UK views on driverless cars mirrors US: We’re not ready for it yet either

(c)iStock.com/jeancliclac

Earlier this week we had the views of US drivers on whether they would be happy with being ferried around in autonomous vehicles, and the response was less than unanimous. Now, survey data from UK insurance provider Bobatoo shows only a quarter of UK respondents would describe themselves as ‘excited’ about driverless cars.

This survey differs from the study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), which focused exclusively on respondents...

By James Bourne, 17 July 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Driverless, Security, Swarm.

Are connected cars a hacker's dream?

(c)iStock.com/Craig McCausland

Today’s cars connect to the Internet in ways never before imagined, placing amazing capabilities at the fingertips of drivers. Whether it is infotainment, navigation, safety, diagnostics, performance upgrades or fleet management, connected cars transmit data, update firmware, and deliver the latest in touchscreen, app store and voice-recognition and human sensor technologies.

With this said, connected cars are rapidly gaining market share. According to a report from...

By Thorsten Held, 05 June 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Infotainment, Privacy, Regulation, Security.

Report warns of more malicious security fears in connected cars

(c)iStock.com/FotoSpeedy

A whitepaper from Capgemini argues that, in the connected automotive world, the potential attack surface extends across the entire ecosystem, with autonomous driving increasing the surface even further.

The report, entitled 'Cybersecurity for the Connected Vehicle', asserts that information will become increasingly exposed as it is used in and travels to and from vehicles. Connected cars will be able to connect in a variety of ways; the introduction of telematics services and...

By James Bourne, 01 June 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Connectivity, Privacy, Security.

Avoiding the hazards in a connected future

(c)iStock.com/Jeffoto

The future of transport is intelligent, connected and increasingly autonomous. But while connectivity looks set to make exciting improvements to the way we travel, experts are warning of risks that need to be addressed to keep the vehicles on our roads safe from cyber threats.

For many years Hollywood has presented us with images of future cities buzzing with autonomous transport. In San Francisco, Google’s driverless cars already navigate the world-famous twists and turns of Lombard...

By KTN and IET, 08 April 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Driverless, Security.

Lawsuit claims Toyota, Ford and GM “failed consumers” by selling cars susceptible to hacking

(c)iStock.com/Kuzma

A class action lawsuit filed in California has alleged Toyota, Ford and General Motors has failed customers in its duty to ensure its connected vehicles function properly and safely.

The suit, which can be found here, argues the defendants ‘failed to ensure the basic electronic security of their vehicles’. “Anyone can hack into them, take control of the basic functions of the vehicle, and thereby endanger the safety of the...

By James Bourne, 16 March 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Driverless, Regulation, Security.

Industry must collaborate to secure driverless future, report argues

(c)iStock.com/shansekala

A report from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) argues the need for greater industry collaboration in developing connected and driverless cars.

The report outlines a variety of potential issues and threats covered in this publication before, from personal data theft to fraud and deception, freight and goods theft and automotive...

By James Bourne, 09 March 2015, 1 comment. Categories: Driverless, Insurance, Regulation, Security.

Hella plans to alert drivers when bodywork is damaged

©iStock.com/energyy

The Hella group has released details of a new system called the Intelligent Damage Detection System that is capable of detecting scratches and dents as they happen.

Depending on the specification, anything from two to 12 sensors are positioned through a car’s body panels. A central control panel is able to detect a pressure being applied to the panel and then decide whether it is rain or something far less innocuous like a scratch.

By Simon Holland, 26 February 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Apps, Connectivity, Contextual data, Data & Analytics, Devices, Insurance, Security.

How safe and secure are autonomous vehicles?

©iStock.com/DenisTangneyJr

There is widespread discussion that driverless cars, and more broadly autonomous vehicles, will monumentally change the landscape of the automotive industry, arguably creating the biggest transformation of society’s view of the vehicle in the last 150 years.

Public acceptance of the vehicle began following the ‘Red Flag Act’ of 1865 when, by the 1890s, it became the ‘norm’ to see motor vehicles mingling, albeit uncomfortably, with the horse and...

US legislation for connected car cybersecurity edges closer

Federal standards that secure cars and protect drivers’ privacy have taken a step closer to reality, after new legislation was announced at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing.

Senators Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut want the legislation to direct National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create these new federal standards.

The concerted push for legislation comes after Markey’s own office

By Simon Holland, 12 February 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Bluetooth, Connectivity, NFC, Privacy, Regulation, Security, Standards.

Connected car security ripped apart by US senator

©iStock.com/Henrik5000 

United States Senator for Massachusetts, Ed Markey, has released a new report criticising the current connected car security measures that many top manufacturers currently employ.

Almost all modern vehicles have a wireless entry point, while some even have multiple WEPs, including Bluetooth, keyless entry, remote start, wi-fi and telematics. All of these are susceptible to vulnerabilities or hacking, according to Markey.

“Drivers have come to rely on these new...

By Simon Holland, 10 February 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Privacy, Security, Standards.