Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Pin to Drive privacy question

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
So I did do a search and I did not see this anywhere being asked (although I may have just not searched using the right terms).
So we have the pin to drive enabled (just for extra layer of security) but the thing is that every time we get in the car with people, well You have to plug it in on the screen and its visible to everyone.
So first off, no I don't believe we have any friends who would take off but in the case of the teenagers, I am hesitant with them seeing the pin ( granted I have already done it because well we have to drive and they are in the car)
Which leads me to my question, is there an alternative way to enter it? Seems counter productive to have a "secret" pin to drive that everyone that gets in the car with you can see.

And again, my concern is not with everyone passenger, just some of the younger ones LOL
 
Not sure I understand the problem. As long as you don't share key cards or your Tesla credentials with the people who ride along in your car, they can't do anything with the PIN (and if you do share the credentials, they can simply bypass it anyway).
 
  • Like
Reactions: jigjug
Not sure I understand the problem. As long as you don't share key cards or your Tesla credentials with the people who ride along in your car, they can't do anything with the PIN (and if you do share the credentials, they can simply bypass it anyway).

I think the main idea with the PIN is for when somebody steals your wallet with keycard or your phone. So in that situation it’s effective.

If it’s somebody you know who steals your keycard (like a teenager finding a spare in the house) then there’s not really much you can do if they have seen the PIN. Basically the same as if they decided to “borrow” any other car with a standard key.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dodukes
I think the main idea with the PIN is for when somebody steals your wallet with keycard or your phone. So in that situation it’s effective.

If it’s somebody you know who steals your keycard (like a teenager finding a spare in the house) then there’s not really much you can do if they have seen the PIN. Basically the same as if they decided to “borrow” any other car with a standard key.

This ^^^

There was already one incident where my partner was out of town and a younger nephew came over and wanted to see the car when he saw it parked up front and made himself very comfortable and about to drive it for a "test ride" without basically permission and luckily the pin to drive popped up and he wasn't able to and the person who was "watching the car" for us was very thankful the pin came up and pretended not to know it.
So yeah, I have the same fleeting fear with my own nephew (different person) so hence my question.
 
There was already one incident where my partner was out of town and a younger nephew came over and wanted to see the car when he saw it parked up front and made himself very comfortable and about to drive it for a "test ride" without basically permission and luckily the pin to drive popped up and he wasn't able to and the person who was "watching the car" for us was very thankful the pin came up and pretended not to know it.
But how did he get into the car and put it into drive mode? Normally you need either a key card or a registered phone for that.

@MrFusion above is correct, the PIN is really for the case where someone steals your key card or phone, or uses a remote relay attack on your fob in a Model S or X.
 
But how did he get into the car and put it into drive mode? Normally you need either a key card or a registered phone for that.

@MrFusion above is correct, the PIN is really for the case where someone steals your key card or phone, or uses a remote relay attack on your fob in a Model S or X.
Car was parked at a relatives house. That person has tesla app access and a key card. Kid came over and wanted to see the car inside, no problem, it was unlocked for him, so he looked around and then wanted to take it for a test drive and drive it home to show his wife and told relative "no its ok i know he (my partner) wouldn't mind", relative is like look I'm not sure that is a good idea but by then kid was already looking at car so reality is that all he had to do was put it in drive, but once he tried, the pin to drive popped up and he wasn't able to. So no he didn't get to put it in drive but had he been given a ride prior and knew the code, he would have popped it in and taken off. Hence why I'm curious why is there not an option to put the pin in somewhere else so not in plain view of every passenger.
 
Car was parked at a relatives house. That person has tesla app access and a key card. Kid came over and wanted to see the car inside, no problem, it was unlocked for him, so he looked around and then wanted to take it for a test drive and drive it home to show his wife and told relative "no its ok i know he (my partner) wouldn't mind", relative is like look I'm not sure that is a good idea but by then kid was already looking at car so reality is that all he had to do was put it in drive, but once he tried, the pin to drive popped up and he wasn't able to. So no he didn't get to put it in drive but had he been given a ride prior and knew the code, he would have popped it in and taken off. Hence why I'm curious why is there not an option to put the pin in somewhere else so not in plain view of every passenger.

