Do Tesla actually spy on YOU? Your privacy concerns answered
Is Tesla actually spying on YOU? Your privacy concerns have been allayed after staff accessed dash cam footage of a NAKED driver
- Tesla vehicles each have 8 or 9 cameras in different areas of the vehicle
- Tesla Support Claims employees do not have access to images captured by these cameras
- Users can disable these features manually
Tesla employees have been exposed to customer video sharing with the cars’ integrated dash cams.
Clips, shot between 2019 and 2022, include road rage incidents, graphic accidents, and even a naked man approaching the car.
The clips were shot using the cars’ integrated dashcams, which were able to record while the cars were being charged.
The incident has sparked privacy concerns about how much the cameras record and who ultimately views the footage.
Most Tesla models have 8 or 9 cameras in the locations shown in this image, including a cabin camera in the rearview mirror
Do Tesla Cars Include You?
Tesla cars are equipped with eight cameras, many of which are used to facilitate self-driving and parking.
“No one but you would know about your activities,” according to Tesla’s privacy policy.
The cameras can record video images of the car’s surroundings and images of accidents.
Some models also have an in-cab camera above the rear-view mirror.
This camera is designed to measure driver inattention and provide warnings reminding the driver to keep their eyes on the road when the autopilot is engaged.
The cameras record while the car is turned on and while driving. Employees in the Reuters report also claimed they are recording while the car is charging.
The footage can be viewed by opening the Tesla app and going to the Security tab.
How does it work?
Tesla cars use integrated dash cams to enable Sentry mode, launched in 2019 to track suspicious activity around the vehicles, Tesla’s spokesperson said. user manual for his Model 3 car. “Sentry mode is designed to add an extra layer of protection to your vehicle, but it won’t prevent all possible threats,” says Tesla support wrote.
The dashcam must be properly installed and equipped with a USB drive for Sentry mode to work.
Tesla executives claimed in the Reuters report that the cameras record street signs and other landmarks to determine the driver’s location. Staff members said this was also where the drivers lived.
Tesla vehicles are equipped with integrated cameras, which can be disabled in the settings
How are the images accessible to staff?
Tesla support claims that Sentry mode recordings are not shared with staff, but can be viewed by the car owner.
“For model year 2018 and newer vehicles (with software version 2020.48.5 or newer), recordings are stored in the on-board memory and can be viewed directly from the vehicle’s touchscreen.
Sentry Mode can also work in a similar way without a USB drive installed, with the ability to send an alert to your phone if a threat is detected, but recordings of the event are not available’ said Tesla Support.
Support doesn’t clarify whether staff can view the footage, only that they reportedly can’t.
Tesla support also claims that dash cam recordings are not shared with staff. “All recorded video is stored locally on your USB drive and not sent to us” support wrote.
Can you do anything to prevent it?
The features are on by default, but driving a Tesla doesn’t require Sentry Mode or dashcam footage.
Sentry mode can be manually disabled from the Tesla control panel by going to the safety menu and selecting ‘Sentry mode’.
Dashcam recordings will not be made if the device is not installed.