Tesla Model S Flaw May Make It Vulnerable To Hackers

August 31st, 2013 by Guest Contributor

Originally published on Gas2.
by Christopher DeMorro

Electric cars stand to improve upon the century-old concept of the automobile in exciting and promising new ways. The Tesla Model S proved this by receiving a five-star crash test rating, and even breaking one of the testing machines. However, Tesla’s decision to use its own API, which has opened it up to the potential to being hacked.

The flaw was found by George Reese, a senior executive for Dell and a Tesla Model S owner himself. It’s one of the potential worries all automakers, and not just Tesla, has to take into consideration going forward. However, Tesla’s decision to use its own API, or application programming interface, could allow outside users to remotely activate things like the sunroof, horn, and lights. Users can also cause excessive wear on the electrical systems and batteries, seriously shortening their lifespan.

This stems from Tesla’s decision to use an iPhone or or Android app to give Tesla owners access to information and options on their car. As cars and other devices become more and more connected, the potential for hacking and abuse also grows.

While none of this is a safety concern per se, car hacking is already starting to become an issue for automakers all over the world. Whether the Tesla Model S is more or less vulnerable because it’s a pure-electric vehicle, remains to be seen

Source: Forbes

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Tags: api, hackers, hacking, Tesla, Tesla Model S, Tesla Model S hacking

About the Author

Guest Contributor is many, many people. We publish a number of guest posts from experts in a large variety of fields. This is our contributor account for those special people. :D

Ross

The advantages of remote connectivity far outweigh the manageable risks.
Shiggity

Well if you look at the other car makers, they’re all doing this. GM has already showed off a Verizon branded 4G LTE car with some form of API. Ford has something proprietary in the works. And Chrystler / Fiat are heading for insolvency sooooo I’m not really counting them.
Ivor O’Connor

Screamer or a headline. Content was dead. Author mistakenly did not use private API and got himself hacked.
WeaponZero

Since when is giving your password out to somebody considered a “flaw that makes it vulnerable to hackers”? Pretty sure that puts it under “No duh Sherlock!”
- Matt
  
  I think this is more a once you can remotely connect to car and access it’s systems it like any connect device can be hacked. But come on it was a great screamer of a head line, so what it the article doesn’t back it up. A truthful headline would have been. “Devices that provide remote connection, have a risk of being hacked” But then it wouldn’t have got posted on Gas2 or linked here.