Is it safe to leave your dog inside a Tesla?

No need to worry about your pet’s safety, or passersby breaking your window, if you leave them alone in your Tesla. The carmaker introduced a software update on March 13 called Dog Mode that, when enabled, maintains a safe temperature within the car while also informing people who might look in that the dog is safe.

Drivers can activate Dog Mode while the car is parked by setting “Keep Climate on” to “Dog” on the main screen. The car will display its internal temperature on the screen and will keep the air conditioning or heater running in order to maintain that temperature after you get out. The screen will also display a message saying that the car’s climate controls are on and the owner will be back soon, telling passersby that they shouldn’t worry for the dog.

Before using Dog Mode, drivers should check to see if their jurisdiction has any laws against leaving pets in vehicles unattended.