Tesla’s Sentry Mode will now let you see what your cameras see in a new live view

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Tesla has a long history of adding new functionality as software updates that take advantage of the existing hardware in its vehicles. Now, the company has upgraded Sentry Mode to show livestreamed video from the many cameras on the car. The only catch? It’s part of a $10-a-month subscription and is currently only available to iOS users.

Sentry Mode Live Camera Access requires “Premium Connectivity” to work, which is Tesla’s $10-a-month subscription for its bandwidth-heavy connectivity features. That’s things like in-car streaming music or video, internet browsing, live traffic visualization on maps, and now, live view of the car’s many cameras.

If you’re worried about the security of the live-streamed video, Tesla says in the update notes that it is end-to-end encrypted, and isn’t visible by anyone at the company. It can be enabled or disabled from Controls > Safety & Security.

Sentry Mode has managed to score some arrests in the years since it was first introduced. It works like a 360-degree dashcam, recording when the car thinks it detects damage or a breaking attempt.

This type of system should be standard equipment on any new car, giving owners peace of mind and also footage of any criminals who make a living from boosting vehicles.

Only iOS users of Tesla’s app have access to Sentry Mode Live Camera Access right now, with no timeline shared by Tesla as to when Android users will get the same access. For iOS users, it is also important to note that a system update is required and seems to be rolling out now.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.