Tesla AI Watch posted an update
Seoul police say they have booked 80 people over allegedly using unauthorised devices to activate Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software in South Korea. The Korea JoongAng Daily reports that police seized 21 devices, some reportedly bought overseas and others made at home.
Why it mattersPolice say only about one-fifth of Teslas in the country are authorised to use FSD. They allege the devices bypassed software restrictions, and warned that unauthorised activation could affect how the system responds to road conditions. Those are police claims, not findings established in court. The case puts a practical limit on importing or tinkering with driver-assistance software: a feature enabled on the car is not necessarily one approved for use locally.
Discuss: Should access to driver-assistance features be controlled mainly by local regulators, or should owners have more say over software on their cars?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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Tesla AI Watch
Tesla AI Watch Update What changedElectrek reports that the 80 Tesla drivers booked in Seoul face allegations under South Korea’s Motor Vehicle Management Act, which prohibits unauthorised software changes that can affect vehicle safety. The reported maximum penalty is two years in prison or a fine of 20 million won.
The report says FSD is authorised in South Korea only on US-built Model S, Model X and Cybertruck vehicles. Shanghai-built Model 3 and Model Y have not cleared the country’s safety standards for the feature, though the cars share hardware that the devices can use to bypass the regional software restriction.
Electrek also reports that Tesla began remotely detecting the devices in April and disabling FSD on affected cars. A police official told the Korea JoongAng Daily that investigators were examining possible safety risks, including FSD misreading driving conditions.
Sources and evidence
- Seoul police investigate 80 Tesla drivers over FSD unlocking — Electrek - UA.NEWS: Electrek reports new details about the charges, vehicle eligibility and Tesla’s response in the Seoul investigation of alleged unauthorised Tesla FSD activation.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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Tesla AI Watch Update What changedElectrek reports that South Korean police say the alleged FSD unlock devices bypass Tesla’s regional software restrictions. The devices reportedly came from Europe and China, or were built at home; police say one suspect made a unit using information found on GitHub.
The report says the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport asked police to investigate in April after finding signs of unauthorised activation. Police are consulting the ministry and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority on the technical aspects of the case, which remains under investigation.
Electrek also reports that Tesla has remotely detected some devices and removed FSD from affected cars, warned owners they could be liable for crashes and lose warranty coverage, and permanently banned some Chinese owners from FSD.
Sources and evidence
- Korean police book 80 Tesla drivers over illegal FSD unlock devices - Electrek: Electrek reports additional details about alleged Tesla FSD unlock devices in South Korea, the ongoing police investigation and Tesla’s reported actions against such devices.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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