All Tesla models will soon be updated to include Zoom, although the video conferencing application will not be accessible when the vehicle is being driven.
Zoom Group product manager Natasha Walia made the announcement during Tuesday’s Zoomtopia event. This came almost three years after Tesla first announced plans to add video conferencing to its vehicles in early 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The system uses the cabin-facing camera found on current Tesla models like the Model 3, situated above the rear-view mirror. This camera is primarily used as a driver monitoring tool and The Verge notes that privacy concerns are likely to be raised over the ability of a third-party application to access the camera.
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A promotional video shared by Zoom shows that due to the presence of the camera, Tesla owners using Zoom won’t be centered in the screen and will have to lean over while speaking. It may not look as neat but it should be more convenient than using a phone or laptop inside the car.
Neither Zoom nor Tesla have revealed just when the video conferencing app will be released, other than confirmation being issued that it is coming to “all new Tesla models soon.” It also remains unclear if the application will only work on WiFi or if owners paying for the Premium Connectivity plan will be able to use in-car data.
Interestingly, Zoom told Gizmodo that while video conferencing will be disabled when the vehicle is in motion, owners will be able to use audio calls.