In the next few decades, driving your car to work may be a thing of the past. Partly and completely autonomous vehicles are projected to take over the market, reduce automobile accidents, save us precious time, and keep us even more connected.
However, the darker side to autonomous vehicles and the artificial intelligence that powers them is quickly threatening to overtake the benefits.
The suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of journalist Michael Hastings might still be considered a conspiracy theory to many, but the hacking of modern cars has been confirmed multiple times over by researchers, even leading to major recalls.
This vulnerability was actually known early on. In this 2012 video, a manager for DARPA, Dr. Kathleen Fisher, stated in no uncertain terms that all modern cars could be vulnerable to hacking and solutions should be sought.
The following infographic illustrates the known methods for how hackers can still access vehicle networks and driver data via cars’ wireless communications functions, mobile devices (like phones and tablets connected to a car’s USB, Bluetooth or WiFi), or a third party device connected through a vehicle diagnostic port.
It’s up to drivers to understand these risks in order to protect their information and safety. Additionally, computer forensic experts will need to understand ever-changing software and recognize every vulnerability that puts drivers at risk. Read on to learn more about potential car hacking risks and how to stay safe.
Cybersecurity and Hacking Concerns for Today’s Cars and Tomorrow’s Driverless Vehicles
Welcome and needed wave of the future??? Most likely for some. But how about the rest of us that aren’t interested in these present day pipe dreams involving driverless autos, as well as the even larger pipe dream of driverless big rigs that few living today will actually ever see?? I’m not saying we can’t technically do it. What I am saying is that at least on public roadways built with public taxpayer funding, those alive today will not see driverless anything doing anything on public taxpayer funded and built roadways anytime in the near or far future other than being driven as they always have been – with a human in charge and actually driving the vehicle with hopefully their brain engaged. This supposed mixing of drivered and driverless vehicles mixing it up in traffic on a freeway in this country is preposterous, unsafe and technically challenging and will be very expensive. To pretend anything else especially now besides getting old is akin to seeing unicorns and Leprechauns. Please enough of this automobile based science fiction already…