Tesla Model 3 driven by the wrong owner

[italian bread]

Might be the new Hyundai / Kia theft trend?

Tesla Model 3 unlocked and driven by the wrong owner

Rajesh Randev of Vancouver told Global News that a stranger’s Tesla was parked next to his and was the same model and color as his own. He used his app to open the car, and reality started sinking in a few miles down the road when Randev noticed the windshield of the Tesla he was driving was cracked.

…

“Worrying” is an excellent word to use for this situation, because it did not involve hackers or bad actors of any kind. That a random person could drive away with a car and ride around town without any warning signs in the car or otherwise is a matter of concern. Also worrying is Tesla’s response, which so far has been nonexistent.

Randev has called the automaker and submitted video evidence, but some emails bounced back, and he has received no response. The company’s inbox seems to be full, and CEO Elon Musk famously cut Tesla’s public relations team, so it appears there’s little recourse for some owners with basic support needs.

 

[EVRider-FL]

I’m not buying it. There’s more to the story than was reported. You can’t use your phone key to drive someone else’s Tesla.

 

[Chisale]

I agree with EVRider-FL. There's more than to this story than what we've been told. But....it does underscore that having PIN to drive turned on is indeed a good idea.

 

[enemji]

Might be the new Hyundai / Kia theft trend?

Tesla Model 3 unlocked and driven by the wrong owner

Rajesh Randev of Vancouver told Global News that a stranger’s Tesla was parked next to his and was the same model and color as his own. He used his app to open the car, and reality started sinking in a few miles down the road when Randev noticed the windshield of the Tesla he was driving was cracked.

…

“Worrying” is an excellent word to use for this situation, because it did not involve hackers or bad actors of any kind. That a random person could drive away with a car and ride around town without any warning signs in the car or otherwise is a matter of concern. Also worrying is Tesla’s response, which so far has been nonexistent.

Randev has called the automaker and submitted video evidence, but some emails bounced back, and he has received no response. The company’s inbox seems to be full, and CEO Elon Musk famously cut Tesla’s public relations team, so it appears there’s little recourse for some owners with basic support needs.

The other cars owners phone or the key must have been in the car.

 

[Rocket_man]

The other cars owners phone or the key must have been in the car.

I've done this once or twice... walked out of the car and left my cell phone on the charger. I usually notice, but once I went into a store and didn't notice until I got back to the car. It could have been gone. I wonder if the car can detect that you left the car but the phone is still inside and honk the horn twice to let you know? One honk.. the car is locked... two honks.... hey, you left your phone in the car!

 

[E90alex]

I've done this once or twice... walked out of the car and left my cell phone on the charger. I usually notice, but once I went into a store and didn't notice until I got back to the car. It could have been gone. I wonder if the car can detect that you left the car but the phone is still inside and honk the horn twice to let you know? One honk.. the car is locked... two honks.... hey, you left your phone in the car!

The car cannot tell the phone is inside or outside of the car. Only that if it is close enough to unlock/start the car or not.

You can be on the sidewalk next to your car and if you are close enough someone can get in and drive off.

 

[italian bread]

Anyone feel like gathering some empirical data?

More details at The Washington Post

Mahmoud Esaeyh, who owns the Tesla that Randev drove off in, was home at the time. He said he had loaned his car to his brother Mohammed, who was using it to run an errand. When Mohammed returned to where he’d parked, he noticed the remaining Tesla had a different interior and wasn’t Mahmoud’s. He called Mahmoud, who was able to track the location of his car — being driven by Randev — on his app. But when he attempted to remotely lock the Tesla from his phone, it failed, he said.

Mohammed was able to access Randev’s car using Mahmoud’s key card. He found medical documents in Randev’s car with his phone number, and Mahmoud called Randev to explain the mix-up. They were both stunned to learn that they could access each other’s cars.

 

[betit]

My wife showed me this story. My immediate thought was the guy had all this stuff in the car to ID him and provide a phone number to someone rummaging around in his car but didn't think twice about having the wrong car? Not the weird seat settings or audio settings? And that the other guys first thought was "this car must be the car of the guy who took mine, let me see if I can open and find some info". Phone key is Bluetooth so that makes zero sense for it to work on someone else's car. Maybe it was already unlocked and the key card was in there or he used his own key card and it happened to work but who uses the key card over phone key? Key card is the only logical explanation but the story specifically leaves the part out on which way the car was unlocked. (at least in the version I read)

 

[rpiotro]

I call BS on this story.

 

[zoomer0056]

This is a re-thread, another thread referenced same article. This story is sold as contagious FUD. Just don't leave your key in the car ... good advice for any vehicle, ICE or EV.

