider the A/S/RS the same base car...Even the Infiniti Q goes from about 35k to nearly 70k loaded....Hell, the Dodge Charger can jump MORE than that from base to loaded...

It's hard to find a car in this class where you CAN'T double the price by changing trim level/options.

 

[Chris350]

Maybe I am missing something here...

Seems to me that any car that is broken into with an alarm system has all the same con's...

So, we get this free alarm system..... and people aren't happy?

 

[Matt L]

Maybe I am missing something here...

Seems to me that any car that is broken into with an alarm system has all the same con's...

So, we get this free alarm system..... and people aren't happy?

It’s amazing isn’t it

 

[PoitNarf]

Electrek has published some new details about Sentry Mode: https://electrek.co/2019/02/19/tesla-sentry-mode-more-details/

Apparently Tesla is doing temporary backups of the video recordings to its servers so that video of an incident is still available even if the USB flash drive is stolen:

“Sentry Mode will send recorded footage to Tesla for temporary backup and feature improvement. You can enable or disable this collection any time via the DATA SHARING video clip setting in Controls > Settings > Safety & Security. Please refer to your Owner’s Manual for more information.”​

 

[woodisgood]

Maybe I am missing something here...

Seems to me that any car that is broken into with an alarm system has all the same con's...

So, we get this free alarm system..... and people aren't happy?

At a certain point why would they even bother continuing to give features to people who already bought the car? The whiny entitlement seems it would take all the pleasure and fun out of doing that.

 

[ranova]

Ok, so the files that were recorded while my car was parked and locked at 4 am were just vampire drain. Makes sense. Perhaps they removed that recently but I have the files to prove it and I was no where near the car and the car was locked and off. I have done extensive testing of the drain on the 3 and the use of the dash cam when it was released increased my drain significantly.

Was that 4am recording a one time thing? TeslaCam definitely stops recording once you get out of the car and it locks. Your car may have briefly turned on at 4am for some reason. If its recording when youre not there and you have significant battery drain, somethings wrong with your car. Battery drain has been the same since the introduction of TeslaCam and looking my usb drive, theres no recordings of it just parked.

 

[EVDRVN]

Was that 4am recording a one time thing? TeslaCam definitely stops recording once you get out of the car and it locks. Your car may have briefly turned on at 4am for some reason. If its recording when youre not there and you have significant battery drain, somethings wrong with your car. Battery drain has been the same since the introduction of TeslaCam and looking my usb drive, theres no recordings of it just parked.

It is possible, It's in for repairs now and I suspect the car is not sleeping at times. I do not have significant drain but drain that is higher than normal. The odd part is all the files were only of movement based event and none without. This also was the first week the feature was introduced,

 

[PoitNarf]

Wooo! New Tesla app update enables turning Sentry Mode on from the app!

New update for Tesla App. You can turn on/off sentry mode via app. : teslamotors