If you are the sort of person who gets attached to their car then coming out one fine day to find out that someone keyed it can be the absolute worst. A video captured by Tesla’s Sentry Mode is making the rounds online which shows a woman keying a Tesla Model 3. The company recently introduced this feature which allows the car to capture 360 degree using the integrated cameras.
Tesla initially offered Sentry Mode exclusively to Model 3 owners but has since expanded the security feature to the Model S and Model X vehicles as well. The car’s cameras aren’t always recording.
Sentry Mode only springs into action when a serious accident or a threat of some sort is detected. The video shows that Sentry Mode filmed a woman who appears to be deliberately keying the Model 3. She can be seen scratching the outside door panel of the car with her keys. A subsequent report mentioned that the woman in the video was ultimately caught and charged with vandalism.
The car felt that only a video recording would suffice in this instance. It can amp up its response when something series like a forced entry or a broken window is detected. At that point, Sentry Mode will enable the car’s alarm and play music at the maximum volume to attract attention which would, ideally, startle the thief and make them run away.