No, there is no other place to put it. The pin to drive feature is supposed to help with the car being stolen by people you dont know. It actually provides more protection than an ICE car in a similar situation that you describe above. If someone is a passenger in a car with the driver by someone who knows the pin to drive, AND has a way to get the keycard / phone, this is now a social issue and not a technical one.

The problem you had was not a lack of functionality of "pin to drive" it was the person who was watching your car allowing this person (nephew or not) in the car without your express permission, AND said nephew thinking something was going to be "ok" that obviously is not.

You are looking at trying to make technology keep you from having a "crucial conversation" with either your nephew, or the other "younger passengers" you mention. Its not going to do that, just like if you had an ICE car and they had the keys, they could "borrow" the car to "run to the store" because " they wont mind".

You likely know this, but you simply need to talk to either the person watching the car and say "Thanks for watching the car, you are allowed inside but no one else, thanks" or with your "younger passengers" you need to make sure they know that if for some reason the car goes somewhere without your permission, there will be consequences... AND that because of the way the car is made, it can be tracked at all times by you via the app on your phone, AND you can always go back and see every place the car has gone, so there is no possible way you "wont know".
 
If Pin to Drive is enabled, can't you use your Tesla app to unlock the car versus the screen?

I surely hope you see you have a different problem with this "younger nephew" and boundaries.
I have not seen that option pop up.
And not my family not my problem type thing but yeah, I was horrified hearing the story and it's not even my car LOL well its "ours" but for work purposes its titled in my partners name. He probably would have let him drive it and I was like nope, thank goodness for pin to drive. Our relative was also very thankful for pin to drive.

My actual nephew, don't think would actually do anything like that pushy if no was the initial reaction, he would probably keep begging but he wouldn't actually try to put it in drive and drive off despite someone telling him it wasn't a good idea. He would know better but he is still just 18yo and was very exited and his first question was "oh can i drive it" to which a prompt no ended the conversation. ( he just rear ended somebody last month so I had that fresh in mind LOL)
 
Last edited:
I don't know it it pops up either. Frankly, I don't care enough about this problem to test it. I don't see this as a car/tech/procedure problem. More a "if I can't trust you, you ain't getting in my car".

There's a new technique that will help arrest this behavior at the beginning. Its the use of a word called "No !". Something foreign to too many younger people these days.

"actually try to put it in park and drive". Unusual behavior for a Tesla. My car you have to take it OUT of park to drive it. Thought the first time I read that it was an error, but here it pops up a second time.
 
No, there is no other place to put it. The pin to drive feature is supposed to help with the car being stolen by people you dont know. It actually provides more protection than an ICE car in a similar situation that you describe above. If someone is a passenger in a car with the driver by someone who knows the pin to drive, AND has a way to get the keycard / phone, this is now a social issue and not a technical one.

The problem you had was not a lack of functionality of "pin to drive" it was the person who was watching your car allowing this person (nephew or not) in the car without your express permission, AND said nephew thinking something was going to be "ok" that obviously is not.

You are looking at trying to make technology keep you from having a "crucial conversation" with either your nephew, or the other "younger passengers" you mention. Its not going to do that, just like if you had an ICE car and they had the keys, they could "borrow" the car to "run to the store" because " they wont mind".

You likely know this, but you simply need to talk to either the person watching the car and say "Thanks for watching the car, you are allowed inside but no one else, thanks" or with your "younger passengers" you need to make sure they know that if for some reason the car goes somewhere without your permission, there will be consequences... AND that because of the way the car is made, it can be tracked at all times by you via the app on your phone, AND you can always go back and see every place the car has gone, so there is no possible way you "wont know".
I 100% agree with your post. We have no issues with the person watching the car taking it out, using it , etc. No trust issues there and also have no issues if he were to open up the car to a family member to see it, but I already told my partner that it was pretty ballsy of his nephew to do that and that it's his own fault for always saying yes to everyone and everything. Partner said he would have let him take it, and I told him you are crazy. WE are now on same page about people driving the car "for fun" because everyone we know just wants to take it for a spin to gun it down the road. No thanks. Same nephew took our harley for spin and almost laid it down on a curve, but we won't talk about that. So yes I agree with you on that part of the conversation.

I just responded to another post and I had *that* conversation with my very own 18yo nephew and while I am just paranoid in general about car accidents and lawsuits, I don't think that he would actually do what the other kid did and insist on taking it out even though we said no. He asked when he first saw it, I said no, that was the end of it, I then had a reasoning conversation with him about why and he now very much enjoys just riding in it with me. Would he want to drive it? for sure. But no way do I think he would grab my phone, key card etc while I was socializing with his mom and take it for spin.
 
