You won’t have heard this before, have you? We have came across automated cars with AI-driven facilities but we haven’t heard cars with build-in zoom facility. But now its no more a secret. Tesla vehicles have now decided to introduce Zoom application to its new models i.e. Model S, X, 3 and model Y. 

Natasha Walia, a product manager at Zoom Group, made the disclosure on Tuesday at Zoomtopia. This was reported roughly three years after Tesla initially disclosed ambitions to integrate video conferencing into its cars amid the height of the COVID-19 epidemic in early 2020. The Zoom announcement arrives as traditional automakers like Volkswagen, Ford, and General Motors, together with Tesla, confront increasing competition in the market for electric vehicles. Investors are worried that Musk’s acquisition of Twitter may cause him to become too preoccupied to properly solve Tesla’s issues.

The product manager for Zoom’s meetings division, Nitasha Walia, also demonstrated the Zoom app in a Model Y while ostensibly utilizing the cabin camera located above the rearview mirror. According to the demonstration, Tesla customers will be able to join a Zoom meeting from their in-car calendar.

Tesla Vehicles With Zoom Calls Enabled 

Zoom calls in Tesla automobiles are “certainly a future feature,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated in a tweet in May 2020. Drivers claimed it would give them another private space to take calls and take advantage of the existing driver-facing camera, present in some Teslas, and large display, which they claimed would be available in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Musk received a plethora of tweets asking for Zoom app integration.

The technology makes use of the cabin-facing camera located above the rear-view mirror on existing Tesla vehicles such the Model 3. The Verge says that privacy issues are likely to be raised over the camera’s accessibility by a third-party application because this camera is primarily utilized as a driver monitoring tool.

At the time, a Zoom representative told the popular culture website Mashable that integrating video call capabilities into its infotainment system would not be the safest use case since many people could try to utilize it while operating a motor vehicle. At the event on Tuesday, Zoom also introduced additional new capabilities, such as the direct integration of email and calendar services, a conversational AI and chatbots that assists with problem-solving, and support for developers to monetize their applications on Zoom’s App Marketplace.

Limitation To This New Zoom Call Application 

One item that wasn’t specified was whether Zoom calls would use Tesla’s Premium Connectivity or your smartphone or tablet’s cellular connection. Unfortunately, you can only use Zoom calls while the car is not moving to make calls while you are driving. Regardless of the circumstances, the addition of this new tool will undoubtedly assist individuals who just cannot get at home or at the workplace in time for a meeting.

At the time, a Zoom app spokesperson told pop culture website Mashable that adding support for video calls into its infotainment system would not be the safest use case because many people might attempt to use it while driving.

It is still unknown whether the video conferencing app will only function on WiFi or if owners paying for the Premium Connectivity plan will be able to use in-car data. Neither Zoom nor Tesla have provided a specific release date, other than the announcement that it will be available “shortly” for “all new Tesla models.”