She Thought Her Tesla Was Acting Strange. ‘I’m in Your Car’: Man Used a Tesla App to Harass His Ex

A man in Australia was convicted in a domestic violence case after using the Tesla app to remotely control his former partner’s car.

According to court records, the woman first heard her car’s alarm go off several times during the night. She found no visible damage the next morning, but noticed that the vehicle’s electronic display had been reset and that a parental-control profile had appeared in the system—one she could not access.

It later emerged that her former partner had retained access to the Tesla through the app.

Police said the man remotely changed the cabin temperature from extremely cold to extremely hot, locked the vehicle, and set specific hours when it could be used.

On some occasions, he activated Valet Mode, which reduced the Tesla’s top speed to 25 mph. Police said the restriction created serious risks while the vehicle was being driven.

The man also allegedly tried several times to remotely disconnect the vehicle from its charger.

In one incident, police said he followed the woman in a car and shouted: “Я в твоей машине. Я в твоих картах”.

How He Got Access

The woman bought the Tesla while the two were still in a relationship. She said she had difficulty understanding the car’s technology, so her partner offered to help.

To allow him to manage the vehicle through the Tesla app, the car was registered in a way that gave him access to its functions. That access remained after the couple broke up.

Investigators concluded that remotely controlling the Tesla was part of a broader pattern of control and stalking.

What the Court Decided

The man was convicted on 30 domestic violence-related offenses. They included stalking, assaults, strangulation, threats, and using communication services to harass the woman.

The court sentenced him to two years and three months in prison. He will have to serve at least 15 months before becoming eligible for possible parole.

The judge said that over several years, the man had used different methods to pressure and dominate his former partner, with control of her vehicle through the app becoming one of those tools.