Bad news, Tesla owners: the Chinese have successfully hacked a Model S … sort of

By Peter Braun July 21, 2014

Over the last few weeks, the sinister sounding nerd convention SyScan has held a competition to hack into a Tesla Model S. Now the results are in, and while it is possible to remotely control the sunroof, no one will be remotely crashing a Model S anytime soon.

The competition was held to demonstrate the potential vulnerabilities of highly digital and increasingly networked cars, with the winner eligible to receive a $10,000 prize. Qihoo 360 Technology Co. managed to win about $1,700 of that prize for hacking the Model S’s horn, car locks, headlights and skylight from a remote location.

These are hardly earth shaking achievements, but they do have serious safety implications in particular the car locks. Most Model S drivers are fortunate enough not live in areas where carjacking is a serious concern, but residents of places like South Africa where the crime is endemic will hardly find this a comforting accomplishment.

Bloomberg has reported that Tesla was not involved in the conference, and in fact not very pleased about it. However to its credit Tesla, has asked hackers to flag any vulnerabilities they discover and refer them to the company’s security experts.

Despite the relatively modest achievements of the hackers, the broader concern is a very real one. As we have previously reported, researchers for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have already been able to control the brakes, acceleration and steering of some cars remotely.

That is precisely why companies like Tesla have been hiring security experts away from Apple and other tech companies. And if car companies are willing to spend money on it as opposed to ignoring it, then they must expect this to be a real problem in future.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Tesla

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Peter is a freelance contributor to Digital Trends and almost a lawyer. He has loved thinking, writing and talking about cars…

Cars

BMW iX vs Tesla Model Y: miles apart on price, but closer than you think

A 2023 BMW iX M60.

The Tesla Model Y is often considered the go-to pick for those who want a large electric crossover, and for good reason. It offers a great range, a still relatively modern design, and additional features like a well-designed infotainment system. But it's far from the only option out there -- and in fact, there are some seriously great alternatives, like the BMW iX, for example.

I know what you're thinking -- the BMW iX is way more expensive than the Tesla Model Y. It starts at $87,100, while the Model Y starts at $43,990. This is perhaps not the fairest of comparisons out there, but you might be surprised how well the Model Y does, considering the fact that it's around half the price of the iX. The one you buy will ultimately depend on your priorities, but regardless, it's important to know the similarities -- and the differences.
Design
The first thing you'll notice about these cars is their design, and in that respect, they're pretty different.

Cars

What it means now that Kia and Hyundai have adopted Tesla’s charging standard

A Tesla car chargers on a Tesla Destination charger.

It has finally happened. After the majority of other major automakers announced the transition from the combined charging system (CCS) to the North American Charging Standard (NACS), Hyundai Motor Group (which consists of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) remained one of the major holdouts. But that has changed, and the company announced that it would make the shift starting with cars sold in late 2024. Presumably, that means that 2025 model year cars will get the new plugs.

But what does this mean for you if you're a current Kia, Hyundai, or Genesis driver? And what does it mean for those planning on buying a Hyundai Motor Group EV in the near or more distant future? Here's what you need to know.
How long will this transition take?
The transition to NACS simply is not going to be as immediate as Apple's transition from Lightning to USB-C ports. That's to say, there's going to be a multiyear transition period -- and even in five years, some charging stations will likely still sport CCS connectors.

Cars

Tesla Model Y vs. Hyundai Ioniq 5: Which crossover reigns supreme?

Electric crossovers are all the range. As EVs have become increasingly popular, a large portion of carmakers seem to have focused on crossover-sized cars. Sure, they'll often market these as SUVs, but they're actually smaller than what most people think of when they think of an SUV -- and as such, they're better thought of as crossovers instead. Two of the most popular of these crossovers are the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5 -- cars that have been out for a few years now.

But considering they're both such highly respected cars, is one of them better than the other? To be sure, neither of the two cars are bad options -- but one of them does have a slight edge. We put the two cars head --to-head to find out which one is actually best.
Design
The first thing you'll notice about these two cars is their design. They're both relatively unique compared to cars from other manufacturers, though perhaps not as much when compared to cars from the same manufacturer.