 

[legendsk]

The car cannot tell the phone is inside or outside of the car. Only that if it is close enough to unlock/start the car or not.

You can be on the sidewalk next to your car and if you are close enough someone can get in and drive off.

12 years ago I had to leave unusually early in the morning and modifying the routine can result in things going off the rails a bit sometimes. My 2011 F-150 Ford pickup alerted me on the instrument cluster that my phone WAS NOT connected. I would hope that after 12 years, the Tesla could at least match that function.

 

[mspohr]

I once rented an ICE car. I was so used to just getting out of my Tesla and walking away that I did the same when I went to a grocery store. Came out and found the ICE car running with the doors unlocked. I'd left the keys in the ignition.
This guy probably left his phone in the car so anybody could have gotten in and driven off.

 

[Jiver]

My 2011 F-150 Ford pickup alerted me on the instrument cluster that my phone WAS NOT connected. I would hope that after 12 years, the Tesla could at least match that function.

It does, sort of. I recently stared a drive from my garage by first noticing that the seat went to my wife's settings when I entered the (unlocked) car. I set the car to my profile and went on my way. It was not long before the car told me that no key was detected. I had to cycle bluetooth on my phone to reconnect.

Clearly my wife's phone was close enough to the car when I opened the door that it both set the seat and allowed me to drive away. My phone was not detected and after a short bit of driving the car let me know.

 

[mspohr]

12 years ago I had to leave unusually early in the morning and modifying the routine can result in things going off the rails a bit sometimes. My 2011 F-150 Ford pickup alerted me on the instrument cluster that my phone WAS NOT connected. I would hope that after 12 years, the Tesla could at least match that function.

You can't drive the Tesla if the phone isn't connected. It will tell you to connect.

 

[E90alex]

You can't drive the Tesla if the phone isn't connected. It will tell you to connect.

You can start and drive the car if the phone is close enough outside. The car will continue driving without the phone key until it’s turned off, at which point it can’t restart without a key present.

 

[mspohr]

You can start and drive the car if the phone is close enough outside. The car will continue driving without the phone key until it’s turned off, at which point it can’t restart without a key present.

It's connected.

 

[mgs333]

You can start and drive the car if the phone is close enough outside. The car will continue driving without the phone key until it’s turned off, at which point it can’t restart without a key present.

This indeed happened to me this morning, I was driving away from home and the car told me there is no key detected and it would not start once turned off. My phone was in my room at home but was close enough to be detected so I could start driving.

 

[italian bread]

This indeed happened to me this morning, I was driving away from home and the car told me there is no key detected and it would not start once turned off. My phone was in my room at home but was close enough to be detected so I could start driving.

This sounds plausible, and yet it opens up the possibility that someone can steal a Tesla if they notice the driver is in the vicinity, say in the store near where their Tesla is parked.

 

[zoomer0056]

This sounds plausible, and yet it opens up the possibility that someone can steal a Tesla if they notice the driver is in the vicinity, say in the store near where their Tesla is parked.

Reliable blue tooth connection 40ft or less. My Feb 2022 MSLR locks doors on walk away in less than 40ft. It locks as I walk away about five parking spaces. At home it locks sooner for some reason.

 

[P3dStealth]

"Mahmoud Esaeyh, who owns the Tesla that Randev drove off in, was home at the time. He said he had loaned his car to his brother Mohammed, who was using it to run an errand. When Mohammed returned to where he’d parked, he noticed the remaining Tesla had a different interior and wasn’t Mahmoud’s. He called Mahmoud, who was able to track the location of his car — being driven by Randev — on his app. But when he attempted to remotely lock the Tesla from his phone, it failed, he said."

Tesla #1:
So the brother Mohammed was likely driving the car using a Tesla key card because he borrowed it and he still has his phone because he called his brother on it.

Tesla #2
Rajesh Randev of Vancouver told Global News that a stranger’s Tesla was parked next to his and was the same model and color as his own. He used his app to open the car, and reality started sinking in a few miles down the road when Randev noticed the windshield of the Tesla he was driving was cracked.

The solution is Tesla #1 parks and gets out. He doesn't tap the side and lock the car with his key card. So now right after Tesla #2 walking to his car hits unlock on his phone... His car (Tesla 2) does unlock but he just jumped in Tesla #1 and left. If you hit unlock on the app in controls it stays unlocked. So now here comes Tesla #1 driver Mohammed who says let me try my key card on Tesla #2 and wow it opened.... But it was already open ; ) because Tesla 2 opened it then took Tesla 1 that was left open to begin with. He calls the guy that took his brother's car and says hey come back.

Done 👍