Zoom is coming to Tesla for in-car conference calls

Zoom will soon be added to Tesla vehicles according to an official announcement from the maker of the popular video conferencing app, allowing drivers to participate in video and audio calls without using a mobile device (via Drive Tesla Canada).

The announcement was made by Zoom’s Group Product Manager Natasha Walia during the Zoomtopia 2022 Event on Tuesday, alongside a brief video demonstration of it working in a Tesla Model Y. The Zoom app would likely use Tesla’s in-cabin camera located above the rear-view mirror, allowing Tesla owners to see exactly what that camera monitors and use it as a live feed.

The cabin camera’s main function is to monitor driver attentiveness while Autopilot is engaged, allowing the vehicle to provide audible alerts or warnings, though the feature has previously raised concerns over driver privacy. If Zoom is utilizing the cabin camera then additional concerns could be raised regarding what access permissions are granted to third-party apps.

Zoom integration doesn’t have an official release date, but will be coming to “all new Tesla models soon.” Other details were also missing from the announcement, including if Zoom will only work on WiFi or if Tesla owners who currently pay for Premium Connectivity add-on ($9.99 monthly plus applicable tax) can make calls using the car’s own data plan. The video demonstrating the feature also doesn’t show the vehicle in motion during a call so it’s likely that Zoom calls will be disabled unless the vehicle is parked.