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| Tesla vehicles are a big favorite of politicians |
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a back-door is an undocumented way of entering a computational device and fiddling with the operating system, the software or the signals received from sensors.
We know that Tesla has and uses back-doors because one of their models was being tested by Consumers Reports at the Consumers Reports facility. One day it took a long distance to brake down from 60mph. That result was duly reported to a Tesla representative. He asked for a retest and the braking distance was much shorter the next day. The day after that it was even longer than the first test.
The chatter on the internet is that Tesla probably did a software download specific to the vehicle's GPS location. That is, it only impacted the one Tesla on the Consumers Reports proving grounds. The speculation is that Tesla increased the gain on the force the brake system applied to the pads. Hence the shorter distances the next day.
Those higher braking forces overheated the pads and the vitrified pads had less friction and thus the longer distances afterward.
So think about the possibilities. Romanian hackers steal or are provided with the information they need to access the Teslas driven by specific people. They write a script that is inserted into the code for those Teslas where the driver's Tesla accelerates when the GPS indicates that it is approaching Deadman's Curve regardless any inputs to the accelerator or brake pedal. Not only that, the script would block the brakes and brake lights.
The perfect crime. The booby trap can be inserted months before it actuates. Any witnesses will see the lack of brakelights and assume the politician driver hit the gas pedal rather than the brakes. Appropriate data can be written to the flight-recorder to substantiate that assumption.
I am not a coder but I have to assume the script would not be any longer than 30 lines.
IF time > Universal Time Start Purge then
IF GPS <= x,y and if GPS >= x-deltax,y-deltay then
AFI brake input $(all functions ignored)
Brake input = 0.0
Accelerator input = max
End all IF
I also recall the 2017 OtA update to cars in Florida just before a hurricane hit to allow deeper than normal discharging to give them additional range to evacuate.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the many reasons I want nothing to do with Tesla. If an OTA update can extend your range it can lock your battery out just as easily. Another is few to no mechanical door locks, if you are out of power or in a accident shutdown you cannot open the car doors.
While it is legal under state and federal law to sell your car to anybody you want, Tesla takes the position that if you get their approval for a sale, they have the right to take away features...
DeleteA lot of Teslas in my neighborhood. Lots of college profs, too. In my experience, this type of personality takes great satisfaction in being at the virtuous cutting edge, without any realization that they could be left bleeding.
ReplyDeleteThe smug oblivious ass doing ten under the speed limit squatting between the #1 and #2 lanes of an uphill portion of the 5 lane interstate, thereby causing the zombie drivers to alternately brake then accelerate, plus zip through multiple lane changes because most every driver wanted to be first, looked exactly like the smug arrogant professors I had.
DeleteBleeding edge is right. And Tesla is an open door for the hackers due to their prolific downloads to the cars.
ReplyDeleteI work in the medical field (allied health is what they call me) around a bunch of NPR-listening physicians who generally think they're the smartest ones in the room.
ReplyDeleteWalking from my car into the building one morning I saw one of the MDs I knew walking from his Tesla to the building, also. I complimented him on his coal powered car and he literally (using that word correctly) had no idea what I meant.
I had a similar experience with a different doctor a month or two later as he walked away from his tesla. He had a sense of humor and thought that was funny, and even ended up getting a custom license plate for the front that says "powered by coal".
Most of the people I see with Teslas think that electricity comes out of a hole in the ground or out of a windmill, though.
Mary Beth had been an OR nurse since the earth cooled. One particular day she felt the need to put those brilliant (just ask them) NPR-listening arrogant doctors in their place. They had engaged in a running verbal one up manship of who drove the fastest/priciest/bestest sports car. More than annoyed by the sophomoric braggadocio of those two pubescent pustules, Mary Beth quietky said, My husband drives a $200,000 all wheel drive vehicle. And he's home for lunch every day.
DeleteYou could have heard a scalpel drop. Mary Beth is married to a farmer.
(True story. Mary Beth and Dario are two of my favorite people. It was she who told me this.)
Almost all cars are computerized. They can be hacked ( Not just Tesla) It has been possible since about 2006. Check out this Youtube...chances are you own at least one car that COULD be hacked and controlled. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0SrxBC1xs
ReplyDeleteThe issue is not so much computerization as it is access over the internet. Yes, most modern cars have ECM's (electronic control modules) but most require a technician to physically connect to it to download software. The new ones that allow the manufacturers and anyone else skilled enough wirelessly is the problem.
DeleteBy gosh even I have to wiggle the battery cable half the time to get it to start. I'd like to see them try to hack my truck.
DeleteI think in GM’s it’s called OnStar. Don’t know if other mfr’s have similar systems.
DeleteNot to mention that Tesla announced their average price to manufacture a vehicle is $36,000, and you can't buy one new for less than about $50,000. That's a hell of a markup.
ReplyDeleteClearly a vehicle for virtue signalling by wealthy people who probably don't know any better and don't drive very far at any one time.
Well, add transportation costs...2 grand?
DeleteTaxes...another 2 grand
Then there's probably an environmental impact fee for the batteries...another 2 grand.
Then you have the dealer markup out of which a commission is paid to the salesman plus overhead.
Pretty soon, you're talking real money.
And the rebates from selling carbon credits to IC vehicle manufacturers.
DeleteAnd other Taxpayer supplied rebates for purchases.
Add to it that Tesla doesn't release vehicle repair information so they have a monopoly on servicing their cars. No taking it to an independent mechanic. Repairs cost a fortune and take forever.
DeleteI would think that anything run by a computer or computer chip is, inherently, hackable to the those that can. I am already unhappy enough with the "chips: in 201X car.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/
ReplyDeleteI really HATE links that require a subscription to read them!!!
Delete