Hi-tech cars come with hi-tech risks

mobile.nytimes.com...

The report concludes that security measures to prevent hackers from gaining control of a vehicle’s electronics are “inconsistent and haphazard,” and that the majority of automakers do not have systems that can detect breaches or quickly respond to them.

“Drivers have come to rely on these new technologies, but unfortunately the automakers haven’t done their part to protect us from cyberattacks or privacy invasions,” said the senator, Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, whose office published the report after obtaining detailed information from 16 automakers.

I've never been one to jump on the technology bandwagon, and my identity just isn't cool enough to steal... However I stink at parallel parking and I'd love a car that does it all... But wait, back it up.

You guys created these vehicles that can park themselves without adequate protection from some 15-year-old hacker/RC car enthusiast?

Will this be the next ISIS hack? What a joke.

If the 'listening' smart TV wasn't scary enough for you, your late-model car might also be transmitting data to third parties.

At least nine automakers use third-party companies to collect vehicle data, which can make consumers even more vulnerable, and some transmit that data to third-party data centers too.

Where's that tinfoil at...

Offline switch, manual controls and physical hand brake are basic necessities IMO.

It's strange to think that it's been years that I've thought about technologies like this and now I'm almost hoping that it doesn't come out.

a reply to: FireflyStars

This reply is only indirectly related to your thread, but it involves what we are being "sold" by the automotive industry from here, there and yonder. I refer to the backup protection devices, that seem in the ads to make you aware of a vehicle behind you. In the ads, we see two different concepts. One graphic will show you the narrow range (width) of the sensing area for the device. It is about the width of your vehicle. Great for backing into a parking space.

The other view that the ads show is a car backing out of a driveway and sensing a car (or school bus as in the TV adv.) coming down the street that you will back into unless you stop. I doubt very much that the sensor can warn you in time to apply the brake if that approaching vehicle is at any normal speed at all. To provide adequate time for you to respond and brake, the sensor would have to be looking at a very wide angle behind you and the speed of that vehicle could not possibly be at a typical street rate. If I'm wrong about the efficiency of this system, please reply with some specs that correct my general views on it.