Flip side of modern tech? Tesla app outage LOCKS drivers out of cars, as carmaker sues Trump administration over China tariffs

Hundreds of Tesla owners around the world reported having trouble logging into the automaker’s app and website on Wednesday.   

Frustrated customers flocked to Downdetector, which tracks outages of online services in real time, lamenting about missed appointments and berating the Elon Musk-owned company for taking its time to resolve the issue.

Customers also took aim at Tesla for lacking any backup support that would spare owners the inconvenience of having to carry their physical key on them at any given time.

 “Man I was supposed to snag my new m3 today! Cancelled! LAAAME. Time to invest in a working BCP plan tesla,” Kevin Taylor wrote.

“How can the most valuable car company in the world… not have the backup support for a problem like this?” another commenter asked, adding “This shouldn’t be down for more than an hour.” 

Others went on to accuse Tesla, which is yet to comment on the issue, of leaving its customers in the dark about the global tech failure.

“I’m stranded as I don’t have the key card with me and need to enable driving with my phone. I cannot believe there is no announcement from tesla on what the time frame is we are looking at for them to be back online,” a disgruntled driver wrote.

The glitch has apparently prompted some would-be Tesla owners to doubt the wisdom of investing in the high-dollar electric cars.

“I am supposed to pick up my Tesla today, and they told me [the] system was down while I was on uber, damn it! I have a second thought now,” LukeY wrote.

While Tesla owners were impatiently waiting for the phone app to spring back to life, pundits on Twitter cast their woes as a prime example of the modern over-reliance on tech.

The outage coincides with reports that Tesla is suing the Trump administration, demanding it lift tariffs on Chinese imports essential for the Autopilot ECU (engine control unit) used in its new Model 3, S and X vehicles. 

“Tesla was unable to find a manufacturer with the requisite expertise to produce the Autopilot ECU 3.0 with the required specifications, at the volume requested and under the timelines necessary for Tesla’s continued growth,” the company argued in its filing at the US Court of International Trade.

Tesla is currently going through a rough patch. Its shares took a plunge on Tuesday, sliding six percent, after its much-hyped ‘battery day’ failed to live up to investor expectations. 

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