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Tesla wants to hackproof the Model S

Apparently, Tesla Motors is abiding by the wise words of Chinese military general Sun Tzu to keep its friends close and its enemies closer. The tech-heavy electric vehicle maker attended the recent Def Con conference in Las Vegas, The Wall Street Journal reports, in order to learn about computer-security advances and to attract hackers. Come and get it. But Tesla's there for good reason. The California-based automaker is looking to hire at least 30 hackers from the conference (which is chock full of hacking competitions), according to the Journal. Kristin Paget, Tesla's self-described "hacker princess," notes that with the automotive industry increasingly relying on networked communications for features ranging from on-board entertainment to parallel-parking controls, automakers are very vulnerable to whims of expert hackers. Tesla has a built-in way to play defense since it already regularly sends out wireless software updates for its Model S sedan. In February, Tesla hired Paget away from Apple Computer to improve its virtual shields. Paget previously worked at Microsoft, specifically with its Vista operating system, before joining Apple in 2012. She once gained notoriety for writing a manual on how to build a fake cell tower that was capable of intercepting mobile-phone calls, so she's got a good eye for these things.

Autoblog Minute: Ludacris talks Acura, Tesla, autonomous cars, and more

GRAMMY award winning artist and actor Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges sits down with Autoblog to talk about flying cars, Tesla and his 1993 Acura Legend. Autoblog's Eddie Sabatini reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute featuring an original interview with Ludacris. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] GRAMMY award winning artist and actor Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges sits down with Autoblog to talk about flying cars, Tesla, and his 1993 Acura Legend. I'm Eddie Sabatini and this is your Autoblog Minute. As Acura prepared for the 2015 SEMA show, the trade show for automotive aftermarket professionals and enthusiasts, they had a chance to take on a unique project: Restoring a damaged 1993 Acura Legend [00:00:30] owned by Ludacris. Autoblog Minute had a chance to sit down with the man himself and discuss why he's held onto this car for so long: [00:01:00] [Ludacris Interview] While we were with him we couldn't resist the chance to ask Ludacris some other questions, like: What does he think of Tesla's Ludicrous mode? [00:01:30] [Ludacris Interview] What does he think of autonomous vehicles? [Ludacris Interview] Does he have a favorite memory from when he first bought his Acura Legend? [00:02:00] [Ludacris Interview] And, if he could have any car today what would it be? [Ludacris Interview] It's always a pleasure to be able to interview a celebrity especially one that's a fellow enthusiast. [00:02:30] For Autoblog, I'm Eddie Sabatini. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals.

Tesla starts real-world beta testing of Model S battery swaps in California [UPDATE]

Despite at least one skeptic calling the Tesla Model S battery swap program the "Hoax of the Year" for 2013, the first real-life beta tests for the long-awaited technology are now available to Model S drivers on the road between San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA. Earlier today, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted, "Pack swap now operating in limited beta mode for SF to LA route. Can swap battery faster than visiting a gas station. Tesla blog out soon." [UPDATE: It's now available here and below.] Looks like that promise he made in October has been kept. Musk says that when you need to fill up your Model S at a Supercharger station with a battery swap station, "The only decision you need to make when you come to one of our Tesla stations is do you prefer faster or free?" We've known almost since we first learned about the Model S that it was designed with battery swapping in mind and, as previewed in June 2013, getting a fully charged battery pack swapped into your Model S from the special robots takes just a few minutes. While a sub-30 minute Supercharger charging session remains free, there is a cost associated with getting a new pack. How much is still undisclosed, officially, but it was previously predicted to be about the same as about 15 gallons of gas. At the time, that was around $60. Further expansion details for new battery swap stations and when the beta tag will be removed have not yet been announced. Battery Swap Pilot Program By The Tesla Motors Team At an event in Los Angeles last year, we showcased battery swap technology to demonstrate that it's possible to replace a Model S battery in less time than it takes to fill a gas tank. This technology allows Model S owners in need of a battery charge the choice of either fast or free. The free long distance travel option is already well covered by our growing Supercharger network, which is now at 312 stations with more than 1,748 Superchargers worldwide. They allow Model S drivers to charge at 400 miles per hour. Now we're starting exploratory work on the fast option. Starting next week, we will pilot a pack swap program with invited Model S owners. They will be given the opportunity to swap their car's battery at a custom-built facility located across the street from the Tesla Superchargers at Harris Ranch, CA. This pilot program is intended to test technology and assess demand.