Tesla may soon offer native video conferencing in its cars through in-cabin cam

Most of Tesla cars have a camera fitted just above the rear-view mirror which points towards the cabin, driver and the passengers. While many have questioned the purpose it seeks to serve, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had recently said it is a way to check acts of vandalism when the driver is not in the vehicle. And now, he has revealed that it could have a more constructive purpose - native video conferencing.

Every single Model 3 car - the cheapest in Tesla's product portfolio - features the cabin cam and will soon link up to Autopilot feature and Tesla's network. While this could be crucial in the times to come when cars navigate on their own, it could also help passengers stay connected with others through incorporating native video conference capabilities. Musk has said it is a 'definitely' upcoming feature. The central screen, with its large interface then, could act as the participant screen during conferences and because Tesla is powering towards autonomous mobility, there may not be any driving risk while calling either.

Since the cameras already exist in most Tesla cars, the company will only have to roll out a software update to patch these with a common network interface to allow for video conferencing.

Additionally, these cameras may well serve a plethora of other purposes like identifying passengers and adjusting vehicle, climate and infotainment settings automatically to pre-set functions. It could also ensure safety inside the vehicle when Tesla cars are pushed into cab fleet.

As such, Tesla is now looking to fast-track what it offers inside its cars, besides the pleasure of a performance drive in an electric vehicle itself. The company also plans to soon roll out a subscription-based system for its Full Self-Driving Package (FSD). "I think we will offer Full Self-Driving as a subscription service, but it will be probably towards the end of this year," Musk was quoted as saying.