An boosting number of automobiles are at risk from computer hackers because of the advanced Internet enabled systems they offer – and the problem could be potentially life-threatening. That’s the alerting from technology firm Harman at the 2014 consumer electronics show (CES).
Modern automobiles have a number of electronic control units (ECUs), which not only control infotainment services, but also the operation of the engine, transmission and safety features such as stability control and anti-lock brakes.
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If someone can hack into the connectivity system, they then have access to all the car’s other ECUs because there is currently no physical or electronic barrier between them.
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Car hacking is already a “serious problem”
A automobile like a BMW 3 series has around 35 ECUs, according to Harman, the company, which develops connectivity services for lots of manufacturers. With a high-end model like the 7 Series, the number of ECUs can be as high as 140.
“It is already a severe problem,” says Harman’s president of infotainment, Sachin Lawande. “The infrastructure of lots of automobiles was not created with networking in mind.
“Now that they are connected to the Internet their level of exposure is very different. A cyber attacker can take control of vital automobile functions, and unless we can make them safe the boosting levels of connectivity are going to make it worse.”
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Protecting automobiles from hackers will not increase prices
Harman is developing a software barrier as part of its next-generation infotainment platform that will not stop hackers from accessing in-car connectivity features but will stop them from being able to attack the crucial ECUs. You may lose your internet, navigation or audio, but not the car’s operating and safety systems.
It is an industry-first option and is likely to be seen in 2016 or 2017 because of the time it takes for carmakers to introduce major model changes. Harman says it is unlikely to add to the price of new models because “one of the golden policies for vendors in the automotive industry is that costs can only go down”.
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