Zoom has revealed that its video conferencing software can be making an appearance in Tesla cars, even though it’s unclear as to when the service can be made publicly available.
The announcement got here at the corporate’s Zoomtopia event, by Nitasha Walia, Zoom Group Product Manager for Meetings, who said that the corporate is expecting to bring the service to “all latest Tesla models soon”.
Nonetheless, other than a brief demo (opens in latest tab) on the event, which revealed that the Zoom platform will use the “cabin camera” that sits in a Tesla vehicle’s rear view mirror, and integrate with the Tesla OS calendar, details were thin on the bottom.
Smart vehicle dangers
The official launch got here after the carmarker dropped several big hints that Zoom may very well be heading to Tesla OS in a behind the scenes look (opens in latest tab)on the V11 software in 2021. In that video, the Zoom logo was spotted within the user interface, inviting speculation from enthusiasts.
The demo shows Zoom in use while a Tesla vehicle is being charged, however it stays unclear as as to if, just like the Tesla Arcade game offerings, Zoom calls will only be available while the vehicle is parked.
One would hope so, given the apparent danger to life if drivers are presented with distractions. However it’s also the case that, if it is a software restriction coded in by Tesla, it may very well be switched off by an enterprising, reckless programmer.
It’s also unknown if the appliance would require WiFi, or be enabled as a part of Tesla’s Premium Connectivity automotive data subscription. Requiring the previous may very well be a simple solution to implement that a automotive is stationary, although this, too, could see an exploit in the longer term.
There are also very real concerns concerning the cabin camera, and the information that it sends to Tesla. Tesla’s website claims that “”By default, images and video from the camera don’t leave the vehicle itself and are usually not transmitted to anyone, including Tesla, unless you enable data sharing”.
This, like all promise made by a tech company, should be taken with a grain of salt until proven. As such, the notion that Tesla may very well be listening into a personal or sensitive conversation may not sit well with some customers.
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