I don't disagree with the premise of that cartoon, but it's more about the concept of putting full disk encryption on your laptop, crossing the border into Uzbekistan, and then refusing to give up the password.

By that logic, anything that is protected by crypto, if you threaten the owner with violence, it can be stolen from them. Which is just about everything on earth, if you're willing to apply sufficient violence.

I was referring mostly to the concept of "A crypto nerd's imagination".

Seriously, it is unlikely someone would put the money and R&D effort required to replicate the researcher's solution with the goal of stealing these camera systems on the wheels that can be disabled remotely.

So I'd rather advocate for Tesla to continue using inexpensive and secure enough solution to unlock doors. And focus their efforts on making the thing actually safer, like not accelerating into and colliding with concrete barriers.

I can totally see people stealing Teslas, if you bring $100 worth of jamming equipment with you, it won't be disabled remotely. The cellular frequencies that a Tesla uses for M2M connections back to the mothership are not rocket science to jam.

At least not before it's driven into a warehouse somewhere and cut apart to be cannibalized for repair parts, then parts shipped overseas.

Repair parts for what? Who will purchase these?

All the people who have been waiting for months+ for a body shop to find Tesla-approved replacement parts, presumably.

Presumably, the same wholesalers/auto parts trading places I've seen in third-world countries with suspiciously sourced grey market Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus repair parts.

Or people who want $20,000 worth of 100kWh 18650 battery conveniently packaged with connectors and cooling system.

That doesn't really apply in this situation though, since the crypto can be defeated without taking a wrench to the owner's face.