Tesla Model 3 driven by the wrong owner

[rpiotro]

After a lifetime of driving I have three wrong car examples.

Once we had a rental. My wife and I hopped into an unlocked car. Correct model and color. It just didn’t feel right. After perhaps 20 seconds we realized it was not our car.

My wife and I both had Mazdas. I was driving mine but had her keys with me. I double parked unlocked and when I got back I used her keys to try to start. They inserted fine but would not turn. Cars were now waiting behind me. Very stressful. It took about a minute to sort out.

We now drive a blue model 3 with roof racks. We keep the roof racks on to make it easier to recognize the car. One day there was a blue model 3 with roof racks parked next to us. There are a lot of Teslas in our neighborhood.

You don't know what your license plate looks like? After grabbing the door handle on the wrong car I always look at mine. It's right there as I approach.

 

[LadyOnikara]

I'm glad I got a red one as in my part of the world it feels like 80% are white.

Yep! That's why ours has the bumper stickers and window decals. Not too many white ones in the supercharger group we visit frequently though.

 

[enemji]

My wheels are different enough with a red center hub decal

 

[MikeyC]

Bottom line is that I think the implication here is that your phone key can unlock the wrong car. Safe to say that didn't happen. If someone forgets and leaves their phone in their car and has not set up PIN to drive, anyone can get in and drive off. Doesn't mean people are walking around able to unlock the wrong car.

Even with the phone-left-in-car scenario, a lot has to align for you to not notice it isn't your Tesla. You have to be roughly the same height as the real owner, listen to the same music station (or no music), have the mirrors and steering wheel adjusted the same way, screen layout and options the same, etc.

Mike

 

[zoomer0056]

Best a

If someone forgets and leaves their phone in their car

Best and oldest advice for any car, ICE or EV: don't leave key in car.