Autonomous car hijack warning

A new report released by a progressive British think tank has warned of the dangers of car-based malware and viruses, which it believes will increase in number and severity towards the end of the decade.

The new report released by the McIntosh Institute in the UK says custom programs (aka computer viruses) will create the potential for chaos on roads – and perhaps worse, it warns.

"Anyone who has ever plugged their smart phone into their car via USB is at risk," said Scott Guiles, a senior technology researcher.

The report warns that as cars become more complex and rely more heavily on not just computer hardware, but increasingly sophisticated software including autonomous technology, large criminal groups that flourish in Eastern Europe and South East Asia are already proficient at exploiting heavily encrypted computer systems and will start hacking cars.

"This is a very real danger that could put lives at risk in the next five, 10 years," predicted Guiles.

"With hackers able to mask their whereabouts and compromise secure systems – including those in cars – from anywhere in the world, they will soon have the ability to subvert major vehicle systems with near impunity."

The worst-case scenario is already sounding alarm bells for global governments, with the US government believed to already have formed a task-force designed to try and foil zero-day exploits, or digital loopholes the general public is rarely made aware of.

Already a number of basic hacks are available to car owners, allowing them to start their vehicles, operate the air-conditioning or lock them remotely via their smart phone. But with onset of autonomous vehicle technologies, the pairing of phone and car could soon lead to much more dire consequences than simply voiding one's warranty.

"The basic vehicle hacks are already available, and based on our modelling we'll see some major incidents in the next two to four years," said the researcher, insinuating that road fatalities would need to be heavily scrutinised in future.

"As autonomous vehicles continue to make strides forward, the potential for remote kidnapping or perhaps worse is no longer science-fiction," cautioned Guiles.

The McIntosh Institute researcher argues that autonomous technology designed to reduce road congestion and relax commuters can be corrupted do the exact opposite.

"It's just like the software on computer and when your car is running, the systems are always online and connected."

There have already been reports of a 'hayfever' car virus affecting high-end German cars in some parts of Europe, so named because it locks on the windscreen squirters until the fluid reservoir is empty. This is just the tip of iceberg insists the McIntosh Institute.

So how can motorists protect themselves? Guiles says they can’t.

"Just as anti-virus PC software companies are discovering, protection doesn't exist. There is no defence. Mitigation of the more serious threats is about as good as we can hope for."