When I review premium vehicles, it always catches me off guard that nearly no brands offer active monitoring systems beyond the standard alarms and anti-lift sensors.
So far, only Tesla has introduced its well-known Sentry Mode, which regularly aids in identifying license plates or the faces of perpetrators: key scratches, parking lot accidents, theft attempts, or vandalism… insurers really appreciate these cameras!
Rivian’s True Sentry Mode
For a few years now, Rivian has been offering a Sentry Mode equivalent named Gear Guard.
The vehicle will use all its cameras to record everything happening outside and inside the vehicle in cases of attempted vandalism or intrusion. This works quite well, similar to Tesla, with videos being stored in the vehicle on a USB drive.
Now, every Rivian R1S and R1T can activate live monitoring: simply put, customers can – through the app – view real-time footage from each camera. Unlike Tesla, the vehicle will send a notification in case of an intrusion, to alert the driver of a potential break-in (Tesla only sends alerts if the alarm is triggered).
Live Cam is handy in case of an alarm notification (you can check the camera feeds when the alarm is triggered), but it’s also useful when your vehicle is parked at the trailhead or a busy train station.
What About BMW, Mercedes, Audi?
Currently, among the German premium brands, only BMW offers a semblance of a sentry mode.
It’s limited to requesting a 3D view of the vehicle, both inside and out, and it’s not really real-time, just 3D photos. In short, it’s still far from what Tesla offers.
At Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, or even Jaguar/Land Rover, this kind of functionality isn’t available yet. It’s worth noting that cameras are rarely connected to telematics; they are primarily for 3D views during maneuvers… This kind of system indeed requires an architecture designed from the ground up to access all vehicle components from the central unit, whereas traditional manufacturers still use a modular approach, often relying on subcontractors.
Rivian will soon integrate its entire telematics platform with the Volkswagen group. But don’t expect a sentry mode from the group for several years!
