Researchers Discover How To Fool Tesla's Autopilot System (cnet.com)

An anonymous reader writes from a report via CNET: Researchers from the University of South Carolina, Zhejiang University and Qihoo 360 have discovered how to fool Tesla's Autopilot sensors, according to a report from Wired. The researchers were able to trick the system into thinking an object didn't exist when it did, and that an object existed when in fact it did not. Therefore, possible security concerns arise as Autopilot could drive incorrectly, potentially putting passengers and others in danger. CNET reports: "Two pieces of radio equipment were used to convince Tesla's radar sensor that a cart was not placed directly in front of it. One of those pieces, a signal generator from Keysight Technologies, costs about $90,000. The group also tricked the car's short-range parking sensors into malfunctioning using about $40 worth of equipment. Wired points out that this was, thankfully, a rather difficult feat. Most of the technological tomfoolery was done on a stationary car. Some of the required equipment was expensive, and it didn't always work. But it brings up an important point -- even though Autopilot is quite capable, there's still no substitute for an attentive human driver, ready to take control at a moment's notice."

Comments

Illusions

[Anonymous Coward]

Because it's so hard to make humans see or not see things.

Re:Illusions

[Guybrush_T]

This actually shows how great autopilot can be, especially if it combines a camera, radar, and other sensors, compared to humans who can be sooo easily defeated.

But in any case, this is just about attacking a car : it is illegal. There are many other (cheap) ways to cause an accident : blow a tire, use light, fumes, oil, ice, or use a missile. If someone wants to attack a car, there are plenty of choices.

Maybe the only difference here is that it may be hard to understand afterwards what happened. The secret services may like that.

Re:Illusions

[halltk1983]

Yeah, like this car that crashed into a painted tunnel scene: https://i.imgur.com/mOTHgnfl.j... People make mistakes. Machines make mistakes, because people made the machines. It's good to improve the machines through testing like this, but let's be honest: the time when the machine is the better driver is fast approaching, especially considering the number of distracted drivers there are on the road.

Re:How about humans?

[hawguy]

If you spent the same resources to fool a human driver, how hard would that be?

Exactly, for far less than $90,000 you can set up a water curtain projection system that would fool any unsuspecting driver. Put one on a highway and show a film of an approaching wrong-way driving semi and let the hilarity commence.

They are already used as hard-to-miss warning signs on some roads: https://youtu.be/Dk9DjO-_rT8

Re:It'd probably slam into a stealth fighter jet t

[im_thatoneguy]

Researchers discover that for $100 they can dig a hole, cover it with a thin layer of asphault and potentially kill a driver.

In other news, researchers also discover that $3 hedge clippers can cut a brake line endangering drivers.

Researchers discover that $10 high powered flash light carefully timed at a blind corner can confuse a human driver's imaging sensors.

Perspective

[HangingChad]

That it takes $90,000 worth of equipment and then always doesn't work right is pretty darn impressive to me. Where I live a good 30 percent of drivers are too old to be behind the wheel and another 10 percent are functional alcoholics. Share the road with south Florida drivers long enough and you'll be begging for autopilot.