South Korea clamps down on Tesla drivers for unlocking restricted full self-driving feature, $15,000 fines and prison possible sentences — suspects imported hardware from Europe and China, then traded tips on concealing activation logs

South Korean authorities have identified 80 Tesla drivers who allegedly enabled Full Self-Driving (FSD) on vehicles that were not approved for it, with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency seizing 21 of the unlock devices. The modules, which connect to the car's CAN bus, bypass the software lock that keeps FSD disabled. Some suspects imported the units from Europe and China, while others built their own devices using information found online.

The illegal activation has raised legal concerns under the Motor Vehicle Management Act, with prosecutors threatening up to two years in prison or a $15,000 fine. The root of the issue lies in a certification gap, as Tesla offers FSD in South Korea only on US-built vehicles, which were not subject to local safety certification. South Korea's transport ministry flagged suspicious activations in April, expressing concerns about potential safety risks.