Tesla’s next Easter Egg will greet car vandals with Bach and Beethoven

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Posted on January 27, 2019

Tesla CEO Eon Musk revealed additional details on how the company’s upcoming Sentry Mode theft-deterrent system will function, which includes a humorous look against the background of something as serious as addressing vehicle break-ins. According to Musk’s latest Tweet about the Iron Man-reminiscent feature, when an intrusion is detected while Sentry Mode is activated, composer Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 will play, drawing as much attention as possible to the would-be perpetrator(s). Tesla’s combined commitment to its customers’ safety, security, and more-cowbells-fun is something frequently on display, and this amusing spin on a vehicle alarm system is no different.

Also added to the playlist about tactical intruder mitigation was a heavy metal version of the same 18th-century composer’s masterpiece. As with many of Musk’s Twitter rounds, the Tesla CEO was open to further suggestions and responded accordingly. An appropriately metal version of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata was proposed by NicheGamer, to which the Tesla executive agreed to include with the upcoming over-the-air software update. Of course, this isn’t the first time a Tesla has been involved in epic heavy metal music with a classical flair. The Model X features a holiday-themed Easter Egg wherein an entertaining light and winged-door show to the song “Wizards in Winter” by Trans Siberian Orchestra is enacted.

Sentry Mode was first revealed by Musk in a tweet-response to a Tesla owner complaint about a dent found in his car made while the vehicle was parked. While the car manufacturer has been rolling out security improvements over the last few months, including an in-car dash cam system and motion-sensing Enhanced Anti-Theft system, this latest reveal was seemingly in response to the most recent rise in Tesla-targeted thefts popping up all over social media and Internet forums. A few days later, Musk estimated that a ‘rough beta’ would be released in 2 to 3 weeks. While specific official details of the Sentry Mode feature are slim, one of the assumed components is an enhanced use of vehicles’ built-in dashcam, itself developed in response to issues of theft and hit-and-run incidents. The array of sensors and cameras which provide 360-degree visibility on Tesla vehicles equipped with the hardware were leveraged to provide the cam feature in the Version 9.0 software updated in September 2018.

When Elon Musk takes to Twitter to discuss new product ideas and features, it may not always be clear whether he’s serious, but it’s always amusing to imagine that he is and more often than not a safe bet to take. After all, The Boring Company (TBC), now poised to take on the traditional underground public transportation construction industry, infamously began with a tweet about “soul crushing” traffic. Considering the rapid expansion into TBC merchandising and positive response therefrom – hats, not-a-flamethrowers, etc. – the trend of tweets-turned-tangibles only has reasons to continue.

In the realm of new software features and Easter Eggs, anything Musk says is probably game for reality once Emissions Testing Mode (ETM) went live in a December 2018 software update. After teasing an upcoming “Toilet Humor” feature via Twitter, Tesla drivers saw the tease-promise kept via ETM which gives the option of directing fart noises to emit from a designated seat in the vehicle. In a tweet that sounds like it came from Musk himself, the official Tesla Twitter account recently pointed out that Romance Mode, the fireplace playing, heater-blasting, mood music setting fun feature released at the same time as ETM, “accommodates up to 5” in the Model 3. Whatever that means. Or doesn’t mean.

Altogether, Sentry Mode probably suggests it’s going to be horns-up for anyone nearby while a would-be robber tests out a Tesla vehicle’s proneness to theft. Either that, or anyone subjected to any intrusion detection system’s misidentifications won’t be so annoyed. (See: obnoxious car alarms that don’t quit.) Oh, and as for keeping Summer safe? Let’s hope things don’t come to that. Auto insurance is pricey enough.

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Tesla’s next Easter Egg will greet car vandals with Bach and Beethoven

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Tesla Model 3 owner 3D prints rear seat lock that prevents break-ins

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on January 27, 2019

Over the past few months, an increasing number of break-ins and thefts involving Tesla’s electric cars were reported in the California Bay Area. Due to their increasing number on the state’s roads, the Tesla Model 3 became a popular target for thieves, with perpetrators exploiting what appears to be a weak point in the electric car.

During the incidents, thieves would break the vehicles’ rear quarter window, allowing them to lower the back seats and survey the contents of the Model 3’s trunk. If anything in the trunk is deemed valuable, the full back passenger window could be broken to gain entry into the vehicle. Seemingly in response to these incidents, as well as reports involving Teslas being damaged while unattended, Elon Musk announced that the company would be introducing Sentry Mode, an upcoming security feature for the company’s electric cars.

As the Tesla community waits for the release of Sentry Mode, a Model 3 owner has shared a simple, clever way to possibly deter break-in attacks against the electric sedan. In a short video posted on YouTube, Tesla community member and DIY enthusiast Jon Osborne demonstrated how a simple 3D printed locking mechanism could prevent thieves from gaining access to the electric sedan’s trunk. Osborne shared two designs for his DIY rear seat lock — one that is simple and straightforward and another that features an extension.

Both of Jon’s DIY rear seat lock designs are free to download from Thingiverse. The materials for the project, including the 3D printer settings required for the rear seat lock, were also provided by the Model 3 owner. Overall, Osborne’s DIY design would serve the Tesla community well, at least until the electric car maker is able to provide a more complete solution to address the increasing number of break-ins against its vehicles.

