Three researchers from TU Berlin allegedly hacked Tesla's FSD software by removing the system and manipulating the voltage, bypassing the circuit board's protection systems. They discovered an "Elon Mode". Does this make Tesla's software vulnerable?
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Tesla's Software... Hacked
According to Alex Avoigt on X, three researchers from TU Berlin allegedly hacked Tesla's FSD software and bypassed the circuit board's protection systems. An "Elon Mode" was revealed, which allows the Tesla vehicle to drive autonomously without having to be interacted with.
I looked for existing articles on this and found several that have been published over the course of this year, 2023, so it appears that this may be legit. What does it all mean?
According to Alex, this occurred:
Among other things, they uncovered a driving mode in which the car drives completely autonomously. However, such a hack is hardly possible with parked Tesla vehicles. The hackers stated that they had reported the vulnerability to Tesla.
I think this simply means that these hacks by people trying to find vulnerabilities in a system are ways for people to get a "bounty" - that is, companies will often pay people that find vulnerabilities, so those companies can fix them and I think that is the case here.
According to Alex as well:
Obviously, the media is trying to portray the story as a security risk and problematic, although it is quite normal that if you take apart and manipulate an electronic system, sooner or later you will find a way to crack it, depending on the effort involved.
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Is Tesla's Software Vulnerable?
No matter what software you build, there is always a way to hack the system. It just depends on how secure and sophisticated the security measures are.
Think of it like a house with locked doors. That's a security measure to keep people out, however, someone could pick the lock or break the door down - or break the windows.
The homeowner could reinforce the door and windows with bars, making them more secure, but then there are more aggressive methods to get in the home that can break through those.
Security is an ever evolving thing, and the same thing applies here to Tesla's FSD software. Overall, I wouldn't say the software is vulnerable because Tesla hires the best and brightest engineers on the planet. It's harder to get a job at Tesla than it is to get into Harvard.
Even Tesla's software isn't perfect, though, and no matter what system you use, it has a vulnerability somewhere. The key is to make it as time-consuming and difficult as possible to break in the software.
"Elon Mode"
The "Elon Mode" is an interesting thing in the FSD software, but I think most people know the Elon has his own special software not requiring intervention while driving, so he can truly test the system.
My guess is that there are a few other exceptions for people who don't have the steering wheel nag and don't have to interact with the steering wheel. I think one day, the steering wheel nag will get removed - at least for those with a high safety score - something like 95 or higher...
My conclusion is that Tesla's software is secure and high quality and shouldn't be viewed as a security risk.
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What do you think about Tesla's FSD being hacked and an Elon Mode being revealed? Do you think Tesla's software is secure?
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Hi! I'm Jeremy Noel Johnson, and I am a Tesla investor and supporter and own a 2022 Model 3 RWD EV and I don't have range anxiety :). I enjoy bringing you breaking Tesla news as well as anything about Tesla or other EV companies I can find, like Aptera. Other interests of mine are AI, Tesla Energy and the Tesla Bot! You can follow me on X.COM or LinkedIn to stay in touch and follow my Tesla and EV news coverage.
Image Credit: Tesla
Article Reference: Alex Avoigt Post on X
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