South Korean police referred 80 Tesla owners to prosecutors for using unauthorized devices to activate the company’s Full Self-Driving software on vehicles barred from running the system. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confirmed the action after confiscating 21 plug-in devices designed to crack regional software locks.

Suspects face statutory penalties of up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won, roughly 12,000 euros, under the Motor Vehicle Management Act. The statute treats unauthorized electronic alterations that affect safe vehicle operation as criminal infractions rather than contractual disputes.

Investigators found owners tapped directly into the controller area network bus, the internal wiring system that shuttles electronic commands between automotive modules. These imported and homemade modules bypassed factory restrictions that keep the driver-assist feature turned off on uncertified cars.

Drivers sourced specialized hardware from Europe and China, while at least one technician in the information technology sector built a custom bridge using open-source code and public schematics. Members of online driver groups then traded step-by-step instructions on running the software and clearing electronic logs to evade automated detection during routine service visits.

The regulatory fracture runs along factory origins. South Korea permits Full Self-Driving only on American-built Model S and Model X units, as well as the Cybertruck, because those vehicles enter the country under vehicle safety exemptions negotiated in the bilateral free trade agreement with the United States.

Chinese-built Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers do not benefit from those trade terms. They require distinct domestic safety certification from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport before advanced autonomous features can operate legally on public roads.

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