Hacker finds Tesla's secret 'Elon Mode'
Published on Jun 21, 2023 at 2:39 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jun 26, 2023 at 12:36 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
A white hat hacker known as ‘Green’ has discovered a quirky Easter Egg hidden in the Tesla software.
In short, Tesla’s latest self-driving upgrade is called ‘God Mode’, but it is known internally as ‘Elon Mode’.
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Green’s job was made easier by the fact that Tesla’s software is mostly open-source, meaning anyone can access the code and explore it.
Provided they know how to code, that is.
We don’t, but we’re not surprised to find out that Elon Musk decided to codename ‘God Mode’ as Elon Mode.
Musk certainly has a unique sense of humor.
The Tesla CEO often cracks ‘dad jokes’ and he doesn’t shy away from using his sarcasm on any available occasion.
In a recent YouTube interview, Musk was quoted saying: “If I’m so smart, then why did I pay so much for Twitter?”
So what exactly is Elon / God Mode?
Green was able to test Tesla’s Full Self-Driving’s ‘God Mode’ over a 600-mile trip and he shared his findings to Twitter.
In God Mode, the forward collision warning is triggered more often, but the number of ‘nags’ is reduced.
Using Tesla jargon, a ‘nag’ is when the car tells you to focus and keep your hands on the steering wheel, even in self-driving mode.
Green says he was able to put together “two hours of nagless video footage”, which implies the car drove itself completely for two hours, without ever requiring the driver to be alert.
This feature is still in beta, so we can expect some tweaks and changes here and there.
Further, Tesla’s self-driving mode is only available in Level 2 for now, meaning a driver is still needed.
With Level 3, something Tesla has been working on for a while, we’d get closer to full self-driving mode.
In theory, this means you’d be able to set off from point A and reach B almost without touching the pedal and steering wheel.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
