Tesla's Sentry Mode is a privacy violation on wheels | Spirit Legal – JDSupra

Images by Unsplash / Collage by Robert Handrow The article highlights the privacy concerns surrounding the use of cameras in monitoring public spaces and how these issues are particularly relevant in Europe, where privacy is a fundamental aspect of the legal culture. The article specifically focuses on the Sentry Mode feature offered by Tesla vehicles, which raises questions about its compatibility with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The author presents a legal analysis of the system and argues that it cannot be reconciled with the GDPR obligations. Sentry Mode Tesla’s Sentry Mode camera system raises concerns about data protection and privacy. The cameras, which are either triggered manually or automatically when the car recognizes a threat, have a 250-meter range and 360 degree coverage, filming the faces and license plates of not only those in the car but also pedestrians and other drivers. While Tesla claims that the videos are not transmitted to the company without the owner’s consent, there are instances where anonymized videos are sent over for their Fleet Learning algorithm and in the case of a serious safety event. The live camera option, which needs to be manually turned on and has a limited 15-minute per
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