Hackers Are Really Able To Control Your Car

Cars are packed with technology today that seems like it is right out of a Back To The Future movie. No they don’t have flux capacitors that can allow time travel, but they sure do seem futuristic. From fancy infotainment systems, to self driving vehicles, cars sure are exciting to drive, or not drive these days. The comfort and convenience features in today’s automobiles make driving a little more tolerable.

With the invent of all of this technology entering our vehicles at such a fast pace, it seems there are some safety and security features that may have been left out. This leaves drivers vulnerable to potential hackers who could take over the vehicles. And guess what, in testing the systems, it has been proven that the hacking and taking over of your vehicle is a real threat.

Two computer hackers spent the last year cracking the digital defenses of connected cars. Security Engineer Charlie Miller who works for Twitter, and Chris Valasek director of vehicle safety research at IOActive (cybersecurity firm), can take over certain systems of the connected car. They recently demonstrated their ability to take over a Jeep Cherokee by hacking the vehicle miles away.

The software they created allows them to hack into and send commands the Jeeps’ entertainment system. This gives them access to dashboard functions, steering, braking, and the transmission from a laptop computer that could be across the country. 471,000 vehicles that are on the road today could be vulnerable to an attack such as the simulated one Miller and Valasek created.

The team also hacked into a Ford Focus back in 2013 as well as a Toyota Prius. In this instance, however, the team plugged directly into the onboard computer system. In the most recent hack, the duo used a trick involving a cellular signal to break into the UConnect infotainment system. They can then operate the air conditioning, transmission, and steering controls. Even though this seems to be a setback, automakers are determined to move forward and increase security measures on the connected car.