Tesla will start to warn owners and buyers of its vehicles in Germany that its Sentry Mode feature may infringe on data privacy laws.
German consumer group vzbz filed a lawsuit against the car manufacturer in July 2022 claiming that Tesla had misled consumers by not mentioning in its advertising material that Sentry Mode could violate data protection regulations when used in public spaces. It expressed particular concern at the mode’s ability to film passers-by without their knowledge.
Auto News understands that after a recent hearing on the case in Berlin, Tesla announced that it would alter its advertising for the feature.
Read: Tesla Avoids Fines After Tweaking Sentry Mode Amid Dutch Privacy Concerns
This declaration came after a spokesperson from Berlin’s data protection agency said any individual driving a Tesla vehicle would be responsible for turning off the cameras in public spaces. Tesla would also be responsible if any images were transmitted to and stored by the carmaker.
This is not the first time that Tesla has encountered issues with its Sentry Mode feature in Europe. In February, the Dutch Data Protection Authority investigated the feature noting that they were a potential violation of local laws.
“Many Teslas parked on the street were often filming everyone who came near the vehicle, and these images were being saved for a very long time,” DPA board member Katja Mur said at the time. “If every car were to do that, we would have a situation where no one could go anywhere in public without being watched.”
After the DPA launched its investigation into the feature, Tesla updated the system for cars in the Netherlands so that they flash the headlights to indicate that filming has begun. The system also now requires approval from the car’s owner to begin filming and recorded footage is stored in the car, not by Tesla itself.
