Tesla to implement a key security feature ‘soon’

Tesla’s mobile app is one of the key parts of the Tesla ownership experience, and yet its security is lacking an important feature — two-factor authentication. 

According to CEO Elon Musk, this will change in the near future. 

When asked on Twitter whether there are any updates regarding two-factor authentication for the app, Musk said it’s “coming soon” (via Teslarati). 

Two-factor authentication is an important security feature that makes it harder for someone to access your data without authorization. Should Tesla implement it for its app, it would require an additional piece of info (besides the user name and password) for the app to launch, such as a code sent via a text message or a Face ID scan. 

Major services such as Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter all offer two-factor authentication in one form or another. 

For Tesla’s mobile app, this is crucial, as the app controls various aspects of the car, including locking and unlocking it, locating it, summoning it out of the garage etc. Currently, the app is protected by a Tesla account user name and password. 

In the same thread, Musk also answered a couple of questions on other Tesla features. For example, he said the company’s considering implementing an ultra-quite “baby mode” — perhaps as a variant of Joe Mode, which reduces chime volume to minimize disruption for passengers in the rear seats. Another suggestion is to add a volume slider to Joe Mode, to which Musk answered “yes.”

Tesla’s mobile app is available for iPhone and Android.