Hacker finds secret 'Elon Mode' for hands-free driving in Tesla vehicles

A Tesla software hacker discovered a secret feature called "Elon Mode," which could be Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla's own supersecret driver mode. This enables hands-free automobile driving

Elon Mode
Hacker finds secret ‘Elon Mode’ for hands-free driving in Tesla vehicles
Sonika Nitin Nimje New Delhi
3 min read Last Updated : Jun 22 2023 | 12:31 PM IST
Regarding Tesla vehicles, Elon Musk, CEO of the company appears to have a hidden advantage. A skilled Tesla software hacker, calling himself "greentheonly," has recently discovered a secret feature known as 'Elon Mode'. The hacker provided preliminary footage of the system in use to confirm that this elusive mode permits hands-free driving. "Greentheonly" confirms the existence and functionality of "Elon Mode," despite the fact that its specific settings were not made public.

Greentheonly has been looking into Tesla's vehicle code for years and has found interesting things like the fact that Tesla can restrict access to power seats and the centre camera in the Model 3 before they are actually activated. Elon Mode was discovered and enabled by this hacker in its most recent utilisation.


Elon Mode: Discovery

A software hacker, known online as @greentheonly, discovered a hidden feature called "Elon Mode," raising curiosity that Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have his own secret driver mode. A report says that the hacker went out to test the system and posted some rough footage of how it was actually used.

The hacker discovered that Tesla's Full Self-Driving software, the company's vision-based advanced driver-assist system that is currently in beta, will not require drivers to monitor their vehicles when using the feature. Owners who frequently experience "nagging" due to the system's frequent checks will benefit from the newly acquired feature.

Autopilot System, Tesla's first-generation highway driver assistance system needs a particular driver to nudge the steering wheel to verify their attentiveness while in use. Because they are frequently nudged, FSD users must also use sufficient force. However, this might accidentally turn off the entire system. 


Elon Mode: Exclusive

"Greentheonly" clarified that because they were unable to test it on a vehicle other than a Tesla, the test for Elon Mode was carried out in a vehicle owned by the company. "Unless you work at Tesla, or otherwise have access to relevant databases at the company, there’s no way to tell how many cars have ‘Elon Mode’ accessible at the moment," the hacker is reported to have said in an online chat. The hacker's video suggests that the test was conducted with an early Model X. 

Nagging was not detected during the hacker's 600-mile Elon Mode testing. Additionally, the system continues to appear to switch lanes at random, resulting in slow highway driving. There is no confirmation from the company regarding whether regular owners will have access to this version.

Musk hinted in December that a nag-free driving model would soon be available. When asked for an update on this several months after that tweet, Musk responded that the company is gradually reducing it in proportion to the much-improved safety of the vehicle and its drivers. 


*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :Elon Musk TeslaTesla autopilotTesla Elon Musk

First Published: Jun 22 2023 | 12:31 PM IST

Next Story