Tesla iOS app set to gain two-factor authentication soon

In a response to a tweet on Friday asking about an ongoing project to add two-factor authentication to the app, Elon Musk apologized for the feature being "embarrassingly late," but that it was on the way. According to Musk, two-factor authentication via SMS or an authenticator app is "going through final validation right now," though it is unclear if this refers to Tesla's own procedures or those relating to the App Store.

The Tesla mobile app provides drivers with a lot of information and control for their electric car. From the app, users can change media being played, remotely change the climate control, locate the vehicle in a car park, interact with the navigation, and monitor the progress of recharging, among other elements.

It is also possible for drivers to perform more advanced functions with their vehicle, such as flashing lights and honking the horn, locking and unlocking the car, and to even summon the vehicle out from a parking space. The app also functions as a key for some models, when brought within Bluetooth range.

The addition of two-factor authentication will help prevent user accounts from being hijacked by hackers using stolen passwords to install the app on their own mobile devices, and then in turn potentially steal the vehicle.

A release date for the feature is unknown, but the mention of passing through "final validation" suggests it could arrive in an app update in the near future.