What's Happening?
A significant number of Tesla owners in Korea are attempting to illegally activate the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature on their vehicles. This comes as a result of restrictions that limit the use of FSD to Tesla models manufactured in the United States.
According to data from Rep. Park Yong-gap of the Democratic Party of Korea, 85 cases of unauthorized FSD activation attempts have been recorded. The current regulations allow FSD only in US-built Tesla models, such as the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck, which are exempt from certain local certification requirements under the Korea-US free trade agreement. In contrast, Tesla models built in China, which make up over 90% of Tesla sales in Korea, are not eligible for the FSD feature. Despite these restrictions, some owners have tried to enable FSD using unofficial devices or modified source code, exploiting the shared hardware architecture between US- and China-built models.
Why It's Important?
The illegal activation of Tesla's FSD feature in Korea highlights the challenges faced by automakers and regulators in managing software-based vehicle features. This issue underscores the pricing gap between US-built and China-built Tesla models, with the former being significantly more expensive. The unauthorized activation attempts reflect a broader trend where consumers seek to bypass costs associated with premium features. This situation poses a regulatory challenge, as the Automobile Management Act prohibits unauthorized software modifications that could impact vehicle safety. The enforcement of these regulations is complicated by privacy laws that limit access to vehicle data, making it difficult to identify violations. The growing sophistication of software manipulation in vehicles calls for legislative measures to address these challenges effectively.
What's Next?
The Korean Land Ministry has referred cases of unauthorized FSD activation to the police, while Tesla Korea has issued software updates to block such access. However, these measures have shown limited effectiveness. As the adoption of electric and autonomous vehicles continues to expand, the likelihood of software manipulation attempts is expected to increase. This situation necessitates institutional reforms to enhance the regulatory framework governing vehicle software. Legislative measures may be introduced to address the complexities of software manipulation and ensure the safety and integrity of autonomous vehicle features.
