100 Gigabytes of Tesla data were supplied to the German publication Handelsblatt, revealing manufacturing secrets, private information, and hundreds of complaints about the autopilot, including problems with acceleration, braking, and more.
A report describing the leak was published by Handelsblatt. The report allows for a significant leak into Tesla that would not have otherwise occurred. First off, Tesla’s cybersecurity is obviously deficient since both its own and its customers’ data were not protected.
The report’s material was likewise quite revealing. A large portion of the leak’s key topics were already well-known problems, such as phantom braking and acceleration problems with its autopilot capability. The study revealed the scope of these problems, though, and it also contained a ton of additional private information.
Over 100,000 present and past Tesla workers were named in the leak. It also contained additional sensitive personal data, like private email addresses, phone numbers, and even incomes.
Surprisingly, it also listed Elon Musk’s own Social Security number.
What’s In the Leaked Tesla Data?
According to the Handelsblatt investigation, the leak contained 2,400 complaints citing issues with rapid, unwanted acceleration. Over 1,500 complaints about brake issues, including 139 instances of phantom braking and 383 instances of phantom stops, were made about the leak as well.
Since The Washington Post published a critical article describing the problem, the phantom brake issue with Tesla was already well-known. Not just Tesla has had issues of this nature.
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration inquiry was launched after more than 100 instances of phantom acceleration involving Toyota automobiles were reported in and around 2010.
If this leak is true, then Tesla’s braking issues appear to be a significant concern with the vehicle. Over 1,000 accidents have been attributed to these braking issues, continues Handelsblatt.
What Does the Tesla Data Breach Mean For The Automaker?
The leak appears to have more negative effects for the business than merely a bad image. It may cause it problems with data protection authorities, particularly in Europe. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), according to Handelsblatt, would be broken by the leak.
Tesla must be proven to have a leak before any penalties are assessed.
Tesla may be subject to record penalties if the European Data Protection Board, the entity in charge of monitoring and enforcing the GDPR, determines that the leak was real.
The highest penalties permitted by the GDPR are 4% of a company’s yearly sales, which for Tesla could imply a staggering $3.5 billion fine. The EU Data Protection Board also has no qualms about levying hefty fines.
In May, the board hit Meta with a painful (and record-breaking) $1.3 billion punishment.
Officers in charge of data protection were astounded at the severity of the occurrence. The data protection officer for Brandenburg, where Tesla operates a manufacturing, Dagmar Hartge, remarked, « I can’t remember such a scale. »
Tesla’s price hasn’t changed much since the leak was reported, but investors may be waiting to see if the information is accurate.
