The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) managed to read and publish secure driving data from Tesla cars. The vehicles store all kinds of information about the operation of the car and its various driver assistance systems, such as speed, steering wheel angle, and the operation of the self-driving systems. This data is a goldmine for traffic accident analysts, Francis Hoogendijk of the NFI said to NOS.
Tesla itself has access to all this data to improve its products or fix bugs. The judiciary can also gain access, but only through a summons, and then only the data asked for is provided. “You can’t request what you don’t know, so it’s useful that we now know what other information is stored,” Hoogendijk said. “We completely analyzed how the registration system works, among other things, by checking the software in detail.”
According to the NFI, the log files clarify the influence of driver assistance systems in the event of accidents. The speed log is also super accurate – deviations were less than 1 kilometer per hour.
The NFI published its findings at a conference for traffic analysts so that the information can also be used abroad.
The Dutch institute could not say whether other car manufacturers also store as much data as Tesla. The NFI hopes that international laws and regulations will be introduced to allow car manufacturers to be more transparent about the information they store.
