Screenshot : Tesla via Twitter

Is there anything worse than the people who leave their dogs in their car during the hottest days of summer? (I mean, besides people who leave their kids in the hot car. Both are horrible!) People should know cracking the windows just isn’t enough when the temperatures start creeping up. So now Tesla, which is all about adding crazy over-the-air update features to its cars, is doing something to protect the pooches of the world. Meet: Dog Mode.


Dog Mode is just what it sounds like: a feature designed to keep the cabin of your car at a comfortable temperature.


Not only that, but it’ll display the temperature in the car on the touchscreen so that passersby will know the pup is safe and sound. Here’s a more detailed description from Tesla:



Keep your dog comfortable in your car while letting people passing by know they don’t need to worry with Dog Mode. In addition to keeping the climate control on, the touchscreen will display the current cabin temperature. To enable Dog Mode, tap the fan icon at the bottom of the touchscreen when your car is parked. Set Keep Climate On to DOG, make adjustments within temperature limits, then leave knowing your pet will stay comfortable. Dog Mode will stay on after you leave your car. If you your battery reaches less than 20% charge, you will receive a notification on your mobile app.

Tesla does note to be conscious of your local laws. If it’s illegal to leave your dog unattended in the car, it’s going to continue to be illegal whether or not you’re driving a Tesla.

The best thing about this feature is that it doesn’t require you to buy the newest model Tesla in order to access it. All you need to do is upgrade your software, which is done wirelessly.




And it seems like this feature, along with one of the others today, was inspired by an owner’s tweet to Elon Musk:




At last, something good comes from Twitter.

Dog Mode is being rolled out alongside two other software updates. The first is Sentry Mode, which uses sensors to detect and alert you to potential threats while your car is parked. The second is a dashcam upgrade—you’ll be able to record and store footage from your side cameras in addition to your front-facing camera.


I think we’re all probably going to agree that Dog Mode is probably the coolest—and most humane—out of the three new upgrades. It is always important to keep our furry friends safe and healthy.