I don't know it it pops up either. Frankly, I don't care enough about this problem to test it. I don't see this as a car/tech/procedure problem. More a "if I can't trust you, you ain't getting in my car".

There's a new technique that will help arrest this behavior at the beginning. Its the use of a word called "No !". Something foreign to too many younger people these days.

"actually try to put it in park and drive". Unusual behavior for a Tesla. My car you have to take it OUT of park to drive it. Thought the first time I read that it was an error, but here it pops up a second time.
bolding mine,
sorry I had to go fix it, I keep saying park when I mean drive. I am so still on holiday mode.
:p:p:p
and yes, i 100% agree with the younger generation, sad part is he is not THAT young, I want to say mid to late 20s wife 2 kids. :rolleyes:
but yeah. we will leave it at that.
 
  • Funny
Reactions: Akikiki and Dre78
I think a solution to this would be rather than PIN to drive Tesla could make it so you have to unlock your app to drive. A lot easier and secure to just use your phone’s biometric lock to unlock the app versus typing a code in on the screen. They could have the screen code only for emergencies where you are using the key card.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Akikiki
Which leads me to my question, is there an alternative way to enter it? Seems counter productive to have a "secret" pin to drive that everyone that gets in the car with you can see.
This doesn't answer your question directly and you probably already know this... On the app, using "Controls > Start" bypasses pin. It lasts for 2 minutes, so maybe you can do this out of sight while walking to car so the younglings don't see? Good luck!
 
This doesn't answer your question directly and you probably already know this... On the app, using "Controls > Start" bypasses pin. It lasts for 2 minutes, so maybe you can do this out of sight while walking to car so the younglings don't see? Good luck!
I did not see this or would not have thought of it. I mean I guess I have seen start but no I did not know this. I will test it this afternoon. thanks!!!
 
I just responded to another post and I had *that* conversation with my very own 18yo nephew and while I am just paranoid in general about car accidents and lawsuits, I don't think that he would actually do what the other kid did and insist on taking it out even though we said no. He asked when he first saw it, I said no, that was the end of it, I then had a reasoning conversation with him about why and he now very much enjoys just riding in it with me. Would he want to drive it? for sure. But no way do I think he would grab my phone, key card etc while I was socializing with his mom and take it for spin.

I think being "paranoid in general about car accidents and lawsuits" is healthy and smart. You absolutely do not know when "But no way do I think he would grab my phone, key card etc while I was socializing with his mom and take it for spin" I do - I think you should test this and see. Put the car in valet mode and lower the speed limit. And watch. Its worth learning/knowing before the worse of the worse can happen.

I am old, and retired and tired. I watch a lot of those "Judge Judy" type shows and love the way Judy is an equal opportunity abuser" when it comes to dumb/stupid acts people do. I watch it for the education she gives the audience. A car owner can find the insurance claim denied because they "left the keys where they are easy to access or implied permission was given for different reasons.". I'm not going to debate it here. Its complicated to get one's self out of a financial pickle because they were not cautious enough to prevent something from happening, not even counting the risk of injury. Especially when someone that I know asks me in advance to test drive my S, I quiz them to make them aware they are going to pay if they damage it and if they have a valid driver's license and are insured. I don't care if I offend, its my a$$ not theirs until its theirs. I surely am not going to make it easy for someone to get my car with or without my permission/knowledge.

One final thing. You drive my car, 1) with me in it, and 2) your smart phone goes in your pocket or purse so you aren't tempted to take a picture or text someone. Then don't drive my car. Simple system, because I don't want to be shopping for another S when "they" totaled mine.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: dodukes
Anyone remember that BMW i3 commercial from just a few years ago about the teen that would sneak out of the house with his dad's i3 and take his girlfriend for a joyride? It ended with him grinning at this dad when he got caught sneaking back in after. I wrote BMW dozens of times with different email addresses and different names complaining about promoting that type behavior. Any manufacturer tries to make that type of behavior funny or cute needs to be called out and embarrassed about it. I don't know if I made a difference, but I have not seen that commercial in a long time. And I don't have a kid or a BMW.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dodukes