Tesla Owners Call On Elon Musk For Advanced Security Features Amid Rising Vandalism: 'There Definitely Is Fear Right Now'

In the wake of escalating vandalism incidents, Tesla TSLA owners are calling on CEO Elon Musk to implement enhanced security features.

What Happened: Reports of Tesla vehicles being set ablaze and showrooms being defaced have surged across the United States and in countries such as France and Germany. Even minor damages like keying can cause up to $1,000 in damages, often not covered by insurance or subject to high co-pay fees. Hence, vehicle owners are demanding additional security features for protection, reported Fortune.

Tesla owner and investor Sawyer Merritt expressed his concerns in an online forum, “I really hope Tesla is working on some sort of defensive measures…just something extra to make Tesla owners feel a little bit better about parking in public parking lots.”

Although all Tesla cars feature a Sentry Mode that records suspicious activity, it has not been effective in deterring vandalism as many individuals are oblivious to the fact that they are being recorded. Recent arson incidents in Las Vegas and an attack at a Kansas City showroom have heightened these concerns.

Despite Tesla vehicles’ operating system’s ability to add new features through over-the-air updates, no such security enhancements have been introduced yet. This is amid speculations that Tesla owners are being targeted due to Musk’s controversial federal cost-cutting role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

John Stringer, President of the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley club, stated, “Within the community, there definitely is fear right now.”

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Why It Matters: This plea for enhanced security comes on the heels of reports that a website named “Dogequest” had published personal information of Tesla owners across the U.S. The website featured an interactive map with a Molotov cocktail cursor, and the data leak included names, addresses, and phone numbers of Tesla owners. 

Elon Musk condemned the act, labeling it as “extreme domestic terrorism.”  In Tuesday's interview on Fox News's Sean Hannity, Musk responded to the protests, expressing surprise at the "level of hatred and violence from the [political] left."

Also, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the ongoing vandalism against Tesla vehicle owners  "nothing short of domestic terrorism" and vowed to impose severe penalties on offenders if apprehended. Meanwhile, CNN reported that the FBI is investigating incidents of Tesla vehicles being shot at and set on fire at a facility in Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, Tesla climbed 4.68% to close at $235.86. Over the past 30 days, the stock lost more than 33%, as per Benzinga Pro.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.