Bay Area Tesla owner Ray Chu discovered the flaw while absentmindedly tapping his Pikachu card on the car. The Tesla owner's social media post exposing the issue went viral, raising security concerns. Tesla acknowledged the problem affecting all Model 3, Y, S, and X vehicles since 2012. Kia and Land Rover owners can breathe a little easier - car thieves have a new favorite brand and a new method of stealing cars that requires almost no money or skill.
Chu posted a video of the hack to social media and it was quickly reposted across multiple social networks, causing shockwaves in the Tesla community, the insurance industry, and, of course, at Tesla itself. Video Reddit Surprisingly, Tesla responded to our request for comment, telling us that it was aware of the problem and admitting that it affected every Model 3, Y, S, and X going back to 2012.