‘Dog mode’ plan for Tesla

A “dog mode” is planned to keep pets safe and cool inside a Tesla while the owner is away from the vehicle.

A suggestion to add “dog mode” with air conditioning, music, and a screen display saying ‘I’m fine my owner will be right back” came from Model 3 owner Josh Atchley on Twitter.

“Yes,” was Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk’s response to the request to add the mode.

A message – and the interior temperature – would probably feature on the prominent Model 3 centre screen to let people outside the car know the animals inside are OK.

That’s likely to help stop people smashing a window in the belief the pet is overheating inside, one news report notes.

Tesla introduced a cabin overheat protection mode in 2016 and has since updated the software to help with child and pet safety – the feature keeping the car at a safe temperature for hours even when the car is turned off, Electrek reports.

It’s uncertain when a “dog mode” feature might be added, although Musk has said some feature requests from owners will be released in coming versions of the v9 software, which began rolling out earlier in October.

Leaving a pet in a hot vehicle is an offence in some parts of the world, including Nevada in the US, so several media reports speculate rules may have to change to allow EVs to keep pets cool.