I had to unlock a Tesla remotely using my app. I’ve also used my app to prewarm the Tesla and it occurred to me that the distance was way too far for bluetooth and it can’t be wifi either. So how is it that I can use my app to communicate with the Tesla from remote locations?
The Tesla is online. I can open my garage door from anywhere I have Internet Access, the Tesla is far more sophisticated. So many smart devices fall into this category now.
But how is it online all of the time? I know it is not using wifi to access the web.
Huh? I asked Google “Do Teslas use wifi?” and this was the #1 link:
Cars are generally online now. My 2015 Toyota is even online enough for its navigation tool to work.
Cellular connection. Even my Subaru offers that. With a monthly fee, you can get a cellular WiFi hotpoint in your car.
My car uses radio waves. I don’t know about Teslas in particular, but they can receive a signal without being actively “online.”
Didn’t even think of that.
From that link above, Tesla gives you get a free trial of “Premium Connectivity” (cellular) then you have to pay for it.
Hardware-wise, Tesla cars come with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular modems. Some older Teslas actually lost cellular connectivity when carriers started shutting down 3G networks, requiring a hardware upgrade for LTE connectivity.
Tesla’s model is to pack absolutely everything they can into the car, and then (remotely) turn off all the things you aren’t paying for, but keeping remote access going so they can administer the machine remotely. That way, they can, for example, change your default maximum driving range in case of power grid failures hurricanes. They’ve changed a bunch of things on the fly, mostly without telling people.
Bluetooth can, in limited circumstances, have a range of up to 100m (indoors)
I did some research for an art project and purchased a super-strong receiver. I did not get the chance to fully test it because funding was not available.
Which should freak you and everyone in the tech community right the fuck out.
As for Tesla:
Welcome to the “Internet of [Vulnerable] Things” (IoT). Welcome to the Future.
Stranger
Yes - Teslas have regular cellular and “premium connectivity” which allows other high-volume cellular connectivity you must pay for (like streaming video and music). Regular connectivity updates your app and sends to Tesla’s computers with data regularly, so they can monitor if necessary for problems, gather statistics on driving issues, plus allows remote operation of the car - turn on climate, open doors or trunk, etc. Premium allows for more data-intensive updates. Theoretically they do software updates over wifi when the car is parked near a known network (one you’ve connected to, same as with your phone) but I’ve noticed a few recent updates have happened while at a hotel and while visiting relatives.
(I think, for example, if you are using the autopilot and it encounters an unusual situation and gives up control, they can get a high-level report as to what confused the software - this allows them to better fine-tun the process. Like many other hardware tech companies, Apple and Samsung etc., they state they do not collect individual personal data. )
Obviously it also does bluetooth for things like phone call connectivity, making the car a hands-free device for your phone, or playing music from your phone.
I haven’t enabled premium - apparently you can do so by the month. It might be useful for long trips, but around town I don’t need the streaming services. Local media and what I get from my phone are enough.
There’s the suggestion that any auto with a key fob can be stolen from your driveway or if parked near a restaurant you are in, by thieves using a blue-tooth amplifier within a few dozen yards to pick up the key’s signals and relay them. Teslas are a bit more complex - they also have a PIN option you can turn on, to limit what can be done with the car - i.e. you can’t add another key/phone without the PIN, and there’s PIN-to-drive. You can remotely limit speed or acceleration with the app (valet or teenager mode).