• Sentry Mode uses a Tesla’s exterior cameras to record what’s happening around.
  • While the system is handy, it has been criticized for draining the EV’s battery pack.
  • More than 80 Tesla models were recently damaged at a facility in Canada.

Tesla has made it clear that it’s taking a firm stance against vandalism at its facilities across the United States and it’s rolling out a new strategy: activating Sentry Mode on all cars at its showrooms. This move comes as incidents of targeted attacks on Tesla vehicles have been escalating, both in the States and internationally. With this added layer of surveillance, the company hopes to catch troublemakers in the act.

More: US Attorney General Goes After Tesla Attackers, 3 People Face Up To 20 Years In Prison

Just yesterday, a well-known Tesla investor and supporter suggested that the company should step up security by employing 24-hour security guards at all of its showrooms and service centers across the U.S. and Canada—at least until things calm down. Elon Musk quickly responded, announcing that Tesla had “ramped up security” and enabled Sentry Mode on all vehicles at its locations.

The Benefits of Sentry Mode

While he avoided elaborating on what additional security measures Tesla is taking, activating Sentry Mode seems like a smart move. This system uses the exterior cameras found on all Tesla models to continuously record what’s happening around the vehicle. It’s proven hugely beneficial for owners of the years, catching vandals and thieves in plain view. Anyone heading to a Tesla site with the intention of damaging cars could be unknowingly filmed in the act.

However, in true Musk fashion, the public announcement may have been a double-edged sword. Now that vandals know what Tesla is up to, they might take precautions, like covering their faces to avoid being identified. Perhaps it would’ve been more effective to keep this security change under wraps until the system caught a few culprits.

While Sentry Mode can certainly be a deterrent, it’s not without its flaws. One of the primary concerns is the system’s impact on battery life. Tesla has never officially released figures on how much battery is consumed by Sentry Mode, but independent tests suggest it could drain between 10-15% of the battery each day. This means that Tesla will need to ensure that the vehicles in their care are regularly charged, especially if the goal is to keep the security system running round-the-clock.

Read: Tesla Working To Stop Sentry Mode Depleting EVs’ Batteries

Fortunately, Tesla recently introduced an update that reportedly reduces the battery drain by about 40%, which could help alleviate some of the strain on its service centers to keep cars charged.

The announcement of this new measure follows an incident in Hamilton, Ontario, where over 80 Tesla vehicles were damaged at a dealership. Reports say that the cars were scratched and had their tires punctured, further highlighting the increasing need for security at Tesla locations.