How one woman’s Tesla was remotely controlled – and used to harass her – by an abusive ex-partner

“You thought you’d get away with this. I am in your car. I am in your maps,” he shouted at her, according to the police records.

Over the coming days, Stacey found that the parental control profile, to which she had no access, could almost entirely control the car, including its speed, climate control, lock and curfew hours, determining when the car could be driven.

Between 6 and 12 November 2025, Pucci remotely alternated the car’s temperature setting between extremely cold and extremely hot.

“The victim has not been able to drive certain speeds and on most recent occasions throughout this period, [the accused] has turned on ‘Valet Mode’ which immediately reduces the speed to 40km per hour causing significant safety issues for the victim on the road”, the police documents stated.

“The victim has not had any control of her vehicle since she noticed the parental control profile added on the 1st November 2025.

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/09/how-one-womans-tesla-was-remotely-controlled-and-harass-by-her-abusive-ex-partner-ntwnfb

the parental control […] could almost entirely control the car, including its speed

They assume kids in the driver seat who need to be controlled? How weird is that??

Super unnecessary and dystopian. If you‘re a minor with a driving license your parent should either be by your side or you know what you‘re doing since you have a drivers license. If those systems fail you need a better system rather than parental control software in a vehicle.

If you‘re a minor with a driving license your parent should either be by your side or you know what you‘re doing since you have a drivers license.

Are you seriously suggesting that teenagers are just going to do what they’re told? The one thing teenagers are famous for NOT doing. Just because their parents might know they’re out driving, that doesn’t actually prevent teenagers from doing stupid shit.

You also do realize that you don’t have to be 18 to get a driver’s license right? The almost universal standard around the world is between 15 and 16 years old, including in the US where Tesla is based, and Australia where this article is from.

The company introduced Speed Limit Mode following the death of 18-year-olds Barrett Riley and Edgar Monserratt Martinez in 2018. The pair crashed doing 116 mph (186 kph) in a 30 mph (40 kph) zone.

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/ntsb-finds-excessive-speed-caused-fort-lauderdale-tesla-crash-that-killed-2/2166571/

The almost universal standard around the world is between 15 and 16 years old

No. It is 18. The universe, btw, is outside of your weird little province in that weird country where they still use body parts for measurement units.

And as soon someone is driving on public roads with a legal license, everything that the car does or does not is his own personal responsibility, not the parents. They have to leave their fingers out.