The misadventure of Rajesh Randev, owner of a white Tesla Model 3, is worthy of a movie: in a hurry and not being attentive enough, he managed to unlock and drive a third-party Tesla simply by using his mobile app.
Imagine that you are late and you have to pick up your children from school. You grab your smartphone, run to the parking lot, and jump into a white Tesla Model 3 that you think is yours. However, once inside, you notice that something is wrong: the windshield is broken and the smartphone’s charging cable is not in the right place.
9 /10
This is exactly what happened in Canada, in a story reported by Global News, a local outlet. The story conveyed by Numerama seems so unrealistic that the setting is unbelievable.
everything ended well
After driving for a few minutes, Rajesh Randev received a text from the actual owner of the Tesla Model 3, asking if he drives a Tesla. It was then that the father of the family realized the incredible incident that had occurred: in his haste, he had confused the two vehicles. A scenario that we had already described in a file entitled: “The 9 real reasons not to buy a Tesla.”
Rajesh Randev was able to recover his own Tesla Model 3, thanks to a phone number found inside the vehicle. Fortunately, the end of the story turned out well, but it is concerning that a Tesla owner could open and start another owner’s Model 3 using the smartphone app and drive the vehicle for an hour and a half. What’s more, despite his attempts to contact Tesla and report the problem, Rajesh Randev has received no response from the American company.
an unlikely scenario
We consider the possible causes of this scenario. The first could be a flaw in Tesla’s software, posing a serious security issue. The second hypothesis would be a lack of caution on the part of the owner of the “stolen” Tesla, who could have left his access card inside his car. However, it is not easy to start a Tesla, because there is no traditional key.
The vehicle is unlocked with a key card or through the Tesla mobile app. Also, there can be a PIN code confirmation before the car can be started, adding an extra layer of security. Also, it is important to never leave your access card or smartphone inside the vehicle when it is parked. These security measures can help prevent incidents like the one experienced by Rajesh Randev.
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