Teslas are no longer allowed on the premises of the Berlin police. With this announcement, the law enforcement agency made a name for itself. It’s not quite that far yet, as it turns out. However, drivers of Teslas and other e-cars are not off the hook.
Update from June 24, 2022: Those responsible were a bit hasty with the Tesla ban on properties owned by the police and LKA Berlin. The announcement that Tesla’s e-cars were no longer allowed on the authorities’ premises (more on this below in the article) was headed “ban”. For the time being, however, they only wanted to raise awareness of the problem, a police spokesman explained (source: Spiegel). The internal communication was sent “in advance”. There is currently no general entry ban for certain vehicles.
But the problem remains: in all security areas of the police, there is a ban on image and sound recordings, which also extends to car cameras. Everyone is responsible for complying with the ban. A Tesla ban is not off the table. If it comes, it will hardly just refer to American e-cars, but will apply much more to modern cars with active monitoring and safety systems, regardless of manufacturer.
Original item:
Police put a stop to Tesla: e-cars no longer welcome
The Berlin police and the Berlin State Criminal Police Office (LKA) have put an end to Teslas. However, the authorities are not removing e-cars from their own fleet. Rather, the electric cars are now the Access to police and LKA premises and properties denied.
That should be due to the cameras that Tesla vehicles are equipped with. Among other things, the surroundings cameras supply the assistance systems of the e-cars with data. However, they are also used for security, especially in the so-called “guard mode”. It monitors the area around the parked car and can warn the owner if something unusual is happening.
The problem lies precisely in this almost permanent camera activity. Teslas are considered “a safety-related hazard for employees, Third parties (security and data protection) and the properties of the Berlin police (object security),” says an internal letter that is available to the BZ (via Tagesspiegel).
The recordings can be stored locally in the vehicle at Tesla or transferred to servers in the Netherlands. On request, however, Tesla can give out this data to practically anyone, so the concern. The decision rests solely with the carmaker.
The fuel is too expensive? Are you looking for the cheapest gas station? Then download our refueling app. There you will find the lowest petrol prices in your area.
The TankenApp is a product of Ströer Media Brands GmbH, to which GIGA also belongs.
This makes it difficult for data protection, for which the authorities are responsible on their properties. In addition, the police and LKA data about “Security areas such as ammunition bunkers, civilian cars with camouflage plates and areas of civilian investigators or special forces covered by the Tesla cameras become,” says the daily mirror.
The ban applies to all Tesla models and affects outsiders as well as employees who drive a Tesla privately. A solution is also being worked on for confiscated e-cars. However, implementation is the responsibility of the local directorates.
What else you should know about Tesla:
Automatic monitoring: Tesla drivers face fines
A general ban on Teslas is not being pronounced in Berlin. But the case shows that the recordings of the “sentry mode” can also cause problems elsewhere. According to the Berlin data protection officer, the mode should not be used without reason in public parking lots. If people wrongly admitted complain, Tesla owners could face a fine.