Computer Crashes, Car Crashes, People Die

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Security experts told Reuters that car computers “are vulnerable to hacks by attackers looking to steal cars, eavesdrop on conversations, or even harm passengers by causing vehicles to crash” and that automakers have failed to protect these systems.

“You can definitely kill people,” said John Bumgarner, chief technology officer of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit told the wire service.

Two years ago, a group of U.S. computer scientists made waves by showing how viruses could damage cars when they were moving at high speeds. Last year, the same group issued a report that showed how computer worms and Trojans could be delivered to automobiles: Via onboard diagnostics systems, wireless connections and even tainted CDs.

Bruce Snell, a McAfee executive, said automakers are fairly concerned about the potential cyber attacks because of the frightening repercussions:

“If your laptop crashes you’ll have a bad day, but if your car crashes that could be life threatening. I don’t think people need to panic now. But the future is really scary.”

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Daveainchina Daveainchina on Aug 20, 2012

    Cars are becoming overly complicated machines. while safer in many ways, they are also more likely to strand you when something goes wrong. Depending on where you live and travel this could be very life threatening. they break down less, but backyard emergency fix is also no longer possible and this I feel is quite a problem.

  • Charliej Charliej on Aug 20, 2012

    I had a friend that swore he would never have a car with electronic ignition, because "you can't fix it on Sunday afternoon with a screwdriver and feeler gauge". When he died, he owned three cars with electronic ignition, as well as a couple with points ignition. I would be careful with what I swore that I would never own.

  • Vww12 Vww12 on Aug 21, 2012

    Scaremongering. There are high chances of your life being saved by a modern car chock full of electronic controllers vs vanishingly small chances of said car being hacked into and killing you.

  • Junebug Junebug on Aug 21, 2012

    I don't know about ya'll, but for the last 16 years I've used a PC in my job and if that is any indication of what computers driving cars can do, I will be sooooooo dead and gone that neither I nor my great, great grandkids will see it.

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