Tesla just made camping harder with one simple move in its most recent software update.
Tesla decided to disable the use of 12-volt and 16-volt sockets when nobody is occupying the vehicle, making things significantly more difficult if you choose to use the EV maker’s cars when you’re in the great outdoors.
The change comes with Software Update 2024.32.
The sockets are now only available for use when someone is in the vehicle or the car is operating in Camp Mode. Although they are still active when the vehicle is in Camp Mode, this still makes things complicated.
The sockets will no longer be active if someone is not in the vehicle, only if Camp Mode is active. Additionally, the sockets are also not going to be active when Sentry Mode is turned on.
Campers commonly utilize Sentry Mode to protect their cars when camping, especially to monitor the presence of animals around their cars in the wild.
However, this change makes things more complicated. Sentry Mode will also not keep the sockets activated, which means someone will always have to be in the vehicle to keep things like fridges or other appliances powered on.
Their concern is Sentry Mode used to keep USB ports and 12V powered, which is commonly used when leaving your vehicle after using Camp Mode.
This now makes it so fridges, or other appliances will power off and risk food spoilage. Not all benefits of Camp Mode are necessary if…
— Teslascope (@teslascope) October 6, 2024
This risks things like food spoilage when people who own Teslas are camping.
People are certainly confused as to why Tesla would implement the change. Of course, it could keep battery life up and prevent unnecessary drainage, but it is not advantageous to everyone who uses the sockets for true camping applications.
Owners are asking Tesla to reverse the change, especially considering it is not a logical modification to what was already a pretty efficient system.
@Tesla please re-consider this change or let us know why it had to change. https://t.co/OthKT9LiJs
— Chuck Cook (@chazman) October 6, 2024
Campers tend to leave their vehicles for a few hours at a time, which could mean their food or other necessities could technically go bad due to this change.
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