Tesla Tricked into Traveling 50 MPH Over the Speed Limit

Even though the newer Tesla models are not affected by the vulnerability, there is still a lot to learn form this research. To start, Tesla should not rely on the camera system to determine speed. It is still possible for someone to completely turn the “3” into an “8” and trick the system into reading the sign as 85 MPH, regardless of how good it is. They should use a variety of technology including GPS mapping systems to complement the camera systems. Cameras will be useful in reacting to modified construction signs where the speed limit is temporarily set slower. However, this can still be used by an adversary placing fake construction signs, causing autonomous vehicles to slow drastically for no reason.

Second, there are reports of Teslas on autopilot that move toward medians, in one report the car ran straight into a barrier. Analyzing the imaging system in a similar way to this research may provide insight into why the car behaves a certain way.

Lastly, as more devices become “smart”, it is important to look at different types of attack vectors. An attack so simple as to changing the numbers on a traffic sign could produce devastating effects of overlooked. Due to the constant watch for reasons not to trust self-driving cars, companies like Tesla should consider every possible vulnerability, even from simple attacks like modifying a traffic sign.