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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteShort answer: A Raspberry Pi was one component in a specialist 2020 proof of concept against the Tesla Model X passive-entry key fob. The researchers exploited an inadequately secured Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) firmware-update mechanism, first obtaining valid unlock messages and then carrying out additional vehicle-specific steps. A Raspberry Pi alone could not unlock or drive a Tesla, and the demonstration did not establish how often this could happen in the wild.
What was actually hacked?
The affected component was the Model X key fob and its BLE interface—not the Raspberry Pi and not a general Tesla control system. Researchers from KU Leuven’s COSIC group—Lennert Wouters, Benedikt Gierlichs and Bart Preneel—reported the work in 2020. Computer Weekly’s account was published on 24 November 2020.
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The weakness was an inadequately protected remote software-update mechanism on the fob’s BLE chip. Once the researchers made a nearby fob advertise as a connectable BLE device, they could remotely rewrite its software and take control of it.
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How the proof of concept worked
1. A modified vehicle ECU prompted the fob
The team used a salvaged Model X engine-control unit modified for the experiment. Wouters told Computer Weekly that it could wirelessly force nearby key fobs to advertise as connectable BLE devices. The report gives an operating distance of about 5 metres.
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2. The fob’s update process was compromised
With the fob exposed as a connectable BLE device, the researchers reached its remotely accessible update mechanism. Because that mechanism was not properly secured, they could install their own software and obtain valid messages used to unlock the car.
Wouters described the result as taking “full control” of the fob and then obtaining valid unlock messages. That statement is attributed to Wouters as quoted by Alex Scroxton in Computer Weekly’s 24 November 2020 report.
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3. Unlocking was not the same as driving away
The published scenario separates unlocking from starting the vehicle. To proceed beyond unlocking, the researchers also described gaining physical access to the vehicle’s onboard diagnostic connector and pairing a modified fob. Those additional requirements matter: the demonstration was not simply a person standing five metres away with a Pi and immediately driving off.
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Where the Raspberry Pi fits
The Raspberry Pi was one item in a larger laboratory setup that included a modified key fob, a salvaged Model X ECU and other electronics. The report does not identify the Pi model. It therefore should be understood as a general single-board computer used within a custom hardware-and-software system, not as a consumer attack kit.
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Calling this “a Tesla hack with a Raspberry Pi” is shorthand for the equipment used in the proof of concept. It does not mean that installing an app on any Raspberry Pi gives access to Tesla vehicles.
Figures reported for the 2020 demonstration
| Measure | Reported result | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Tesla Model X passive-entry BLE key fob | Historical 2020 research, not every Tesla model |
| Proximity to prompt a fob | About 5 metres | Computer Weekly’s description of the proof of concept |
| Fob-compromise time | About 90 seconds | Reported for this demonstration, not a general theft statistic |
| Component cost | $195 (£144/€162) | Total proof-of-concept components as reported by Computer Weekly in 2020 |
| Vehicle price context | $100,000 (£82,000/€83,500) | Model X price quoted in that 2020 story; not a current price |
These numbers describe the published laboratory demonstration. They do not show that all Model X vehicles, all Tesla key fobs or all attacks can be compromised at the same distance, cost or speed.
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Tesla’s response
Computer Weekly reported that Tesla issued an over-the-air software patch after the researchers notified the company. The available account does not establish the present software status of every Model X in service, so the 2020 result should not be treated as a current fleet-wide vulnerability claim.
Erich Kron, identified by Computer Weekly as a security-awareness advocate at KnowBe4, praised Tesla’s rapid fix and the researchers’ decision to notify the company before public release. That comment is also attributed to Kron through Scroxton’s 24 November 2020 report.
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Why this is often confused with a Model S story
KU Leuven researchers had also discussed Tesla Model S key-fob security in a 2018 Raspberry Pi editorial. That was a separate result involving cryptographic weaknesses and different radio/computing equipment. The 2020 Model X incident concerns BLE advertising and remote rewriting of fob firmware. Shared researchers and the presence of a Raspberry Pi do not make the two exploits one attack.
Can a Raspberry Pi hack a Tesla?
Not by itself. In this case, the Pi was a building block in a purpose-built setup that depended on a vulnerable Model X fob, a modified ECU, custom firmware and additional physical access to the vehicle’s diagnostic connector. The published work demonstrates a historical design flaw, not a plug-and-play method for stealing Teslas.
What responsible testing looks like today
Tesla’s current product-security guidance says researchers may request pre-approval and registration of research vehicles. It asks researchers to:
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Work only on vehicles they own or are explicitly authorized to test.
- Avoid privacy violations, damage, service interruption and other harm.
- Report vehicle and energy-product vulnerabilities through Tesla’s designated security channel.
- Allow reasonable time for Tesla to investigate and correct a flaw before public disclosure.
Those are present-day policy conditions. They should not be read as proof that the 2020 team followed wording that may not have existed at the time.
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