Jeep hackers couldn't do it in Canada

[Jimmyb]

A pair of hackers remotely took over the controls of a Jeep and crashed it to show how easy it is to override vehicles with online systems.

But don't worry Canadians, automakers have yet to offer us full online systems here -- so far, we're safe from this particular scene in the robot apocalypse.

The two well-known hackers, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, took over the Jeep Cherokee through its Uconnect entertainment system for a story in Wired magazine. With a magazine writer behind the wheel, the hackers were able to change the vehicle's speed and control the radio, windshield wipers and other features, eventually cutting the brakes and sending the Jeep into a ditch. The driver wasn't injured.

While the Cherokee was the vehicle of choice, the pair said any of the thousands of vehicles in the U.S. equipped with Chrysler's Uconnect Access is vulnerable.

The scary hacking display is the latest warning to the auto industry, which is rapidly adding Internet-connected features such as WiFi and navigation. The features are convenient for drivers but make the car more vulnerable to outside attacks.

Earlier this year, BMW had to offer a software patch after hackers remotely unlocked the doors of its cars.

"This does not affect vehicles in the Canadian marketplace because our version of Uconnect does not include the cellular connectivity feature Uconnect Access," a Chrysler Canada spokesman told Postmedia Network about the latest hack.

Customers have long complained of the lesser service on this side of the border, where Uconnect in Chrysler vehicles only offers navigation and audio options, but no online control of other functions, such as the ability to lock your doors with your phone.

The company reportedly wants to make that service available in Canada by 2017.

That may now be a source of some comfort, as Fiat Chrysler in the U.S. is now scrambling to assure drivers of a safety fix that will prevent future hacking.

American owners can download software from the Uconnect website and install it on their vehicles. Dealers will also install it for free. Affected owners will be contacted by mail.

While that appears to solve most of the breaches, Miller told The Associated Press he tried out the new software and found that, while he couldn't hack into a car, the automaker is still unable to detect an attack in progress.

Miller said he and Valasek first told the car company about their research in October.

Fiat Chrysler says it doesn't know of any hacks outside the one described in the Wired article. The company said it's working with suppliers to make further improvements to its system.

-- with files from www.canadianjeepoffroad.com

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