Car hacking is definitely coming…

The statement above was spoken by Zoz, a presenter at a hacking convention in Las Vegas in August 2013. His presentation followed an explanation by two computer security experts of how they had spent the previous 10 months hacking into the computers of two popular vehicles with self-driving features. The hacks the computer security experts were able to pull off included disabling the brakes of the car; taking full control of the steering wheel; tightening the seat belt; turning off the engine; turning interior and exterior lights on and off; and making the console show a full tank of gas when it was not full.

While manufacturers have set their sights on the end of the current decade for the release of the first entirely autonomous vehicles, many are already marketing a wide range of innovations intended to reduce crashes and increase roadway safety. In addition to some of the features that the computer security experts were able to hack, autonomous safety features such as in-vehicle crash avoidance systems and single-function automated systems are becoming standard, especially in luxury vehicles. These and other electronic features are able to reduce the probability of a crash occurring and enhance the safety and survival rate of drivers and passengers if a crash does occur.