Tesla rolls out powerful new safeguard to prevent hot car deaths: 'Great at making the most of its hardware'

Tesla has added a new feature to its mobile app to keep kids safe in its electric vehicles.

As Teslarati reported, the new app version includes a "child left alone detection" feature that disables climate controls.

With this new feature, drivers can't turn off or adjust the heat or air conditioning in their Teslas while it is active. It also makes starting a software update impossible while a child is detected in the EV.

This app update builds upon Tesla's previous child safety efforts, which use a wave sensor to alert drivers if passengers are still inside.

Child safety updates are crucial because they help prevent childhood deaths. In 2024, 39 children died from being left in hot cars. A record 53 children died in both 2018 and 2019 because they were left in hot vehicles.

Child safety features improve the experience of owning and driving an EV if you transport children. They offer peace of mind for parents and caregivers as they embrace clean driving without releasing pollution into the environment.

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The update from Tesla also stands out as positive news amid the brand's declining sales and pending lawsuits. Despite the controversy, Tesla continues to refine and improve its electric vehicles with navigation, safety, and other upgraded features.

Drivers were appreciative of the new feature, but they also had questions and recommendations.

"What if my rear passenger is an adult or teen who just wants to stay in the car while I grab something from the store, will the climate default to some settings and not allow the passenger to control the temp?" one person commented on the Teslarati article. "That would be very uncomfortable for them."

"It would be nice to see this feature in older cars without radar in the cab," someone else suggested. "Tesla is great at making the most of its hardware, so maybe using seat occupancy and seatbelt fastening sensors along with confirmation from an interior camera could be a workable solution to the missing hardware problem. Maybe not a 100% solution, but it could work in most cases."