ars technica
The tire pressure monitors built into modern cars have been shown to be insecure by researchers from Rutgers University and the University of South Carolina. The wireless sensors, compulsory in new automobiles in the US since 2008, can be used to track vehicles or feed bad data to the electronic control units (ECU), causing them to malfunction.
Earlier in the year, researchers from the University of Washington and University of California San Diego showed that the ECUs could be hacked, giving attackers the ability to be both annoying, by enabling wipers or honking the horn, and dangerous, by disabling the brakes or jamming the accelerator.
Seems like almost anything can be hacked nowadays.
Found by Cinàedh.
So much BS, so little thinking. This is a totally unneeded invention.
Get a cheap tire guage and check the pressure once in a while, you lazy SOBs.
Of course, some corporation would make a little less money on you, and we can’t have that can we?
The more complex a society is, the more vulnerable it is, and not just regarding technology.
Actually, these are being required in newer cars, in order to ensure that they maintain fuel economy, IIRC.
Between keys the size of a deck of cards, that cost as much as a cross country flight to a cacophony of dings rings and chimes, and interlocks that keep you from changing gears or starting without stepping on the brakes, and the lack of wind wings, modern cars are becoming steadily more user unfriendly all the time.
I’m getting more and more ready to go back to a 1963 Dodge Dart with no more complicated electronics than points and condenser and perhaps a few transistors in the radio. Oh, and a Goldwater bumper sticker, just as a nice finishing touch.
#2 spsffan – Go AuH2o. I used to know BG when he lived on a mountainside in Paradise Valley, AZ. I had a ham license and he had an amazing radio setup. We used to conduct MARS radio calls to soldiers in VietNam.
# 1 GetReal said, “This is a totally unneeded invention.”
Makes you wonder if tech like this is why that new Chevy Volt is gonna cost >$41K…
@#1 It is not corporations but Big Government. Our dear Nanny State have MANDATED these since 2008. You can’t sell new car without it in the USA. Not because of manufacturer demand but because Nanny State assumes you are idiot who cant check his tire pressure.
So,
your car is WIRELESS..
Tons of sensors, and many working wirelessly.
For anyone that has EVER thought about/used wireless.
WHO has ever used a walkie/talkie, CB radio, FRS/GMRS and understands SECURITY..
THERE ISNT ANY SECURITY.
This is like giving Access to a thief, to your LOCKED front door, and handing him a Ring of keys. I dont care how long it takes, THEY WILL get in. IF they want to.
The plot points thicken:
Chips in your credit cards have long been used by security agencies and hackers to track you all over the world–even if you don’t use them for purchases.
You know that guy that gives you the stink-eye as he scrutinizes your passport? Actor! He knew it was you before you handed the thing over.
Psst, buddy; you want I should change your identity with those new tires? Only costs a grand extra…
Neeew! Faraday Wallet! Takes RFID contents off the map!
The snooping aspect is mentioned as an afterthought, but I think that is the real story.
This looks like a cheap and effective way tracking cars. Better than license plate recognition which only works if somebody drives past a camera, and some computer still has to process the image.
A receiver for these messages is much non-directional, less complicated and identifies the car itself rather than the license plate.
Actually, the Ford Exploder fiasco was largely responsible for mandated tire pressure monitoring systems. All other considerations aside, I find them rather convenient.
Oh good! A new toy for 4chan!
Those electronic tire pressure sensors are expensive. My favorite tire company broke the valve stem off of one of mine and had to order a replacement from Toyota for $90, but couldn’t set up calibration with the central computer, so had to take car to Toyota and have them register it,but first had to remove it from the wheel to obtain serial number then reinstall and calibrate. Cost another $80 for the service. Fortunately the tire company paid the bills. That’s $170 for a valve stem…..CRIPES!!
As for Barry Goldwater, Good guy, fun Ham but I think he couldn’t have been president because he wasn’t born in the USA. Arizona wasn’t a state when he was born.
# 10 dcphill – You may have a point re; Goldwater. He never would show me his birth certificate…
It’s not the sensor that’s being hacked into. But the car’s computer chip, that has a radio receiver tuned to these remote devices. Which is totally unnecessary to radio link. They could have “hard wired” them to optical or magnetic linking devices. That transmit the data, across a very short gap of millimeter. But everything in the car world is done to save money. So they came up with radio remoted sensors, and chips with next to nothing, to prevent hacking. But I’m sure they’re charging you a bundle for it.
If you don’t trust the things. Remove (snip) their antennas, or wrap them in tin foil. Whatever to takes to block the RF tire sensor data. You’ll just have to keep track of tire pressure the old fashion way. But at least some kid with a laptop and Wifi node, won’t be setting you speeding off a cliff.
Ya know how movie producer are always claiming that they’re imitating real life. Except that they NEVER show people smoking outside of public places. Because the Tobacco industry wouldn’t like them to. And the producers obey big tobacco. Well you can also bet these producers will make a movie where someone takes control of a modern car, by hacking into its control chip. Because the major auto makers wouldn’t like that either. And the movie makers obey big auto too. Some “free speech” advocates, they are.
#7,
they have such a device, and it processes OVER 1000 plates per hour. And RIDES in the car with the cop.