Yahoo Autos Tesla planned firmware update could slash 'vampire drain' by 40% — here's why that's such a big deal
Tesla owners may soon see huge improvements to the Sentry Mode security feature thanks to a planned software update that will reportedly reduce the anti-theft system's energy use by around 40%, per Electrek.
Tesla's senior vice president of powertrain and energy engineering Drew Baglino (@baglino) recently confirmed the company's efforts to fix the "vampire drain" caused by Sentry Mode in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Drew said the update is planned for sometime in the second quarter between April and June.
Agreed, sentry mode power consumption needs improvement, the team is working to reduce by ~40% in a Q2 software update.
— Drew Baglino (@baglino) February 22, 2024
Vampire drain refers to the significant battery drain that occurs when a Tesla vehicle is parked, caused by features like Sentry Mode running in the background that suck up energy.
The security feature allows owners to monitor their vehicle's surroundings using numerous cameras and sensors to detect suspicious activity. According to Tesla, owners can also remotely view their vehicle with the Live Camera to ensure it's safe.
While it's a helpful feature, Medium reported that "this constant monitoring and analysis leads to extra battery drain, as the cameras and computers draw power even when not actively recording an event."
