Toronto, Ontario — A Vancouver man accidentally drives off in the wrong Tesla using nothing more than his app, Gatik’s expansion hints at a growing autonomous trucking fleet in Canada and J.D. Power warns of rising electricity prices hurting EV owners. This is the latest in electric and autonomous vehicles.
Inadvertent Felony
A Vancouver man drove off in the wrong Tesla, only realizing it after noticing that his windshields had more cracks, was missing its phone charging cable, and his phone read “I think [you’re] driving the wrong car.”
This bizarre mix-up occurred thanks to a combination of two Tesla owners in white vehicles who parked next to one another, and the Tesla app allowing Rajesh Randev to unlock and drive off a vehicle he did not own.
While the vehicle was ultimately returned, the Washington Post reports that Tesla has failed to respond Randev’s queries regarding an exploit which could allow strangers to enter his vehicle.
Expanding Autonomy
Gatik, self-driving truck startup of Loblaws fame, announced that it will be doubling its workforce by the end of the year, after striking a deal with a Texas grocery network.
In an interview with Reuters, Gatik’s CEO, Gautam Narang explains that this translates to another 120 jobs to deepen its presence in Ontario, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana before expanding to another 15 states in the next five years.
Gatik has previously operated driverless delivery trucks on Ontario’s public roads, partnering with Loblaws to deliver goods across the Greater Toronto Area.
Fluctuating Charge
Satisfaction with electric vehicles is slowly waning, with J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study finding decreased satisfaction with EV home charging systems.
While 68 percent of EV owners use a Level 2 permanent charging station, the survey found falling satisfaction with home charging speeds and rising electricity prices, with J.D. Power’s director of EV practice highlighting little awareness about cost-saving charging programs among EV owners.
The study’s respondents include 13,860 owners of 2017 to 2023 model year battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, surveyed between Dec. 2022 to Feb. 2023.
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