We’re all horrified by reports of children and dogs left in hot cars with sometimes terrible results. Knowing the potential for this to occur, Tesla made the feature available in an over-the-air software update in 2019. Since then, it has undoubtedly saved the lives of many furry friends. Now, Tesla has just done the Dog Mode one better by adding a new feature. Owners can now view how their doggy is doing with a live feed. 

What is Tesla’s Dog Mode anyway?

For those that might be unaware, Tesla’s Dog Mode allows owners to bring their pooch along for errands and short trips. If you have to leave the car but can’t take Fido with you, with Dog Mode he or she can be left inside the car with the owner capable of adjusting the air conditioning or heater.

The climate inside of the Tesla is maintained by you through your smartphone. While it is a cool safety feature, one drawback is that you can’t see what’s going on. You can see the cabin temperature, but you can’t see how they’re doing. Until now.

See your doggy from your Tesla app

This update now allows owners to see their animals inside the car with a live camera. The live feed gives owners peace of mind. But it also helps to fix another problem some owners have experienced leaving animals in their Teslas. 

Some passers-by might think the animal has been forgotten. That unfortunate assumption can result in Good Samaritans attempting to save it without being aware of Dog Mode. After all, it is an animal left inside with the windows up, doors locked, and no owner in sight. 

To help avoid that unfortunate situation, the updated Dog Mode also displays a message on the dash screen. It lets others know that the owner is coming back soon. It also displays the temperature inside the cabin. Before this new addition to Dog Mode, owners would sometimes tape a sign inside one of the windows informing people that they’ll be back. 

What else does Dog Mode feature?

Just to show that Tesla software designers are listening to owners, another tweak to Dog Mode in October involved the Sentry Mode security system. If someone tries to break into the car, two security features kick in. An external alarm is engaged, but inside the cabin, loud music blasts would-be intruders. 

Unfortunately, the loud music does not make for a happy animal. With the October update, if both Dog Mode and Sentry Mode are engaged, the cabin music blast is defeated. So completing the Dog Mode app, you can now view your animal from your phone. 

Ford thought the feature was a great idea as well It filed for a “Pet Mode” patent, according to Benzinga. It keeps the air conditioning on and also plays music to soothe your pets while you’re away.