Elon Musk announced that Tesla’s next software update would give drivers the ability to adjust the activation temperature of the automatic Cabin Overheat Protection feature.
The Cabin Overheat Protection feature is a climate control system available in Tesla vehicles. The feature can reduce the cabin’s temperature in extremely hot conditions for several hours.
According to the Model 3 Owner’s Manual, the Cabin Overheat Protection can operate for 12 hours after passengers have left the vehicle or until the battery drops to 20% charge. When activated, the feature can work with no A/C—in which case only the fan operates—or with the A/C turned on when the cabin exceeds 104°F (40°C).
In the manual, Tesla warns owners that their vehicles can still get dangerously hot even with Cabin Overheat Protection enabled. Drivers should not leave children or pets unattended in their vehicles with just Cabin Overheat Protection activated. If passengers want to stay in their vehicles while parked, Tesla has other features like Dog Mode or Camp Mode.
Elon Musk noted that automatic Cabin Overheat Protection should make a big difference with record heatwaves. The Tesla CEO seemed to talk from experience when he tweeted the announcement.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), there is currently a heat advisory in effect in Austin/San Antonio, Texas, until 7 pm CDT on Tuesday, July 12. the NWS warns of “dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures ranging from 101°F (38°C) to 108°F (42°C).
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce—stated that Texas saw its fifth warmest June this year. Meanwhile, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi each recorded their top-10 warmest June months this year. The NOAA also shared that nine billion-dollar weather and climate disasters have occurred in the United States since the beginning of 2022, including tornados, hail, and extreme drought.
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