The Tesla cameras have caused quite a bit of a buzz in privacy discussions. For some, these cameras serve as a kind of monitoring system that always records your every moment in or around the car.
Naturally, you wouldn’t want your car to record you, especially in less-than-perfect moments. So should you be concerned? Do Tesla cameras record when the car is off?
The interior cameras in your Tesla are turned off by default. This includes the driver-facing camera in the Model Y and Model X vehicles and the Dashcam. Therefore, you have to set the Dashcam on auto for automatic recording to take place. Sentry Mode can be set to record all the time.
Tesla Dashcam Cameras Do Not Record All the Time
The Tesla dashcam is primarily a safety feature. As explained on the Tesla Support website, your car will automatically start recording once a threat is detected.
This includes instances when:
- The airbag is deployed.
- A collision is detected.
The Dashcam will record and save the last 10 minutes of the footage onto a USB flash drive.
Your car, however, has to be turned on for the Dashcam to record and save the video. However, as discussed below, Tesla has also introduced Sentry mode, which allows recording even when your vehicle is turned off.
If you’d like to get a detailed security overview of the Model 3, then check out this related article that I wrote called: Does the Tesla Model 3 Have an Anti-Theft Device?
The Tesla Sentry Mode – All-Seeing Eye(s)
Few owners know that a Tesla has more than one camera. There are a series of cameras located inside and outside of the car to support self-driving capabilities, cruise control, backing up, and more.
How Many Cameras Do Teslas Have?
All Tesla models have eight cameras. This is to support 360-degree visibility around your car with a range of up to 820 feet (249 m). They also have 12 ultrasonic sensors to detect objects close to your vehicle.
The Tesla Sentry Mode turns all these cameras in your car into a kind of rolling security system. When you turn this feature on from your car’s dashboard, your Tesla looks out for any disturbances.
Take a look at the video below for a glimpse of how this security feature of Tesla camera recording works in real life:
However, it is only when your car detects a threat such as a person or other vehicle getting too close, nearby noises, and hit-and-run accidents within its range that it will begin to record and then set the alarm.
I took an in-depth look at the history of Tesla cameras and how many cameras all Teslas have. Check out this interesting article. You’ll also find out the number of cameras on future Tesla Models.
Camera Locations and Coverage
The 360-degree concept in Sentry Mode is foreign to many Tesla owners. After all, just how much do the Tesla cameras see, and where are they located?
In their typical stylish flair, the Tesla engineers have done an excellent job at keeping most of these cameras hidden.
Where are Tesla Cameras Found?
Let’s take a look at the camera locations and types:
| Camera type | No. of cameras | Camera location | Coverage |
| Interior cameras | 3 | Windscreen above the rearview window | Vehicle’s interior |
| Back camera | 1 | Above the rear license plate | Back of the car |
| Side cameras | 2 | On each door pillar | On either side of the car |
| Front-facing cameras | 2 | On each front fender | Vehicle’s front |
If you are curious about whether it’s possible to disable one or more cameras individually, the answer is no. There is currently no feature on Teslas that allow you to select the camera you want to disable.
However, you can turn the Dashcam off or keep the Sentry Mode off from the vehicle’s touchscreen if you want to switch off the cameras. This is also a valid option if you are convinced that Tesla may be spying on you.
Fun Fact:
When the Dashcam is turned off, Sentry mode will not record video. Although the cameras are constantly recording/scanning the environment when Sentry mode is on, Tesla will only save 10-minute video footage from several minutes before the threat and during the event.
Privacy Expectations When Using the Tesla Cameras
The level of privacy you can expect from Tesla cameras depends on how these cameras work. Whether in Sentry Mode or with the Dashcam set to auto, the Tesla cameras provide a live video feed.
The cameras will only start recording and save this recording after detecting a threat, and this recording is limited to only 10 minutes. The recorded video is stored in your car’s USB storage drive. All Teslas arrive with a 128GB USB drive.
Here are the best alternative Tesla dashcams that you can get on the market. I made this list and compared all the features that best fit a Tesla and address the internal camera shortcomings.
Therefore, the amount of information recorded on the thumb drive is subject to how much free space you have available. However, these recordings also provide useful information to help in analyzing driver behavior.
This behavior is also used to enhance your car’s safety features or protect the manufacturer against baseless insurance claims.
If you are worried about privacy, Tesla has you covered.
The information recorded during Sentry Mode or Dashcam is not transmitted to Tesla to enhance privacy. However, you can view the video recording by downloading the videos from the USB drive.
Best USB Flash Drive for Tesla Sentry Mode, Storage, and Dashcam
Do Tesla’s Record Audio?
As part of its commitment towards bolstering driver privacy, Tesla cameras only record video and not audio. Although Tesla has built-in microphones installed in the cars, these microphones are primarily used to support voice commands.
Tesla has collected more than 1.3 billion miles of data in its pursuit of creating fully autonomous cars. This information includes data on:
Accelerator pedal position, Speed Braking, Other information related to vehicle use.
Tesla is perhaps aware of how audio recordings can be misconstrued as the electric vehicle manufacturer’s trying to eavesdrop on sensitive communications by Tesla owners. If you are worried about Elon Musk listening in on your intimate conversations, you can rest easy.
Did You Know?
Tesla’s approach to avoiding audio support could be a lesson from Chevrolet’s mishap. In 2015, Chevrolet’s got into trouble with its Valet Mode, which recorded audio from inside the vehicle’s cabin absent of full disclosure. Chevrolet has since replaced audio recordings with a warning message.
Do Tesla’s Record All The Time?
When it comes to Tesla vehicles, they don’t constantly record everything that happens all the time. Tesla cars do have a built-in data logging feature that captures certain information during specific events. These events typically include accidents, near misses, and situations where the car’s safety features like Autopilot or emergency braking are activated.
The purpose behind this data logging is to help Tesla analyze and improve the performance and safety of their vehicles. It allows them to gather valuable insights and learn from real-world scenarios to make their cars even better in the future.
However, it’s important to note that Tesla is committed to protecting the privacy of their customers. They take privacy seriously and ensure that any data collected is anonymized and used only for the intended purposes, such as improving their technology and safety features.
So, while Tesla cars do have data logging capabilities, they don’t continuously record everything. The logging is limited to specific events, and customer privacy is a top priority for the company.
Are Tesla Cameras Always Recording?
Tesla cameras are not always recording. Tesla vehicles have multiple cameras installed in strategic locations around the car, which are primarily used for various safety features like Autopilot, collision avoidance, and recording events related to the vehicle’s operation.
While the cameras are constantly active and capturing information, they do not continuously record and store the footage indefinitely. Instead, Tesla’s system uses a buffer that constantly records a short duration of footage, typically a few minutes, which is then overwritten in a loop. This approach allows the system to capture important events and data, such as accidents or near misses, without filling up storage space.
However, it’s important to note that Tesla does have a feature called “Sentry Mode” that can be enabled by the vehicle owner. Sentry Mode uses the cameras to monitor the car’s surroundings when it’s parked and can record and store footage if certain events, such as a break-in or significant impact, are detected. But this is an optional feature that needs to be manually activated by the owner.
