We wrote about losing data through rental cars (link here for the post). The next day, out popped the news that Fiat/Chrysler is releasing a patch to fix a vulnerability which was just exploited, experimentally, by two researchers.
The researchers took control of some systems in a Jeep, from a physical distance, while the target was moving, by hacking in.
Fiat/Chrysler points out that it has not happened in “the real world”, yet. And Fiat/Chrysler has already created a network level fix for other vulnerabilities.
The point is not that Jeeps are more vulnerable than other brands. It probably is not. It is that there are perhaps 26 million cars on the road with some remote data transmission (think Internet). All new cars in the US have some access or can be accessed. Therefore, eventually are cars will have these benefits, and vulnerabilities.
Your personal and commercial auto insurance policies can provide physical damage coverage. The liability coverage protecting the owner from suits for injuries to passengers looks secure so far. But protection for the manufacturers, dealers, and service shops? That’s where the dice are still rolling.
Stay tuned.
Link to a Property Casualty 360/Bloomberg article on the patch for Jeep systems
http://www.gbwinsurance.com 800-548-2329
