When combined with just the right word speculation about what MAY happen, it can blow up into a genuine PR crisis. At the moment, Volkswagen is avoiding that, but a recent press report probably just blew it all wide open.
Unbeknownst to the average driver, thousands of cars from many different manufacturers have been at risk of having their computer system hacked for years. Volkswagen is just one among many, but a recent revelation puts them at the head of the list for growing consumer disquiet. According to reports from multiple news sources, Volkswagen has been in court for two years desperately trying to suppress incriminating information.
According to the data, keyless car theft, in which hackers target vulnerable electronic locks to gain entry into vehicles, now makes up nearly half of all stolen vehicles in London. According to British police, BMWs and Range Rovers are among the most at risk.
Apparently, this problem was discovered way back in 2012, but carmakers sued to keep researchers from publishing their findings. In the paper – as well as subsequent presentations – the lead researchers, Roel Verdult and Baris Ege, detail how cryptography protocols can be targeted by hackers intent on hijacking luxury vehicles.
The most vulnerable system is also one of the most common, a transponder used in VW-owned luxury brands such as Porsche, Bentley and Audi. According to reports, some Fiat, Honda, Volvo and Maserati models are also at risk.
Since the lawsuit was made public, consumers are livid. They see companies that should be fixing a problem, trying to hide it instead. This revelation, on the heels of the long PR crisis that came after drivers were killed by faulty ignition switches, has drivers beginning to believe automakers don’t care about them at all.
Now the secret is out and the public is already beginning to learn about both the security flaw and the lawsuit, any automaker that doesn’t want to be tarred with the same brush needs to get out ahead of this mess immediately.