Fortunately, Tesla’s Sentry Mode, an additional security feature is set to be rolled out within a few weeks to the company’s beta testers. In a recent set of tweets, Musk noted that Sentry Mode would trigger Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor — a notable piece of classical music — to play when the vehicle detects a robbery taking place. Musk later noted that the piece’s metal version and Moonlight Sonata would occasionally play as well.

Based on the information provided by Elon Musk, it appears that Sentry Mode’s primary goal is to attract as much attention as possible once the vehicle detects a threat, such as someone attempting to break a window. Musk is yet to announce what systems would be tapped for the feature, though his tweets do suggest that Sentry Mode might indeed utilize video feeds from the vehicles’ suite of eight cameras.

Ultimately, Sentry Mode could very well be an extension of the built-in dashcam feature that Tesla introduced with the rollout of Software Version 9. The built-in dashcam feature, which was made possible after Tesla engineering rallied to roll out the function, was made available to the Model 3, as well as Model S and X equipped with updated Autopilot hardware.

Watch Jon Osborne’s DIY Model 3 rear seat locking mechanism in the video below.

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Tesla Model 3 owner 3D prints rear seat lock that prevents break-ins

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Tesla Supercharger attacked as vandals drill into charging plugs, partially sever cable

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on January 26, 2019

Led by disruptive vehicles like the Tesla Model 3, the electric car revolution is steadily gaining ground. Across the auto industry, new startups are focusing on electric cars, and veterans such as Porsche are committing to a future powered by sustainable energy. Unfortunately, as could be seen in recent incidents surrounding the Tesla community, it appears that there are still some groups who are showing resistance to electric vehicles as a whole.

Last December, a number of Tesla community members shared their experiences involving Superchargers being blocked by gas-powered vehicles. While some of these “ICE-ing” incidents appear to be the result of an honest mistake, some were undoubtedly intentional. Tesla owners u/Leicina and u/BarcodeOfficial from the r/TeslaMotors subreddit, for one, noted from their experience that some pickup truck drivers who were intentionally blocking Superchargers were verbally harassing EV owners.

While such ICE-ing episodes continue to be reported across the Tesla community, an incident recently shared by Model 3 owner-enthusiast Mark Larsen showed what could very well be one of the most direct acts against Teslas to date. As noted by Larsen, a Supercharger station at St. George, Utah — one of the company’s older charging locations — became the victim of an aggressive act of vandalism. During the incident, the vandals attempted to sever a Supercharger cable. The perpetrators drilled into the plugs of the charging stalls as well.

(Photo: Mark Larsen/Twitter)

(Photo: Mark Larsen/Twitter)

(Photo: Mark Larsen/Twitter)

Tesla’s St. George, Utah Supercharger recently became the victim of vandalism. (Photo: Mark Larsen/Twitter)

As a result of the attack, the Model 3 owner noted that three of the Supercharger’s stalls became inoperable. Fortunately, there were some security cameras in the area. Thus, there is some hope that the culprits behind the Supercharger attack might eventually be apprehended. As noted by Larsen in his Twitter post, the incident has already been reported to Tesla. 

While Tesla’s electric cars are beloved by many, the vehicles themselves remain polarizing to some members of the auto community. Apart from ICE-ing incidents and acts of vandalism against Superchargers, there has also been a rise in reports of break-ins involving the company’s vehicles. In the Bay Area and neighboring cities alone, some Tesla owners practically felt as if they were being targeted due to the frequency of attacks against electric cars.

A Tesla Supercharger occupied by non-electric vehicles. (Photo: Tehshayne/Reddit)

While responding to a Model 3 owner whose vehicle was damaged while it was unattended, Elon Musk noted that Tesla would be rolling out a ‘Sentry Mode’ as an added security feature. Musk did not elaborate on the capabilities of Sentry Mode, though it is speculated that the feature would extend upon Tesla’s built-in dashcam solution and leverage the vehicles’ eight surrounding cameras for video recording versus one. In true Elon Musk fashion, the name Sentry Mode appears to be rooted in pop culture, being a feature of Iron Man’s redundant defense mechanism for JARVIS.

In a recent comment on Twitter, Elon Musk noted that Sentry Mode should roll out to owners who are part of the company’s beta testing program in two to three weeks. Considering the pervading negative sentiments from the anti-EV community today, Tesla’s Sentry Mode would definitely be a timely feature.

There is no doubt that the electric car revolution is starting. Inasmuch as resistance against EVs is likely to remain, there is very little that can be done to stop the auto industry’s transition to electric power, particularly as key markets such as Europe and China have both committed to a future powered by sustainable energy. Among automakers, Tesla’s disruption with the Model S, X, and 3 has all but encouraged veteran carmakers to push the development of electric vehicles, as evidenced by cars such as the Porsche Taycan and the Jaguar I-PACE. As electric vehicles become more prevalent, and as more automakers embrace sustainable transportation, one can only hope that resistance against EVs would eventually fade and die out.

Tesla Supercharger attacked as vandals drill into charging plugs, partially sever cable

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