Elon Musk says Tesla cars may soon have ‘dog mode’

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• Tesla cars may soon come
  with a special “dog mode” feature that offers a solution to
  leaving your pet alone in a sweltering parked car.
• CEO Elon Musk hinted at the new feature
  on Twitter. 
• The need for such a specific feature for cars is there
  — hundred
  of pets die each year when they’re left alone in parked
  cars.

Tesla cars may soon come with a special “dog mode” feature that
offers a solution to leaving your pet alone in a sweltering
parked car.

The idea for such a feature was floated last week by Twitter
user @nynex in a tweet to Tesla CEO’s Elon Musk. The user
suggested that Tesla Model 3’s “dog mode” would activate air
conditioning, music, and a sign for passersby that says the dog
is doing OK.

Musk, who has never shied away from casual interactions
with Twitter users, replied to the request with a simple
“yes.”

So Musk’s simple “yes” isn’t exactly a resounding
guarantee that Tesla is going full-speed ahead with “dog mode,”
but it suggests it’s on the company’s radar. 

The informal tone in the way Musk replies to users is, compared
to other Fortune 500 CEOs, incredibly unorthodox. But more
notably and notoriously, Musk is known for his trigger-happy
Twitter presence, which has gotten him into
trouble (more than once) with his companies’
stockholders and
government agencies.

But Musk, who also serves as CEO of SpaceX and Boring Company,

has actually listened to Twitter’s suggestions in the past
for Tesla fixes.

Considering that studies show people
care more for dogs than they do for other humans, it’s hard
to imagine that Tesla owners wouldn’t embrace a “dog
mode.” We can only hope that Musk cares for pets as much as
the people who feel they need “pawternity
leave” from work and regularly spend
over $1,000 each year on their pup. 

The need for such a specific feature for cars is there
— hundred
of pets die each year when they’re left alone in parked
cars. And you’ve likely seen more than your fair share of viral
videos that show
strangers smashing car
windows to rescue a panting, overheated pup inside.