Tesla - Please Improve Sentry Mode

[Resist]

The are several things I dislike about the current Sentry Mode. I wish the headlights didn't flash every time someone walks in front of the car, this just brings unwanted attention to it. Flashing when people get very close to the car is fine but not when they are feet away and just walking by it, like people do in a parking lot. It would be nice if it only saved video from cameras that actually had movement. Right now it's too time consuming to review every saved video that with nothing going on in them. And it would really be great if we could replay the video on the cars display, because most of us don't carry a laptop with us everywhere we go, to plug the drive into.

I really think these things are more important than adding Easter eggs or games to the Model 3. So please Tesla, improve Sentry Mode.

 

[Puddles]

Here’s what’s on my wish list: side repeater visibility on screen. I’m tired of rashing my rims on curbs when making tight turns. This car somehow is much wider than I perceive it.

 

[Ohmie]

The are several things I dislike about the current Sentry Mode. I wish the headlights didn't flash every time someone walks in front of the car, this just brings unwanted attention to it. Flashing when people get very close to the car is fine but not when they are feet away and just walking by it, like people do in a parking lot. It would be nice if it only saved video from cameras that actually had movement. Right now it's too time consuming to review every saved video that with nothing going on in them. And it would really be great if we could replay the video on the cars display, because most of us don't carry a laptop with us everywhere we go, to plug the drive into.

I really think these things are more important than adding Easter eggs or games to the Model 3. So please Tesla, improve Sentry Mode.

lol. I used Sentry mode for the first time last night and freaked out when I saw “7 events” in the display when I returned to the car. I’m guessing that means there were 7 people that walked by the car and thought “WTF” when the headlights came on.

 

[Xevex]

It's not a finished product, it's a free offered upgrade which will keep improving. I dislike the flashing feature too so I submitted to Tesla for toggling it off. Hopefully they apply that option later.

 

[SMAlset]

Well the headlights give a visual warning to anyone walking by that might want to do harm to your car that your car is awake and sees them. I kind of like that it does it and think it would give such people pause about approaching the car with key in outstretched hand ready to impale it. I’d rather save myself from possibly a couple thousand dollars worth of damage and having to publish videos online in the hopes of it going viral and the police being able to find that person than care the lights briefly flash.

Tesla constantly upgrades things from car parts to software. Just like we recently got the camera from the rear of the car to be added to TeslaCam/Sentry mode use.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

lol. I used Sentry mode for the first time last night and freaked out when I saw “7 events” in the display when I returned to the car. I’m guessing that means there were 7 people that walked by the car and thought “WTF” when the headlights came on.

Remember that aftermarket security system that warned folks nearby to "Please step away from the car"? One clever clothing company riffed on that in a TV commercial. The car told a few passersby to step away from the car, until a very well dressed guy was spotted. The car then said: "Please approach the car." Man, I lost it and laughed like crazy.

 

[spindrome]

Remember that aftermarket security system that warned folks nearby to "Please step away from the car"? One clever clothing company riffed on that in a TV commercial. The car told a few passersby to step away from the car, until a very well dressed guy was spotted. The car then said: "Please approach the car." Man, I lost it and laughed like crazy.

 

[spindrome]

I think flashing headlights should be an option to be disabled. If anything, it invites the a-holes to even want to key our cars even more.

 

[xilex]

I think flash on at dim intensity, then slow a ramp to full brightness, followed by pulsing the brightness 50-100% might be a good alternative. Less startling, but telling that it's not dead or asleep.

 

[sduck]

Tesla doesn't monitor or read this forum - use their support portals to address this.

 

[hydro 481]

I wish loud cars wouldn't set off the alarm. Happens to me all time in the parking structure.

 

[Kilotango74]

Well the headlights give a visual warning to anyone walking by that might want to do harm to your car that your car is awake and sees them. I kind of like that it does it and think it would give such people pause about approaching the car with key in outstretched hand ready to impale it. I’d rather save myself from possibly a couple thousand dollars worth of damage and having to publish videos online in the hopes of it going viral and the police being able to find that person than care the lights briefly flash.

