If you can hack into Tesla’s computer system, the company will give you a free Model 3

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If you’re a cybersecurity researcher and can expose a flaw in any of Tesla’s vehicle’s computer systems, the company will give you a free Model 3.

This was recently announced at a recent computer hacking contest called Pwn2Own where contestants are challenged to exploit widely used software and mobile devices with previously unknown vulnerabilities. Tesla was the only automaker at the event, and it was the first time an automotive category was included at the show.

According to Bloomberg,  David Lau, Tesla’s vice president of vehicle software, notes that “we [Tesla] develop our cars with the highest standards of safety in every respect, and our work with the security research community is invaluable to us.”

This isn’t the first bug bounty from the company

However, this isn’t the first time Tesla has introduced a bug bounty program. Its original program was launched back in 2014, but rewards only ranged from $25 to $1,0000. One recent prize was as high as $15,000, but it all just depends on what a hacker uncovers.

The bug bounty program works. One Chinese software company called Keen found a scary vulnerability that allowed any outside party to activate a car’s brake system remotely. According to Tesla’s website, this awarded Keen a spot in Tesla’s “security researcher hall of fame” in 2016 and 2017.

Lau goes on to tell electric car blog, Electrek:

Since launching our bug bounty program in 2014 – the first to include a connected consumer vehicle – we have continuously increased our investments into partnerships with security researchers to ensure that all Tesla owners constantly benefit from the brightest minds in the community.

We look forward to learning about, and rewarding, great work in Pwn2Own so that we can continue to improve our products and our approach to designing inherently secure systems.

So here it is, a call to arms: If you’re a cybersecurity researcher who thinks they can hack Tesla’s computer system, get on it because a free Model 3 has your name all over it.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com.