Tesla's Data Storage System Hacked By Investigators

A Dutch forensic team has hacked Tesla's storage system, providing access to a wealth of information that can be useful in investigating incidents. While the researchers provide autopilot for more than just an accident, the researchers found that Tesla vehicles store much more detailed data than was previously known, including speed, accelerator pedal position, steering angle, and brake use. Some of this data can be stored for up to a year, the researchers said.

The researchers were investigating an accident in which a Tesla suddenly stopped on a used autopilot in the back of another vehicle. Instead of looking for data from Tesla, Dutch investigators decided to "reverse engineer" the company's magazine data to "objectively" evaluate it. “This data represents a wealth of information for forensic and traffic analysts,” said Francis Hoendaic, digital researcher at NFI.

Tesla encrypts data to protect it from competing manufacturers. In the event of an accident, Tesla owners can request their data from the company, including camera footage. Tesla also uses an autopilot known as "shadow mode", which allows companies to collect false positive and false negative statistics. In shadow mode, the vehicle takes no action and records when to take action. 

This allows the company's engineering team to ensure that the offline mode can prevent accidents in the event of an accident. The Dutch team said it would be useful to have more extensive data than Tesla vehicles, especially as the vehicles are becoming more like other digital products that can log and store sensitive information.