Uber, a ride hailing service, has recently opened its Uber Advanced Technologies Center which is a joint effort with Carnegie Mellon University to research robotics and autonomous vehicles. Uber’s most recent staff acquisitions are Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek who have recently proven that modern cars can be hacked. In 2013 they managed to control a Ford and a Toyota through the diagnostic port but the requirement of having physical access to the vehicles caused auto makers to dismiss this as something of little concern. Now recently they have proven that they can gain remote access to vehicles through the internet and control various functions including brakes and steering. Last month Fiat Chrysler even recalled 1.4 million vehicles after Miller and Valasek found a method to control many functions of the cars electronics, and again brakes and steering, after hacking in through the internet hardware chip of the vehicle.
People believe they’re safe. Then people like Miller and Valasek come along, without the intention of helping develop better security, and prove how vulnerable we really are. Thankfully it was a couple of people with good intentions that discovered this flaw but the next time it may not be. These men will definitely be useful in developing technology for Uber and they will hopefully stay one step ahead of any hacker.
Source: Uber Hires Two Engineers Who Showed Cars Could Be Hacked
Being ahead is good, Zach, but it does present issues. How will you focus this on class discussion that hasn’t happened yet. This could have impact, since just about everyone has a car. Am I in danger?
Make sure you focus on the news article, rather than the events it is based on.
You’re ahead, Zach. Rock on.