Hackers Are Reprogramming Lime Scooters to Make Sexual Comments

Jokes aside, this points to serious vulnerabilities in electric scooters.

R-Rated App

The electric scooter company Lime's ongoing trial period in Brisbane, Australia isn't going so great, according to Gizmodo — at least eight scooters have been pulled from the streets because hackers replaced the usual audio messages with sexually explicit comments.

All things considered, hacking scooters to make sexual comments is a fairly benign, if insensitive, prank compared to other hacks that can cause bodily harm. But the prevalence of e-scooter hacks in Brisbane around the world points to security flaws in vehicles that are becoming ubiquitous in many large cities.

Okay Fine, Here:

"Okay, if you're going to ride my ass then please pull my hair, okay?" said one scooter when unlocked, according to YouTube footage uploaded Monday.

Other video footage captured by 7News Brisbane shows some of the other lewd comments.

 

Security Considerations

This isn't the biggest problem Lime has faced in Brisbane — the company had to patch its software last month after reports that people were getting hurt riding scooters that suddenly locked up, according to the Brisbane Times. Lime has also been forced to recall scooters elsewhere in the world because they spontaneously combusted.

For now, Lime has responded to the hacks by calling them disappointing in a statement to the Brisbane Times.

"It's not smart, it's not funny and is akin to changing a ringtone," said the representative.

READ MORE: Lime Scooters Hacked to Say Sexual Things to Riders in Australia [Gizmodo]

More on e-scooter hacks: Hackers Can Access Your Electric Scooter While You’re Riding It