Cars, Software and the Internet
Just a few years back, we lived in simpler times when what Dan Moren wrote still held true: “Most automakers aren’t exactly consumed with a passion for developing software.” Not anymore. Today’s cars have a lot of software in them. Further, that software has started connecting to the Internet. Does all that open up cars to security/ virus/ hacking risks to cars? Absolutely, as these recent hacks proved. In two different cases, the hackers managed to shut down the engine and got the ability to open and start the car . Sound scary? So why connect cars to the internet at all? Are the risks worth the benefits? Russell Brandom tries to answer these questions : “Given the choice between two nearly identical minivans, buyers are apt to choose the one that can be unlocked from an app on your phone or remotely started on a cold day.” And customers now expect everything to be like (what else?) their precious smartphones! “Your phone might grow more useful every year, as you ins
