Tesla CEO Elon Musk may implement a “dog mode” feature for his electric vehicles, a design to keep animals safe while alone inside.
The suggestion for the feature, aimed at keeping canines safe inside hot vehicles, was given to Musk last week by Twitter user @nyexin.
The proposed “dog mode” would not only allow a Tesla Model 3 to turn on its air conditioning and music, but to alert potentially concerned citizens that an animal is fine.
Musk appeared to be supportive of the idea, responding “Yes” over Twitter Friday.
Yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2018
The Tesla CEO also seemed to back another Twitter user’s suggestion to include the internal vehicle temperature on the internal display screen.
Exactly
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2018
Such a feature could potentially save the lives of countless animals who regularly die inside hot vehicles.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), “thousands of animals succumb to heatstroke and suffocation each year.”
“Even with the windows cracked, temperatures inside a parked car can climb from 80 degrees to 112 degrees in less than 30 minutes,” a recent ASPCA petition states.
If introduced, the “dog mode” feature would complement similar safety measures already standard in Tesla’s cars.
In 2016, Tesla revealed a “Cabin Overheat Protection” feature intended to regulate the temperature inside its vehicles.
“In an industry-first safety measure, we’re also introducing Cabin Overheat Protect, focused on child (and pet) safety,” the company said at the time. “This feature keeps the car at a safe temperature for hours, even when the car is off. This feature is only made possible by an electric vehicle with Tesla’s uniquely large battery packs.”
At current, it remains unclear if and when a “dog mode” feature will be made available. Or if ever.
