Electrek reports Tesla’s Feet Internet Network is Down.
> Tesla’s fleet network connection, which is an increasingly important feature for owners, is currently down fleet-wide.
> Tesla’s network has been down for prolonged periods of times before. Back in 2016, the system was down for almost a full day when owners could get an internet connection, which enables features like remote data, music streaming, traffic data for navigation, and also works with Autopilot.
> The internet connection and access to the Tesla app is also more important for Model 3 owners who often use it as their main way to unlock and start their car.
> During the last internet connection shutdown, Tesla said that Model 3 owners should still be able to use their phone if they stay signed into their Tesla account and don’t restart the app.
> Along with the fleet’s internet connection, Tesla’s website is also down at the moment.
In 2016 Tesla blamed ATT.
It seems to me that using any of these features is more than a bit risky, regardless of who Tesla blames.
Comments on the site indicate you can use the phone, if you’re logged in. If you’re not logged in on the app, then you can’t do anything with the phone. The keycard will work though.
One person reported “I’m connected to Wifi and not work. Unless they solely use ATT for remote access, then something Tesla side causing the issue.”
“A reminder to always also bring your Key Card,” said another.
But “The keycard does not work when the car’s 12V battery fails,” notes a third person.
Extremely Expensive Brick
My favorite comment comes from a TechCrunch report on Tesla’s Major Network Issues.
As noted previously, I am short Tesla via PUTs staggered over the next four months.
Electrek Update
Update 6:52PM ET: the website is slowly getting back up, but the app is still down. While the system is down, Tesla apparently started pushing a new update: Tesla is rolling out extra layer of security with ‘improved cryptography’ and optional ‘PIN to Drive’ feature
Hooray
Update 9:00PM ET: The problem now appears to be fixed.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Most cars unlock by having the key fob in your pocket near the door or you have to press a button on the fob. Is that really too difficult? Instead you have to use your phone? I think most who own Tesla, do it for prestige purposes. People in the know think they’re morons, but I guess the majority don’t know any better.
This article is clear FUD and Mish should be ashamed for misleading his readers. During this Tesla network outage my smartphone was able to lock and unlock my Model 3 just fine, because it uses Bluetooth, not Internet to talk to car. And one is supposed to have the thin Model 3 credit card key in the vallet anyway in case you lose your smartphone or need to drop car at Valley parking or Service center.
BTW, If you would add screen to the key fob, then you would get something that kinda looks like smarthphone. Tesla’s design is way more practical, because:
you don’t need to go to dealer to change the keyfob battery every few years (may cost >$100).
why carry keyfob and smartphone, if you can carry just smartphone that fulfills keyfob functions?
keyfob is not connected to Internet. If there is a security bug then with keyfob you need to go to dealer and reprogram both the car and keyfob. With Tesla it is OTA update for Tesla car and your Smartphone. No inconvenience at all.
And to unlock my car with smartphone I don’t have to take it out of my pocket. It works the same way as keyfob once you approach car. So I don’t see the “prestige purpose”.
And it is not just Tesla thinking about abandoning keyfobs in favor of smartphones –
P.S. There are a lot of Twitter accounts complaining about their imaginary Teslas. Some are genuine, but I believe in this case Mish simply reposted bots. Watch this video – https://twitter.com/K_X_42/status/1028478472115691520. Those are bots posting crap about Tesla.
Who goes to the dealership to replace a battery? I’ve replaced mine several times and a new battery cost maybe $1. Do you take a remote control to an authorized repair shop to replace a battery?
A key fob is much smaller than a smartphone and much easier to use.
What security bugs are you referring to?
With smartphone keys that would be OTA fixable. With keyfob that requires visit to dealer to replace keyfob and reprogram the car computer.
And just because someome can replace dead keyfob battery at home, it does not mean that everyone is doing that.
Hackers owe their careers/crusades to a generation of ignorant technojunkies… Controlling everything from your PC or phone over the internet is like flying a flag outside your front door that says “please rob me”… an unguarded front door protected only by a four digit PIN or no lock at all in some cases…
Locks only keep honest people out…
Weelllll, in this case, the problem mentioned was actually the reverse: I’m so secure noone can drive off in me. Including the owner 🙂
In my experience , this is at least as big an issue as the one of things being too easy to unlock.
Generally, electronic locks/crypto keys, can be made much harder to break than physical ones. Fundamentally so.
And the stock is still $305 a share.
Some people call this “reality”.
LOL….
Maybe Tesla went over on their data plan, like the firefighters on the Verizon network. Or maybe The check to AT&T bounced.
