Scout will follow Tesla and Rivian's lead in offering software based modes and features with its Traveler electric SUV and Terra electric pickup truck.
Jordan Sanford's TikTok video briefly showed the animal mode on the Scout EV's infotainment display. Scout spokeswoman Kathy Graham then confirmed the mod, along with a camp mode and night modeon Green Car Reports. Graham noted that all three methods “are introduced as concepts” and “we look forward to sharing detailed software features as we move closer to production.”
Scout Traveler concept
Pet mode is designed to use climate controls to allow pets to be safely left in vehicles, such as Dog Mode Tesla released in 2019, and Pet Comfort mode available in Rivian. Both automakers have released several other niche modes through software updates, with Rivian offering its own Camp mode that uses air suspension to level the vehicle and provide a flat sleeping position.
Scout camp mode will be “manage sounds, power settings, lighting, and more when you're out and about.” Air suspension and active defrost will be offered as an option, but auto-leveling wasn't specifically mentioned. Night mode dims the internal displays and exterior lighting to reduce light pollution and help drivers and passengers better enjoy the night sky.
Scout Terra concept
Scout unveiled Concept versions of the Traveler and Terra last week that the automaker says are 85% accurate to the production models. These are scheduled to arrive in 2027, and assembly will be done at a new $2 billion factory in South Carolina.
Trading on the nostalgia of the International Harvester Scout that ended production in 1980, the Scout is a new product under the aegis of the Volkswagen Group. Directly run by a parent company rather than VW Group of America, it creates space for a direct sales model similar to that of Tesla and Rivian.