Researchers hack Tesla's infotainment system to unlock paid features like FSD and heated seats

TechCrunch Newsletter

By Christine Hall Thursday, August 03, 2023

Today's top story is a doozy. A group of researchers have found a way to hack, or what they call "jailbreak," the hardware in a Tesla to get free in-car feature upgrades. Find out how. Speaking of Tesla, the first "range inflation" lawsuit against the electric automaker was filed. Get the scoop. There was a lot going on in India today. First, the country is restricting imports of laptops, tablets and other personal computers. Then its IT ministry resurrected a data privacy bill following an abrupt pullback last year. And finally, Xiaomi said "bye bye bye" to India's Play Store and removed its Mi Music app. Find out more. Meanwhile, Lula, which aims to be the "Stripe for insurance," got a little bit of its own operations-related insurance by securing $35.5 million. Read more. And Warner Bros. Discovery said it lost 1.8 million subscribers amid its Max rebrand. My guess? Those of a certain age preferred the HBO brand. Read on to find out. Image Credits: veriflow.net under a license. (Image has been modified)

More top reads Does a future with AI scare you?: That's what Haje Jan Kamps is asking in his newest TechCrunch+ article that shows just how well artificial intelligence is changing video. (TC+) All the news that's fit to post: The Agence France-Presse news agency sued Elon Musk's X for refusing to enter into news reuse payment talks. Hacked off: Russia-backed hackers used Microsoft Teams to breach government agencies. Stepping on the brakes: XPeng's head of autonomous driving quits and is rumored to have joined Nvidia. Did they call you?: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission means business. The agency fined a robocaller a record $300 million after blocking billions of their scam calls. No one in the driver's seat: Waymo is bringing its robotaxi service to Austin. Give me some of that green: Emtech will advance its regtech and CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) stack solutions following a $4 million round led by Matrix Partners India. Testing the public markets: TikTok competitor Triller files to go public, and the S-1 is quite telling. Just kidding: Kenya may not ban Worldcoin after all . . . if everyone comes to a mutual agreement. Back in prehistoric times…: Datasaur lets you build a model automatically from a set of labels. Here's what’s going on with your favorite social apps: Let's start off with Pinterest, which beat its second-quarter earnings estimate and is celebrating its partnership progress with Amazon. And over on Instagram, a new feature protects users from unwanted images and videos in DMs. What a tangled web we CoreWeave: Get out the Scrooge McDuck–sized vault. CoreWeave, a company providing cloud infrastructure for AI training, secures a $2.3 billion loan. Developers still like crypto: Fewer venture capital checks are being written to crypto companies and there's those pesky regulatory issues, but developers haven't written off the space. (TC+) Much ado about Nothing: Nothing will launch earbuds and a smartwatch under its new budget line, CMF. IPO will we see one this year?: Yes, it’s just August, but we know how time flies, so now's the time to ponder if we will see any IPOs happening this year. Perhaps Triller? See above. (TC+) Image Credits: Lightricks

From the "pod" files In this week’s episode of Chain Reaction, Jacquelyn sits down with Jesse Pollak, lead for Base and head of protocols at Coinbase. Coinbase, which is the second largest crypto exchange by trading volume, launched Base, an Ethereum-focused layer-2 blockchain, in February. The platform was in testnet, which is a test phase of the blockchain network, until mid-July, when it launched its mainnet, the fully live version of a blockchain on the main network (hence the name: mainnet), to developers. Image Credits: Bryce Durbin

Operational and finance tips for early-stage startups in a tough market Laying off employees during a downturn will only get a startup so far. Unfortunately, many founders don’t even consider paring back on operational and financial expenses until it’s too late. When it comes to extending cash on hand, everything from canceling subscriptions to “a hard pivot” must be on the table, says Ben Boissevain, founder of Ascento Capital. “If a company has a limited runway, pursue multiple corporate finance options simultaneously. Do not pursue the next VC round, run out of money, and then try to pursue M&A,” he says, since “the process requires at least six months.” TechCrunch+ is our membership program that helps founders and startup teams get ahead of the pack. You can sign up here. Use code "DC" for a 15% discount on an annual subscription. Read More Image Credits: VisualField / Getty Images

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X subscribers can hide check marks, but company admits they 'may still appear in some places’

