One of the handy little features of the Tesla Model 3 is that you can use your smartphone as opposed to the supplied keycard. While this is primarily a convenience feature, the owner of a Model 3 found it also helps with security.
The Barstow Police Department in California say that on May 8, a man by the name of Charlie Smith opened the driver’s door of a Tesla Model 3 while the owner was sitting inside, screaming at him to get out.
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The owner obliged and Smith jumped inside and tried to drive-off. However, the quick-thinking driver used the Tesla app on his smartphone to turn off the vehicle and lock Smith inside.
Before long, authorities arrived on the scene where Smith was still locked inside the Model 3. Police say he was sweating profusely and was twitching and blinking his eyes rapidly. Officers arrested the man for carjacking and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The Tesla application provides owners with the ability to turn on and turn off their cars and lock and unlock the doors remotely, among other functions.
Of course, you don’t need to own a Tesla to be able to lock a would-be thief inside your vehicle as if you were to react quick enough, you could simply take out your keys while being carjacked and lock the car with the suspect inside. Of course, most people know how to unlock a car from the inside so that might not work out very well. The Model 3 features subtle door unlock buttons on the grab handles and evidently, the subject in question couldn’t find them.
https://www.facebook.com/barstow.detectives/posts/2660921100798479