Tesla constantly upgrades things from car parts to software. Just like we recently got the camera from the rear of the car to be added to TeslaCam/Sentry mode use.

Great example of why it should be optional. You like it others do not. Make it selectable everyone happy.

 

[silenteski]

The are several things I dislike about the current Sentry Mode. I wish the headlights didn't flash every time someone walks in front of the car, this just brings unwanted attention to it. Flashing when people get very close to the car is fine but not when they are feet away and just walking by it, like people do in a parking lot. It would be nice if it only saved video from cameras that actually had movement. Right now it's too time consuming to review every saved video that with nothing going on in them. And it would really be great if we could replay the video on the cars display, because most of us don't carry a laptop with us everywhere we go, to plug the drive into.

I really think these things are more important than adding Easter eggs or games to the Model 3. So please Tesla, improve Sentry Mode.

Toggling off the headlight flash seems like a good option for people that want that. I think only saving video from cameras that detect motion would decrease security overall. One of those other cameras could very easily contain the license plate of a thief who parked a few meters away before approaching the vehicle from another side (contrived example).

 

[destructure00]

Toggling off the headlight flash seems like a good option for people that want that. I think only saving video from cameras that detect motion would decrease security overall. One of those other cameras could very easily contain the license plate of a thief who parked a few meters away before approaching the vehicle from another side (contrived example).

I've actually seen several videos where the main camera caught the act and one of the other cameras caught a car or license plate related to it.

To the OP...a USB adapter and the TeslaCam reviewer app allow you to watch videos on your phone, and it coordinates all 4 captured cameras so you see them all at the same time. It's fantastic.

 

[BonnieD]

I just want it to show the sentry events on the screen. ::sigh::

 

[Trevor B]

The are several things I dislike about the current Sentry Mode. I wish the headlights didn't flash every time someone walks in front of the car, this just brings unwanted attention to it. Flashing when people get very close to the car is fine but not when they are feet away and just walking by it, like people do in a parking lot. It would be nice if it only saved video from cameras that actually had movement. Right now it's too time consuming to review every saved video that with nothing going on in them. And it would really be great if we could replay the video on the cars display, because most of us don't carry a laptop with us everywhere we go, to plug the drive into.

I really think these things are more important than adding Easter eggs or games to the Model 3. So please Tesla, improve Sentry Mode.

Posting here isn't going to get you anywhere ...

 

[SJC3]

Tesla doesn't monitor or read this forum - use their support portals to address this.

You bet they do. All major manufacturers have invested plenty in monitoring user forums in the past decade+ The smart ones engage a significant amount as well.

 

[Nostromo]

I remember those aftermarket alarms that would give a verbal warning "Step away from the car" or something to that effect. When I heard those, it made me want to key the car even though that's something I would never do. I think the same applies to the current sentry mode - it treats innocent people walking by the car as having criminal intent which will only serve to piss them off.
How about having three different levels of activation instead of only two? The first level would be triggered by people walking by the car, and would have no outward manifestation at all but would turn on recording. The second level would flash the lights and light up the eye display like the first level does now, and would be triggered by someone hanging around the car for a more extended period of time, or by someone actually touching the car. And the third level would be the actual alarm triggered by breaking a window.
There are places I would like to use sentry mode but do not just because it currently attracts too much attention to itself.

 

[MXWing]

You bet they do. All major manufacturers have invested plenty in monitoring user forums in the past decade+ The smart ones engage a significant amount as well.

Kind of weird to @sduck to state something he has no basis of being able to confirm nor deny.

Even my own service center reads these forums. They don’t out themselves for obvious reasons.

 

[Big Earl]

Tesla doesn't monitor or read this forum - use their support portals to address this.

They sure do read this forum. But that doesn't mean they take action on all of the things they see.