raylor4

There have been several posts by people concerned with Lexus' infotainment and computer-directed systems as being "less-than" compared to other manufacturers.
Having said that, I saw a piece on TV last night about hackers being able to get into a cars computer, apply the brakes, turn the steering wheel, etc. I'm thinking maybe Lexus engineers anticipated this and do not have the latest electronic bells and whistles for this very reason. Anyone else?
Ray A.

lexus114

I think theses hackers need a life.

JDR76

As far as navigation/media, yeah, the RX system is behind some of the competition. Much of that has been remedied in the generation 8 nav system, which is on most other Lexus models and should debut in the RX for 2016.

As far as the hacking question, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it on any car. That news piece was for entertainment value only, and that's being generous...

Cruiter

Ray, news of hacking door locks open has been out there over two years now, nothing new. It's like phishing and phone scams, someone is always gonna be trying to take from someone else. Best bet is always be careful where you park. As far as the hackers taking over your car while driving, that's when you hope your insurance is paid up. I imagine if it could happen to one, it could happen to the other. But if there is genuine concern RE; your car being hacked, this new prototype from Porsche will probably survive. But it's a little drafty for me

vlad_a

Nah, it's just car manufacturers are trying to be in the IT business. There's no good infotainment/navigation system, just bad and worse.
A car lasts 20 years, while a mobile device is expected to last 2, only to be replaced with a new and better gadget.

Somehow they missed that fact and go through extra lengths, first to force the already-outdated technology on us, and then for us to be able to replace it with better aftermarket units.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

how can a hacker apply the brakes, what is applying pressure on the master cylinder if no ones pushing on it?

vlad_a

That would be ABS.
There's a lot of assumptions about what and how it is hacked.
The idea is to send CANBUS commands from the hacked unit to the ECU.
The danger is over-exaggerated.

mmarshall

...........an HONEST life.

Dave600hL

My new car applies the brakes and turns the steering wheel with out me having to do anything if I drift too far into either sides lane markers. So, I know that it would be possible to do what is being said to some degree.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

no disrespect and no comparison, but a 2015 honda crv touring can do that too.

spwolf

you mean as in sticking some device onto ECU first? Otherwise I dont see hows that possible. So someone has to get into car, splice some wires and get some ecu in that can do that with specific vehicle.

far easier to just cut brake line or plant a bomb...

as to toyota, considering that tuners havent been able to hack their ecu for performance improvements, i doubt someone will make even above possible for these cars.

Toys4RJill

I think some Toyota and Lexus technology is ahead of the curve but not at the top. Its been like that for a long time. Toyota and Lexus cars and trucks are by far the most reliable vehicles you can by. I think it takes time for them to perfect the reliability and thus bring the costs down.

Dave600hL

LOL, I was just commenting on what I had experienced.

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.

Infra

iTrader: (1)

Depends on what you mean. When you say "technology" do you mean software? Or do you mean technologies such as D4S, active torque vectoring, rear wheel steering, etc, that are mechanical in nature?

Lexus is a leader in revolutionary mechanical technologies, and hardware. But the Japanese have always been behind in software compared to much of the world.

What's amazing to me is that American cars, with some of the premier software companies being American, are so lacking in good software. But I guess that doesn't apply to the one car company based on the west coast close to most software engineers.