Has anyone else speculated whether the "phone" app will be able to remotely kill the Model S and track if stolen???? Seems like this could be done with a strong pin or password with encryption if the remote app would be able to control other aspects of the car.....
The Model S is almost impossible to steal. The thief would need to have the key fob in their pocket. Even if they managed to get into the car, there is no switch to break, no wires for being able to hotwire the car since the authentication is done over CAN, and it has an immobilizer. With having an app that can track the car, they'd have to have intimate knowledge of the car's inner workings in order to even think of messing with it. (not to mention at least a week plugged into the CAN busses.) In my point of view, it is cost prohibitive. A thief would rather target a Honda or Toyota than Model S. (BTW this has been documented in a white paper submitted by TM to an agency, I think it might have been the NHTSA.) (Docket# NHTSA–2011–0174)
As more (luxury) cars get sophisticated anti theft alarms, stealing the key is the easiest way to steal the car. Car thieves will burglarize a house to steal the car keys and the car of course. A way to stop the car from your smart phone would be effective and another threshold to steal the car and get away with it.
Or enabling pranksters the ability of random disabling real Model S cars and their drivers out on the road.
It's a feature of OVMS to track a Roadster (that has OVMS installed), and if some hard working Tesla owners can come up with that in their own time I'd be very surprised if Tesla couldn't do the same thing. If "Valet" mode is PIN controlled that should be easy too (OVMS and Tattler both have that remote feature).
Only if you first stole the lift and the proprietary tools from a Tesla service center. Also it's not something that could be done in the street, so you'd have to steal the car first. The battery is also very heavy (over 1100lbs IIRC) so you'd need several guys to lift it (or a forklift) and a truck to transport it away.....but who would you sell it to?
The guy who burglarized Steve Jobs' house apparently stole the key to the Mercedes SL, but didn't take the car. Maybe he grabbed it by accident, or maybe he planned to come back. Anyway, just a nugget of trivia.
I'd be more worried about someone (an angry ex?) getting access to the app while I'm in the car than stealing the car while I'm not.
> The thief would need to have the key fob in their pocket. [wpetefish] Unless you chose the High Tech package, you just get a regular key (apparently what I ordered). --
If someone really wanted to steal the car the easiest way would be wheel rollers and a flatbed. Not something amateurs would do. Stealing an S until there are a good number of them on the road would be really stupid unless the thieves have something specific in mind like using it in a bank robbery or... No matter where in the world it showed up it would really stick out.
Remote track (kind of like Lojack) would be useful. Not sure about remote kill as that is a security concern within itself.
IIRC, the hi-tech way is to read and poach the keyfob's activation signal when it is approaching/unlocking the door. Then trail the car home, use a re-broadcaster. Don't know if that would work with slightly more sophisticated "handshaking" protocols or not.
I disagree.... It would be feasible to program it so that when the automobile is stopped that it shuts down.... - - - Updated - - - I think this is really overstretching the technological feat demonstrated by Tesla here.... ...to suggest that a computerized/electrical system can't be overcome by some fancy programming is really missing the boat.... I understand that trying to steal the Model S is unlike stealing any other conventional car out there.....but, honestly....an expansive imagination and some basic skills can outsmart 99% of computers out there these days.....
All that is true but if you have the skills to do so, you'll make more at a real job then you will as a car thief. Theft hasn't been a problem with the Prius, so i don't think it will be a problem with the Model S.
I think a feature that could only be implemented by Tesla (owner would have to call in and verify who there were-not foolproof of course) that would disable the car after X number of miles. I could send a large message on the 17" screen "This car has been reported stolen by owner-you have 5 miles to pull over to a safe location".