LONDON: The increasing automation and connectivity of cars is not only taking the driving out of driving – and for some, the fun too – but could also be leaving owners vulnerable to hackers trying to remotely hijack their vehicles, analysts say.
Cyberattacks on cars are set to become more likely due to the expanding role of software and autonomous driving, according to BMI, a British research subsidiary of financial company Fitch Solutions.
The analysts warn that cybersecurity risks to drivers will increase amid "a continued acceleration towards software-defined vehicles," which are being integrated into the broader digital infrastructure.
And while the idea is that car companies provide "advanced navigation systems, seamless over-the-air updates and enhanced efficiency and driving experience," the downside is that the vehicles are as exposed to cybercriminals as any other connected device.
BMI noted that researchers were able to hack Subaru and Kia models with as little as a licence plate number, allowing them to "remotely control key vehicle functions and access vehicle location histories and personal contact information."
Connected vehicles come with risk not only of reduced privacy but of potentially compromised "vehicle function," BMI said, warning of "severe scenarios" in which hacked cars are commandeered remotely, leading to "unauthorised traffic re-routing or vehicle hijacking."
The researchers said it was now up to the car industry to develop sufficient defences against hackers to protect drivers. – dpa
