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Tesla quietly added this extra Sentry Mode feature to deter vandals
Tesla’s Sentry Mode gets another feature, set to add an extra layer of security against vandalism.
Amidst increased vandalism events against Tesla’s vehicles in recent weeks, the company’s Sentry Mode has increasingly been in the spotlight as a deterrent for criminal activity. As part of an update to its website this week, Tesla has also revealed a subtle addition to the recording system that should help deter vandals caught in the act.
Tesla’s Sentry Mode on Cybertrucks will soon play music at the maximum volume when the vehicle’s cameras detect activity, as detailed on the company’s redesigned Cybertruck web page this week and initially spotted by Not a Tesla App. The detail was quietly added to the Cybertruck web page, as part of the larger Sentry Mode suite of features that lets owners check out the external cameras on their electric vehicles (EVs) even when away.
“Enable Sentry Mode to monitor your unattended vehicle or trailer, and automatically activate the alarm, increase the touchscreen brightness and play music at max volume if a threat is detected,” Tesla writes on the Cybertruck page.
The music feature could use the Cybertruck’s superhorn and external speaker to play the music outside the vehicle for an even louder response to potential threats, though it’s not clear at this point whether the added feature will utilize the external or internal speakers. The music feature is also not detailed on Tesla’s web pages for other vehicles at this point, though it would be surprising to see it only available on the Cybertruck given that Sentry Mode is available across the company’s entire lineup.
You can also see the Sentry Mode image that appears on the touchscreen when activated below.
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Credit: Tesla
READ MORE ON TESLA SENTRY MODE: Tesla is about to ship a fix to a big Sentry Mode issue
Tesla details the features from Sentry Mode in its owner’s manuals as follows:
When enabled, your vehicle’s cameras remain powered on and ready to record suspicious activity around your vehicle when Cybertruck is locked and in Park. Think of Sentry Mode as an intelligent vehicle security system that alerts you when it detects possible threats nearby.
If a threat is detected or the vehicle sensors determine there is a lot of jerky movement like when getting towed or shaken, Sentry Mode:
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- Pulses the headlights.
- Sounds the alarm.
- Displays a message on the touchscreen that indicates cameras may be recording to inform individuals outside of the vehicles.
- Alerts you of the alarm on the mobile app.
- Saves footage of the event to a USB drive (if installed)
Earlier this week, CEO Elon Musk also said that Tesla was increasing security at the company’s stores, along with activating Sentry Mode on all vehicles at the company’s locations. Musk also said earlier this month that it could make its vehicles automatically honk at people who come near or touch the vehicle, which would take a similar approach to scaring off people potentially keying or otherwise vandalizing a Tesla.
Tesla has ramped up security and activated Sentry Mode on all vehicles at stores https://t.co/3HwUgE8ZoF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 20, 2025
-->Following a substantial uptick in protests and vandalism targeting Tesla’s vehicles in response to Musk’s recent actions at Trump’s inauguration and since with the newly created government efficiency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has begun looking into several of these incidents.
Additionally, President Donald Trump said that Tesla attacks would be categorized as “domestic terrorism,” even suggesting that some of those who have been recently arrested in these cases could be sent to prison camps in El Salvador, where the administration has recently been sending migrants.
“I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20 year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!”
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News
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
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Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
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Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
News
Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review
The ANO party lawmaker shared his thoughts about FSD in a post on social media platform X.
Martin Kolovratník, a Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies member, has expressed his excitement for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) after an apparent constituent called for a quick approval for the advanced safety system.
The ANO party lawmaker, who drives both diesel and EV, shared his thoughts about the matter in a post on social media platform X.
The official’s initial statements
Kolovratník kicked off the exchange with a post outlining his coalition’s efforts to scrap highway toll exemptions for electric vehicles and plug-ins starting in 2027.
“Times have changed. Electric vehicles are no longer a fringe technology, but a full-fledged part of operations. And if someone uses the highway network, they should follow the same rules as everyone else. That’s the basis of fairness,” he wrote.
He emphasized equity over ideology, noting his personal mix of diesel and electric driving. “For this reason, there is no reason to continue favoring one technology at the expense of another… It’s not about ideology, it’s about equal conditions. That’s why we clearly agreed within the new coalition: the exemption for electric vehicles and plug-ins will end in 2027. The decision is predictable, understandable, and economically sound.”
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The conversation pivoted to Tesla’s FSD when X user @robotinreallife, who seems to be one of the official’s constituents, replied that other matters are more important than ending highway exemptions for EVs.
“I’m happy to pay for the highway, but I have a question about a much more fundamental matter: The Netherlands will approve the operation of Tesla FSD in February 26, a technology that has been proven to reduce accidents. The Czech Republic has the option to immediately recognize this certification. Do you plan to support this step so that we don’t unnecessarily delay?” the X user asked.
Kolovratník responded promptly, sharing his own excitement for the upcoming rollout of FSD. “I know about it. I like it and it seems interesting to me. Once we set up the committees and subcommittees, we’ll open it right away in that transport one. Thanks for the tip, I’ll deliver the report,” the official noted in his reply on X.
Kolovratník’s nod to FSD hints at the system’s potentially smooth rollout to Czechia in the coming year. With the Netherlands possibly greenlighting FSD (Supervised) in early 2026, Kolovratník’s commitment could accelerate cross-border certification, boosting FSD’s foray into Europe by a notable margin.
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Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