None of my 6 ICE vehicles start with their keys when their 12v battery fails. My last major problem was a bad starter solenoid. Something Tesla does not need with its KISS electric motor. At any rate everything has pros and cons. So what is the point of another shortie cult soap opera article of no meaningful value other than FUD for the naive. Pretty sure most of those are nearly departed.
At least with a dead battery it’s an easy fix that you are able to do yourself – get a jump, recharger or new battery. This problem leaves you totally at the mercy of the car manufacturer.
I didn’t realize these cars had no mechanical key option. That’s just crazy.
Here’s the manual for Tesla “keys”. There are a hundred different ways this can fail:
What happens when the RFID tech gets hacked or becomes easily cloneable? I guarantee it will happen within 5 years. Will there be a recall?
The mechanical key just introduces another attack surface. Mechanical key does not make anything more secure. It merely serves as an easy backup mechanism to unlock the car.
Now if you are concerned that Model 3 RFID card could not be secure, then why aren’t you concerend about BMW wireless immobilizer that can also be hacked[
P.S. I am glad you googled Model 3 user manual. That is the first step in abandoing $TSLAQ horde and joining the mighty $TSLA force. Just keep reading it 😉
Has it become too difficult to carry around a set of physical keys?
Not sure what reality@Mish and the mentioned Twitter accounts are living in.
First of all, Model 3 user manual explicitly states that users should carry around the “credit card key” as a backup lock/unlock mechanism. Not just the smartphone with the Tesla app installed.
Now there could be some users who did not read user manual and are not carrying around the backup “credit card key”. Are they in trouble?
As a test I just went to my Model 3. The car still locks and unlocks normally with my smartphone. I rebooted my smartphone to see if the Tesla App does special authentication over cellular when phone is booted up. It was not able to connect to tesla.com, but the car still locks and unlocks with smartphone just fine.
In short I don’t see how this tesla.com outage makes Tesla an expensive brick.
The only things that dont work at the moment are salon pre-cooling from smartphone and Tesla App is not able to report remaining range (it uses Cellular, not Bluetooth for these features). If lack of these convenience features make tesla an extremly expensive brick, then jaguar I-pace and other cars are bricks by definition because they don’t have these convenience features at all.
I did not try to sign out from my Tesla App on the smartphone because that probably would prevent me from signing in back. But this is something one ought to do only when he buys a new Tesla or a new smarthpone.
P.S. I tested Tesla App on Model 3. Don’t know if Model S/X behaves differently.
Who in their right mind thinks tying critical systems for your car to an always-on internet connection or a wifi phone app was a good idea? You sound ridiculous with those excuses.
Tesla’s don’t have a damned key? Why? THAT’S a workable backup, not a proximity card that’s still susceptible to myriad problems.
You clearly did not read my comment.
CRITICAL FEATURES WORK AS EXPECTED DESPITE TESLA NETWORK BEING DOWN. ONLY CONVENIENCE FEATURES ARE IMPACTED AT THE MOMENT.
Other cars don’t even have those convenience features. So it is wrong to claim that all Teslas just became expensive bricks.
Convenience features such as unlocking the fucking doors and starting the car? Forums are full of people stranded right now! I suppose they can stand next to their unusable Tesla’s so they can be seen – the real reason they probably bought them in the first place.
But its their fault, I’m sure. Typical Musk Cultist.
These cars are officially worthless on the secondary market 10 years from now. Do you expect this network to exist 10-20 years from now with the velocity of today’s technology?
You still don’t know how to read. I will say it one more time.
DESPITE TESLA NETWORK BEING DOWN I AM STILL ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK MY CAR WITH SMARTPHONE. EVEN AFTER REBOOTING MY PHONE.
AND TESLA MODEL 3 DOES HAVE A “CREDIT CARD KEY” THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS –
I USED IT EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE FIRST WEEK AFTER GETTING MY CAR. THEN I SWITCHED TO SMARTPHONE, BUT AS PER USER MANUAL I AM STILL CARRYING THAT CREDIT CARD KEY IN MY VALLET.
Why isn’t there a simple mechanical key? Is that asking too much for a $60k-$80k car? Unbelievable.
Please take out a mortgage and put it all in TSLA stock.
Ok, it seems that you finally agreed with the fact that I can still unlock, drive and lock my Model 3 despite Tesla Network being down. That was my point.
Now you switched discussion to a new topic. I will leave it up to you to decide what is more secure:
OR
BTW Volvo is considering to abandon physical keys too. Haven’t followed if they already did it.
What is you issue with shorties and logic? Teslas have a physical key card! Have you ever stayed at a nicer hotel? I am not getting the massive difference other than Tesla has additional features like a phone app. Tesla gives you cake and you can eat it too.
Last time, Tesla blamed AT&T. You can count on them to always blame someone else. I assume you use a lot of data if you remain “always connected.“