Jane Manchun Wong, a security researcher known for her expertise in uncovering hidden features, recently discovered an unreleased feature in the Waymo app. While waiting for a robotaxi in San Francisco, Wong identified a way to customize the top display, known as the “dome,” on a Waymo self-driving Jaguar I-Pace using her advanced Android skills. This allowed her to display customized characters, including her X handle, on the robotaxi’s dome.
Waymo’s Initial Response to the Customization
In 2020, Waymo announced that it added moving LEDs to its dome “so that it can act as a mechanism for riders to identify the vehicle day and night and know which vehicle is theirs when there may be more than one Waymo car waiting.” Wong was able to alter the display by experimenting with the Waymo mobile app, but Waymo quickly curtailed this ability by updating the app to prevent further customization by users like Wong.
“I hacked my Waymo into showing weird texts like empty string, ‘wongmjane,’ and emojis as the Car ID, pls don’t ban me or patch it @waymo lol,” Wong revealed on X, sharing an image that showed her customized display.
The feature Wong uncovered was not intended for public use. A Waymo spokesperson confirmed that Wong had found a hidden feature and that the company had since restricted access to it for regular users.
“The good old magic of messing around with the Waymo mobile app. I guess their servers didn’t validate the input for the Car ID from non-employees,” Wong commented on how she discovered the feature.
Waymo’s Sandy Karp acknowledged Wong’s technical proficiency, attributing the finding to her advanced Android knowledge.
“Jane identified an unreleased feature given her advanced Android knowledge,” Karp said.
Following the discovery, Waymo swiftly restricted access to the dome display features and ensured that Car ID customization is now limited to authorized personnel only.
What The Author Thinks
Jane Manchun Wong’s discovery underscores a significant aspect of modern technology—its unexpected vulnerabilities and the importance of robust security measures. While her hack was harmless and conducted in good spirit, it highlights the need for companies like Waymo to continuously test and secure their systems against potential manipulations. This incident serves as a reminder of the ever-present challenge of maintaining security in a tech-driven world where curious minds can find unintended uses of digital features.
Featured image credit: FMT
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