Waymo Robotaxi Display Customization: Hidden Feature Revealed

Waymo App Feature Allowed Custom Display Messages

A security researcher recently discovered a previously unreleased functionality within the Waymo application. This allowed for the alteration of the characters displayed on the robotaxi’s exterior top display.

Researcher Demonstrates Display Manipulation

Jane Manchun Wong, a recognized security researcher, shared an image on X (formerly Twitter) this past Saturday. The image showcased the top display – officially termed the “dome” – of a Waymo vehicle. It featured her X handle and various other character strings.

Wong posted, “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.”

How the Feature Was Accessed

Wong, based in San Francisco, explained to TechCrunch that she was able to modify the characters on the self-driving Jaguar I-Pace dome. She achieved this by interacting with the Waymo mobile app on her Android phone while awaiting her robotaxi.

“The familiar process of exploring the Waymo mobile app yielded this result. It seems their servers lacked input validation for the Car ID from users who are not employees,” Wong stated. “Therefore, no ‘jailbreaking’ or ‘rooting’ of the vehicle itself was necessary. I simply altered the Car ID to a value outside the normal parameters. A relatively benign action, I believe.”

Feature Subsequently Disabled

Despite her request to avoid having the feature removed, Waymo has since updated its app. This update prevents riders from customizing the dome display as Wong had demonstrated. On Tuesday, Wong reported that she could no longer modify the Car ID.

Waymo Confirms and Addresses the Issue

Waymo spokesperson Sandy Karp confirmed the existence of the hidden feature. The company subsequently restricted access to it for general users like Wong.

“Ms. Wong identified an unreleased feature leveraging her expertise with Android systems,” Karp told TechCrunch. “We have now limited access to the dome display functionalities.”

Purpose of the Dome Display

In 2020, Waymo announced the addition of moving LEDs to its dome. This was intended to help riders easily identify their vehicle, both during the day and at night. It’s particularly useful when multiple Waymo cars are present.

The dome also serves as a communication tool. It informs pedestrians that the vehicle is yielding the right-of-way. It also alerts cyclists that a passenger is about to open a door. Furthermore, Waymo has utilized the display for marketing initiatives.

Key takeaway: The incident highlights the importance of robust input validation in software development, even for features not yet publicly released.