When it comes to joining virtual meetings from strange places, it takes a lot to surprise our team.
Our hosts run hundreds of Zoom events per year.
They’ve seen folks join video calls from just about everywhere, from parking lots, dentist’s chairs, and on horseback at a cattle ranch (in full cowboy garb, I might add.)
Name a place, and there is a good chance a participant has used the Zoom mobile app to call in from it.
However, none of our attendees have ever joined the Zoom meeting with their car.
Until last week.
This past Wednesday, Chris Roque, who has worked at teambuilding.com since 2021, found himself wondering why one single participant remained behind in the main room after all other teammates dispersed into breakout rooms.
“Oh,” the participant said casually, “it’s probably because I’m calling from my Cybertruck.”
Then, he pulled over, parked, and switched on the interior camera in the rear view mirror.
“At first, I was thinking he had his phone in a strange location,” admitted Chris. “It took my brain a few seconds to process that he was calling natively from the truck itself.”
The other meeting participants were just as surprised and perplexed. Turns out, it was the first time the driver had ever tapped into this feature.
Whether meeting with coworkers or clients, it is only a matter of time before even more teams experience this first.
“Super wild,” remarked Chris. “The future is here.”
A very brief history of Zoom in Tesla
In 2020, most of the world was Zooming from their living rooms and home offices.
It was only a matter of time before a car company thought, why not during those long drives too? After all, the first car phone was invented in 1910, and the first car phone service introduced in 1946. Taking phone meetings while on the road has been a standard business practice for decades.
It makes sense that automakers would follow conference call trends to keep up with clientele, and that a company as tech-savvy and innovative as Tesla would be pioneers.
In 2022, Zoom announced that certain future Tesla models would allow owners the ability to join Zoom meetings from the car’s screen.
Two years later, the development has moved from “rumor” to “road.”
Beyond Cybertrucks, the feature is available in the following post-2022 models:
- Model 3
- Model Y
- Model S
- Model X
Models S and X must have a horizontal center touchscreen for the app. The affected vehicles run software version v11.1 2022.44.25 or higher.
In early 2024, Zoom published a support page on using the software in a Tesla.
Participants can easily join calls by signing into the Zoom app and entering a meeting ID, or following a link from a text message or the calendar.
The software utilizes the car’s large center screen for a high-quality display, and transmits through the built-in microphones.
You might be curious to know, what does this look like in practice, particularly from the receiving end?
Chris reports, “As far as connectivity, it was surprisingly impressive. Clear to hear and see.”
Safety first: eyes on the road, not on the screen
There is an understandable level of concern about the safety of conference call software in vehicles. After all, when most folks think of Zoom, they immediately picture a video screen.
Even the most laser-focused driver might take their eyes off of traffic when their coworker’s adorable golden retriever puppy pops into the frame, because how could you not?
Luckily, Tesla and Zoom have removed the temptation by building safety features into the platform.
While the car is in drive, only audio is available on the Zoom app. Video is disabled and will not start until the car shifts into park. Likewise, the cabin camera and video streaming display will automatically turn off when the car starts moving.
Tesla also urges users to follow local laws and road safety best practices, emphasizing that drivers should stay aware of their surroundings at all times.
For example, in the Cybertruck Owner’s Manual, Tesla advises, “Do not use the video function when the vehicle is “temporarily parked” on a public road (such as when the vehicle is parked along the curb or in a spot that is not a designated parking spot).”
For all the precautions that Tesla has taken, it is ultimately the driver’s responsibility to use the technology responsibly.
Whenever possible, join when settled into a parking lot or charging station rather than on the road, so that you can stay alert.
Or, at the very least, to be in an area where you can easily get to a safe location quickly, rather than long stretches of highway.
You never know when one of your coworkers might whip out a surprise powerpoint, and you don’t want to get slideshow FOMO.
Should you join your Zoom meeting from your Cybertruck?
Tickled as we were to learn about this cool new possibility of Zooming from a Tesla, we cannot say that we recommend this option for every type of meeting. There is more to consider than just safety when deciding on where, when, and how to Zoom.
Virtual team building events like ours are about building connections between coworkers, which can be tricky when a coworkers is en route somewhere.
During our events, we use Zoom features like breakout rooms and chat to nurture small group dynamics and encourage interaction between remote teams. However, these features are not currently available in the Tesla version of the app.
Body language in virtual meetings is also important, as it can create connection and build trust between coworkers, according to experts at Duke University.
However, the current placement of the cabin camera in the rearview mirror made the experience surreal.
“It almost felt more like I was surveilling Ryan than having a Zoom meeting,” said Chris. “The camera is up high and his screen is low so it is a bit harder to connect with the eyes, the “window to the soul” as it were.”
Chances are, Tesla will solve this snafu in the future if their drivers really take to Zooming in-vehicle, and devise a more dynamic camera placement.
Until then, it is worth keeping in mind that your meeting buddies might have this kind of experience, and make more intentional eye contact at points during the call.
You should also think about how other attendees might view your choice to call from your Cybertruck. Some folks are fine with calls from cars, while others might feel like you are just trying to fit them between errands. While Zooming from your Tesla is a nice option, if it becomes your default then folks might start to feel like you are unavailable.
On the flipside, Zooming in from your Tesla can be a great conversation starter. Since this ability is so new, teammates are likely to get a kick out of it and have questions. Plus, this unique perspective gives a little glimpse into your life beyond the office.
Final Thoughts
Even if version one of the Zoom Tesla app is basic and there is “driver’s seat” meeting etiquette to fine-tune, the possibilities are very exciting.
Chances are, other automakers will introduce this feature if it proves popular. It’s neat and very on-brand for an innovative, technology-driven company like Tesla to be the trendsetters.
Years in the future when self-driving cars become more commonplace, workers may one day be able to take video calls while in motion.
Even with the current version, the built-in app makes it easier to participate in Zoom calls while traveling and opens up folks for more meetings. While this increased availability can make work-life balance trickier, it can also score some wins in that area. For example, allowing team members to attend meetings during their commute and shorten their overall workday.
There are many interesting applications and implications for this technology. Who knows? Maybe one day we here at teambuilding.com may even design some kind of car-based remote team scavenger hunt where teammates send each other to real locations.
Until then, with just over 10,000 Cybertrucks on the road today, it’s fun to be able to Zoom inside and go along for the ride.
