Scout previews pet and camp modes in electric truck concepts

Scout will follow the lead of Tesla and Rivian in offering software-based modes and features for its Traveler electric SUV and Terra electric pickup truck.

A TikTok video by Jordan Sanford briefly showed a pet mode on a Scout EV’s infotainment display. Scout spokesperson Kathy Graham subsequently confirmed this mode, as well as a camp mode and night mode, to Green Car Reports. Graham noted that all three modes “are presented as concepts” and that “we look forward to sharing detailed software features as we get closer to production.”

Pet mode is designed to use climate controls to allow pets to be safely left in vehicles, similar to the Dog Mode Tesla rolled out in 2019, and the Pet Comfort mode available from Rivian. Both automakers have released numerous other niche modes via software updates, with Rivian offering its own Camp mode that uses air suspension to level vehicles and provide a flat sleeping surface.

Scout’s camp mode will “manage audible sounds, energy settings, lighting, and more when outdoors.” An air suspension and active damping will be offered as an option, but automatically leveling was not specifically mentioned. Night mode dims interior 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. Those are scheduled to arrive in 2027, with assembly taking place at a new $2 billion factory in South Carolina.

Trading on nostalgia for the International Harvester Scout that ended production in 1980, Scout is a new brand under the aegis of the Volkswagen Group. It’s being run directly by the parent company rather than VW Group of America, creating space for a direct-sales model similar to Tesla and Rivian.