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Tesla Model S owners hack their cars, find Ubuntu

There are interesting subsets within the group of people that composes Tesla Model S owners. They include celebrities, Drudge Report-reading conservatives, and, more relevant to this post, tech-savvy geeks. Now, give that last bunch an electric car with an easily-exposed Ethernet connecter and they will try to plug into it and snoop around. Don't believe us? Well, several have already admitted to giving it a try on this thread over at the Tesla Motors Club forum. After wiring into the car's communications system, forum user "nlc" was able to find a number of ports and tap into the data flowing to the center console and navigation screens. Others soon joined in the fun and amongst the slightly esoteric bits of information the "hackers" eventually discovered was that the sub-system runs on a version of Ubuntu operating system, which is a Linux variant. While one person did manage to use the discoveries to get Firefox to display on the center console touchscreen (sideways), it doesn't seem likely anyone will be able to do more invasive things with the Ethernet entry point like, for example, transform an early 40-kWh Model S into a 60-kWh version (you can't hack extra batteries). For those who want to customize the big 17-inch display, or at least get it to play video, it seems they'll be better off waiting until Tesla is ready to release the software development kit (SDK) it has promised for third-party app builders. For its part, the California automaker isn't particularly thrilled to have its customers digging beneath the dash. Through its service center, it has already contacted the original Ethernet exploiter to let him know they were aware of his actions and that such activity could lead to a voiding of the warranty. Indeed, the Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement (MVPA) which buyers sign does contain a clause which reads, in part, You may not, or may not attempt to, reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, tamper with or engage in any similar activity in respect of a Tesla Vehicle, nor may you permit any third party to do so, save only to the extent permitted by applicable law. It could be argued that this light-handed geekery doesn't quite measure up to the legal extent permitted, but we know if we owned a car that costs as much as $100,000, we wouldn't be risking it. Not when there are salvage-titled cars out there on which to practice the black arts.

Elon Musk likens NJ vote to mafia tactics

When the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission decided on Tuesday to block Tesla Motors from selling cars from its stores in the Garden State, it may have inadvertently kicked a hornet's nest. Perhaps they thought no one was looking. Maybe they imagined no one would really care. If so, they were wrong. People do care, and there's some stinging criticism going on. One individual in particular cares an awful lot. As co-founder and CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk takes extreme umbrage when his baby is subject to what he feels is unfair treatment. Whether it be from the media or from politically-manipulative foes like automobile dealer's associations. Never one to hold back, the entrepreneur has penned a piece directly to the people of New Jersey, making his case for manufacturer-to-consumer sales. It also explains how the company will operate there as of April 1st when the new rules take effect. He also pointedly questions the dealers association's reasoning for asking for the change. And we quote, The rationale given for the regulation change that requires auto companies to sell through dealers is that it ensures "consumer protection". If you believe this, Gov. Christie has a bridge closure he wants to sell you! Unless they are referring to the mafia version of "protection", this is obviously untrue. The uproar is not limited to Tesla insiders, or even the automaker's many fans. Apparently, people still care whether or not their government reeks of corruption, and in this case the smell wafting from New Jersey has attracted a lot of people's attention. A White House petition asking the Obama administration to "Inform New Jersey that markets should be free for Tesla Motors and for everyone" has attracted the attention of over 97,000 signatures 2,615 signatures in a few short days. The petition, though not legally binding, and the outrage in comments following articles on the issue ought to be a warning bell to politicians who trumpet the importance of the free market (or environmental concerns, as the case may be), and then act seemingly contrary to those convictions. For now, Tesla is said to be mulling a legal remedy, but we would not be surprised to see a Political Action Committee (PAC) arise in the future that could take the company's concerns directly to voters. You can read Musk's letter, "To the People of New Jersey" here. If you're so inclined, you can add your name to the petition here. As always, feel free to let us know your take in the Comments.

Tesla not talking about odd Model S prototype spotted in CA [w/video]

It's not a UFO, but this UDO (unidentified driving object) is causing almost as much of a stir on Reddit, Tesla Motors Club and other sites as a visit from Sanyassan marauders. It's tough to see in the video still above, but what we're looking at here is a Tesla Model S with a big ole something on top. That something (and you can see it a bit better in the video below or get a better view in a daylight picture over on Teslarati or even more at TMC) makes the car a mystery. Speculation is basically centered in three camps: either it's a weight thing, to allow for Tesla to test out the all-wheel drive system that is coming in the Model X and also to the Model S; or maybe it's test equipment for autonomous drive experiments. The third likely guess is that the blocky item is simply meant to simulate the weight and drag of a Model X and allow Tesla engineers the chance to test the suspension and handling of the upcoming falcon-winged crossover. Officially, there's no clarification on what, exactly, we're looking at. We've asked Tesla for a comment (and we're not the only ones), but have not heard anything back. If we do, we will of course let you know. Until then, we'll join Teslarati in calling this the Model S/X and wait to see what information others can scrape together. What's your guess? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. )