Chinese Tesla drivers have found a goofy work‑around for the Autopilot driver‑monitoring system.
The trick involves positioning miniature doll heads, printed photos, or a small screen that flashes on and off where the cabin camera expects to see a human face. The camera then records a “present” driver and lets Autopilot stay engaged, even though the real driver is elsewhere in the car.
If the hack spreads, it could undermine the safety net that driver‑monitoring cameras are meant to provide. Regulators and Tesla may have to tighten detection algorithms or add secondary checks, which could delay feature rollouts.
For now, the fix is as simple as a piece of plastic, but the episode highlights how easily visual‑based safety systems can be spoofed.