Originally Posted by Sulu

As the in-car radios morph into infotainment systems that can allow you to change car settings (like throttle and steering settings), and gain more features, especially Internet access (4G LTE) and built-in Wi-Fi, a gateway opens up to the bad outside world.

A hacker merely has to get into your car's computers via the car's Internet connection (just as hackers can get into your home computers now through viruses and other malware) and from there may have access to the many ECUs. If you can change your throttle or braking response through your infotainment system, a hacker could also send a virus into your car's system that would -- when activated -- change settings without you knowing it.

Originally Posted by Stormwind

A lot of new cars now also have those gimmiky auto parking assist in which a car can control steering, brake and gas and park itself so whatever functions that controls those features a hacker can take complete mechnacial control of your car by hacking it.

Originally Posted by Vladi

No they can't. Self-parking mode has its limitations as far as maneuvering the car and it cant take you up to speed. I would assume that's all flashed within dedicated hardware so there is no way anybody can change that with soft code.

Btw remote door unlock system has been intruded over ten years ago, if we are talking about "hacking" here.

Bottom line is if your car has been marked there is really nothing you can do about it, it all depends how far thieves are willing to go to get it.

Originally Posted by Stormwind

A lot of new cars now also have those gimmiky auto parking assist in which a car can control steering, brake and gas and park itself so whatever functions that controls those features a hacker can take complete mechnacial control of your car by hacking it.

Originally Posted by Sulu

Many automotive systems are electrically- (and electronically-)assisted these days. Although the brake pedal is mechanical, ABS and all nannies that use ABS, including traction control, stability control, etc. are electronically-assisted. When they say "electronically", read "software". Steering is also mechanical but electrically-assisted these days, which allows for the automatic parking system that Lexus came out with and which even Ford has on compact cars now.

Right now, it is difficult to hack a car's electrical and electronic systems but it may get easier, unless the auto manufacturers remember one important rule of Internet and intranet communications: the strong firewall. As the in-car radios morph into infotainment systems that can allow you to change car settings (like throttle and steering settings), and gain more features, especially Internet access (4G LTE) and built-in Wi-Fi, a gateway opens up to the bad outside world.

A hacker merely has to get into your car's computers via the car's Internet connection (just as hackers can get into your home computers now through viruses and other malware) and from there may have access to the many ECUs. If you can change your throttle or braking response through your infotainment system, a hacker could also send a virus into your car's system that would -- when activated -- change settings without you knowing it.