Here’s How Tesla Sentry Mode Helps in Arrest for Attempted Murder in Massachusetts

Sentry Mode for Tesla vehicles
Record the entire shooting incident
It contributed significantly to apprehending the criminal

Recently, a case in the US where a suspect was caught using the Sentry Mode installed on a Tesla vehicle was reported and became a hot topic. The Sentry Mode mounted on a Tesla vehicle parked near the scene of the incident recorded the entire circumstances of the shooting incident, contributing significantly to catching a murder suspect.

Sentry Mode is a function that allows you to monitor, record, and remotely check the situation around Tesla vehicles. However, the amount of power required is large, so the frequency of actual use by vehicle owners is not very high. This time, we will look at the Tesla Sentry Mode that caught the gunman and detailed news related to it.

With cameras for driver assistance functions
Recording and monitoring of vehicle surroundings

Sentry Mode, installed in Tesla vehicles, is a feature that uses cameras for driver assistance functions to monitor the area around the Tesla vehicle, detect suspicious activity, and record situations around the vehicle. It is also said that checking the vehicle’s surroundings remotely is possible.

Recently, this function was used to arrest the suspect of a shooting incident in Massachusetts successfully. The shooting took place in Revere, Massachusetts, where a gunman shot the victim in the abdomen. A witness reportedly helped transport the victim to the hospital.

The entire incident is being recorded
Sentry Mode became decisive evidence

The incident in which the gunman fired his weapon at the victim occurred in a grocery store parking lot. At this time, the sentry mode of the parked Tesla vehicle was said to be recording the entire incident, including the situation where the criminal got out of the vehicle and pointed a firearm at the victim.

It is said that the police watched the video recorded in Sentry Mode and determined that the criminal had fled in a black SUV. They tracked the criminal and succeeded in arresting him. Sentry Mode is one of Tesla’s unique features and was initially installed to catch people who vandalize Tesla vehicles. Sentry Mode played a significant role in more serious incidents like this one and was recognized for its usefulness.

Reduce power consumption when parking
Software is being developed

Meanwhile, Tesla is developing a software update that can reduce power consumption in Sentry Mode to reduce battery consumption in parked vehicles. Electric vehicles use power due to various factors such as controlling battery temperature and maintaining connection functions when parked, which is called vampire drain.

When Sentry Mode is turned on, 7.2 kWh of power is consumed per day, equivalent to 10% of the battery capacity installed in the Model 3 Long Range. Accordingly, Tesla’s senior vice president of engineering said they are developing a software update to reduce Sentry Mode’s power consumption by up to 40%. The update is reported to be scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.