TechCrunch Newsletter

By Christine Hall Wednesday, August 02, 2023

Today, we are taking you back to the time when the blue check mark used to be so coveted on Twitter that people would wait a whole decade to get one (was it just me?). But now even those who paid to have one don't want to be associated with what the blue check mark represents. Fair enough, X now lets paid users hide their check marks. Also, TweetDeck has a new name and Community Notes gets an update. Hopin was poppin' when virtual events were the norm during the pandemic. Now not so much, to the point where Hopin made a tough decision. Get the scoop. Well, well, well, how the turntables have turned for Worldcoin. Kenya was one of the first countries where the company launched its eye-scanning and cryptocurrency — basically its "safety market" — and today it might be where Worldcoin is first banned. Find out more. Meanwhile, investors pumped $5 million into Reflex, an open source tool that helps turn Python code into web apps. Read more to find out how. And in some cities, those without an Amazon Prime membership can now shop where members do . . . but there's a fee. Check it out. Image Credits: TechCrunch

More top reads So close: Flipkart-backed Shadowfax nears a $60 million funding round led by TPG NewQuest. Don't get to the theater much?: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" makes its debut on Disney+. All the Google you can muster: We have a trio of Google stories for you today. First, find out why Google pulled its AI Test Kitchen app from the Play Store and App Store. Then, Google wants you to do more searching, so there are some updates to Chrome on mobile. And finally, Google's generative search feature now shows related videos and images. A chip off the old semiconductor block: Foxconn plans to invest $600 million in Karnataka for iPhone components and chipmaking tools projects. Never Meta story we didn't like: Now on to some Meta news. The company is singing a new tune after releasing AudioCraft, which consists of open source models for generating sounds and music. Meanwhile, the U.K.'s privacy watchdog warns Meta over a plan to keep denying Brits a choice over its ad tracking. This robot has a cheery face amid chaos: Inworld, a generative AI platform for creating NPCs, lands some fresh investment. It's another round of "those crazy hackers”: Both the U.S. and Norway say hackers have been exploiting Ivanti’s zero-day since April, while a security lapse over at travel giant Mondee ended with leaked personal traveler information. Be art smart: Cohart's art marketplace makes buying and selling accessible for any kind of art lover. It's the quality that counts: Lightup wants to shine a light on data quality with $9 million Series A. If you need a hand: Orangewood wants to build a cheap, programmable robotic arm for manufacturing. First impressions matter: Tinder recognizes that and is now testing an AI photo selection feature to help users build profiles. The help desk will see you now: Okay, so you're making a pitch deck. Find out where founders go wrong. (TC+) Don't forget these: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review Apple Card's Savings account reaches over $10B in deposits Subaru doubles its plans for new EVs, targeting 8 models by 2028 Voyager and Airbus will operate Starlab private space station via "transatlantic joint venture" Discord will now let you stream Xbox gameplay directly to servers and DMs Image Credits: skodonnell / Getty Images

From the "pod" files This week, the Equity crew had Sara Mauskopf, the CEO and co-founder of childcare startup Winnie, on the show. The trio took a look at the state of care as a venture-backable category, where startups can find the most impact and business results, and the pressures of fundraising-driven growth in care-oriented markets. Image Credits: Bryce Durbin

5 questions investors should be asking inception-stage generative AI founders One week after unveiling his firm's $250 million Mayfield AI Start fund, managing partner Navin Chaddha shared "the top five pieces of company-building advice" they’re giving to AI-first founders. According to Mayfield's thesis, these startups can be sorted into five layers: Applications and co-pilots Models Data Infrastructure Semiconductors and systems “Paradigm shifts propel the rebuilding of the technology stack, creating new enduring companies in every era,” writes Chaddha. TechCrunch+ is our membership program that helps founders and startup teams get ahead of the pack. You can sign up here. Use code "DC" for a 15% discount on an annual subscription. Read More Image Credits: Francesco Carta fotografo / Getty Images

Get your TechCrunch fix IRL. Join us at Disrupt 2023 in San Francisco this September to immerse yourself in all things startup. From headline interviews to intimate roundtables to a jam-packed startup expo floor, there's something for everyone at Disrupt. Save up to $600 when you buy your pass now through August 11, and save 15% on top of that with promo code DC. Learn more. Read More

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Newest Jobs from Crunchboard Senior Business Process Specialist - HCM at Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (King of Prussia, PA, USA) Senior End User Support Technician at Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (Middletown, PA, United States) Senior Full Stack Developer at Nylon Technology (New York, NY, USA) POLICY & RESEARCH ANALYST EDUCATIONAL EQUITY - Early Childhood at Catalyst California (Los Angeles, CA, USA) Systems Administrator I or II at City of Newport (Newport, OR, USA) See more jobs on CrunchBoard Post your tech jobs and reach millions of TechCrunch readers for only $200 per month.

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