$10,000 to the First Person Able to Hack a Tesla
On July 16-17, a Beijing enterprise will organize a challenge for computer geeks: hack a Tesla Model S, and you will win $10,000!
During the SyScan convention in Beijing, taking place next week, a Tesla Model S will be placed on display, and computer terminals will be provided for contestants to try their skills at hacking. While the officials are vague on the hardware provided and the official rules, they do mention the expected results: total control of the Model S via a PC, downloading of the car owner's personal information, or the installation of a virus onto the vehicle's computer... The possibilities are endless, and, frankly, a little scary.
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Tesla is not sponsoring this event, and does not endorse the hacking of their vehicles. However, they are very curious to see the results of this competition, since it will help them enhance the security of their firmware.
It would not be the first time hackers have found a way to control a car by tampering with its computers. Last year, DARPA researchers hacked a Ford and a Toyota: they could operate the brakes and steer the vehicles remotely.