An unusual incident in Vancouver, Canada, highlights how a fault in a popular vehicle app may lead to unexpected consequences. Reports circulating online indicate that a resident inadvertently activated and moved a nearby Tesla Model 3, raising questions about how digital car controls interact with real-world devices and parked vehicles. The sequence of events appears to hinge on the car owner’s use of the mobile application designed to manage certain functions of the vehicle from a distance.
The person identified in initial accounts as Rajesh Randev found himself in a rush to pick up his children from school. In that moment, he reportedly accessed another person’s unlocked Tesla Model 3 and left his own routine behind, believing the car belonged to him. A new crack in the windshield was noted later, but it was dismissed as possibly related to a prior trip rather than a result of this mix-up, and no immediate action was taken to address it.
As strange text messages and notifications began arriving from an individual named Mahmud, Rajesh began to suspect that something was wrong. Mahmud claimed that the vehicle in question was being driven by Rajesh, prompting closer scrutiny of the car and its license plates, or lack thereof. Rajesh eventually contacted Mahmud and pledged to return the sedan. Before that pledge could be fulfilled, he asked to collect the schoolchildren again under the guise of a routine pickup. Those involved in the exchange reportedly found the situation more humorous than threatening, and law enforcement did not pursue formal charges at that moment, attributing the events to a misunderstanding rather than a deliberate act.
Questions remain about how the system allowed the car to be powered on and operated remotely, and how the person without any intent to commit a crime could end up controlling another owner’s vehicle. Tesla representatives have not publicly answered detailed inquiries about this incident. Analysts and journalists have suggested that a software bug or a flaw in the vehicle’s app could enable unintended access to certain features, even when the car is not physically connected to the user’s account. The broader takeaway underscores the need for robust authentication, clear signaling of ownership, and stronger safeguards within vehicle apps to prevent similar confusion or mischief in the future. This case continues to be discussed in technology and automotive circles as the industry pursues safer, more reliable mobile control options for consumers across North America.