A Jeep was hacked wirelessly and the bad guys crashed it. Not a science fiction movie – a new reality leading the news. Only the “bad guys” were white hat hackers who wanted to prove it could happen. Their three year experiment has opened a Pandora’s box of questions every consumer should ask. What do you look for when shopping for a new car? Do you look at gas mileage? Safety features? Dependability? Or do you look for a treasure trove of personal data that is stored in a computer on wheels?
Today, that is exactly what the latest car models have become. A lucrative, effective way for car companies, hackers, or the federal government to have an easy route to your personal data. Cars used to be just a way to get from one place to another. But those days are gone. That is why you, as a consumer, need to ask more questions when you test drive the latest model.
Think about the latest technology you use in your car today. Do you access the Internet via GPS for directions, or to listen to your favorite music, or regularly follow certain news stations? The choices you make are easy ways for any potential marketing firm to build a profile of you.
There is also the issue of personal security and privacy. Do you store frequent addresses in your navigation such as your home address? What are your driving habits? Do you use your brakes frequently or go over the speed limit? Any insurance company would like to know that – and they can easily do so pinpointing the locations you go and the speed limit in that area.
I wish I could write this piece advising you how to opt out this data collection but it doesn’t exist – yet. Car companies can collect as much information as they want as you drive along listening to your favorite tunes. We all know is that the power of many consumers joined together is the ultimate broker for any business which is why we need to change the way we shop for cars.
Start asking as many questions about data security as you would about safety, reliability and gas mileage, and the discussion will start. Asking questions will send the message you are informed, armed, and factoring this into your decision making.
Here are some examples:
Where is the data stored and for how long?
Is it regularly sold to another vendor? For example, your music preferences would be very valuable to Pandora, Itunes, etc.
Do you allow insurance companies to purchase and/or track your driving habits? Think of the profit any car company could make selling that access!
What are the cyber defenses for this car? CBS’ 60 Minutes showed just how vulnerable any recent automobile could be. Correspondent Lesley Stahl drove a car, hacked into by a Pentagon researcher, and lost control of the brakes, windshield wipers, and horn.
Of course, most hackers want to find a way to steal a car, not control it, but it begs the question: can a car detect a cyber attack and can it shut it down to ensure your safety? What if THAT was the final arbiter of the car you chose to buy? Today, it just may need to be.