Technology in our Vehicles
Cars are things that have adjusted and become normal parts of our every day lives over the years. From the first Ford Model T to the newest Tesla Model 3, people have become fascinated with cars either for performance, comfort, or just mechanical curiosity.
As our cars are becoming further technologically advanced they are becoming less mechanical. Cargroup.org published an article talking about technological advancements within the past 5-10 years specifically. There are 4 main categories for the technological advancements we've seen. First off is Advanced Driver Assistant Systems which is most prevalent in the cars that have parking assistance and auto parking functions. Secondly is Vehicle Automation which focuses on detecting and preventing electrical or technological issues. Next is Vehicle Connectivity which covers cars with Bluetooth stereo and built in wifi. Lastly are New Mobility Services which allows cars to run in all wheel drive and functions of that nature.
Cars from the 90's to even the early 2000's have very limited technological features. I personally drive a 1993 Chevy Camaro Z28 and the most advanced aspect is the aftermarket radio.
Cars with less computer aspects give drivers a better sense of driving and feeling connected to the road. Certain technological advancements also put our cars at risk. Cars that use computerized brake systems run the risk of being remotely accessed and activated from someone other than the driver. Reports from both Wired and The Guardian give examples where cars can be remotely hacked and manipulated. Wired's account tells about hackers who demonstrated and tested on a 2014 Jeep Cherokee which caused Chrysler to recall millions and fix them. This flaw in the cars system caused Chrysler to spend a fortune patching the problem as well as a great deal of embarrassment in the public eye. The Guardians story tells about an example where a team of hackers were remotely able to access a Tesla Model S from 12 miles away and interfere with the cars brakes, door locks, touchscreen interface, and other computer run systems within the car.
This concept has been demonstrated in media for years. Games such as the Watch_Dogs series allow players to remotely access cars and stop them in their tracks or even influence their steering.
As our cars are becoming further technologically advanced they are becoming less mechanical. Cargroup.org published an article talking about technological advancements within the past 5-10 years specifically. There are 4 main categories for the technological advancements we've seen. First off is Advanced Driver Assistant Systems which is most prevalent in the cars that have parking assistance and auto parking functions. Secondly is Vehicle Automation which focuses on detecting and preventing electrical or technological issues. Next is Vehicle Connectivity which covers cars with Bluetooth stereo and built in wifi. Lastly are New Mobility Services which allows cars to run in all wheel drive and functions of that nature.
Cars from the 90's to even the early 2000's have very limited technological features. I personally drive a 1993 Chevy Camaro Z28 and the most advanced aspect is the aftermarket radio.
Cars with less computer aspects give drivers a better sense of driving and feeling connected to the road. Certain technological advancements also put our cars at risk. Cars that use computerized brake systems run the risk of being remotely accessed and activated from someone other than the driver. Reports from both Wired and The Guardian give examples where cars can be remotely hacked and manipulated. Wired's account tells about hackers who demonstrated and tested on a 2014 Jeep Cherokee which caused Chrysler to recall millions and fix them. This flaw in the cars system caused Chrysler to spend a fortune patching the problem as well as a great deal of embarrassment in the public eye. The Guardians story tells about an example where a team of hackers were remotely able to access a Tesla Model S from 12 miles away and interfere with the cars brakes, door locks, touchscreen interface, and other computer run systems within the car.
As cars are becoming more technologically advanced we must become more technologically aware. Keeping security and integrity within a vehicles system must be heavily tested and prioritized. If bugs occur or there a flaws where hackers are able to gain access the result could be catastrophic.
I have some simple suggestions that I believe will be able to protect people but might also upset them in the process. First off older cars are always a valid option. Older cars are more mechanically run and tend to have less computers in them. The "old" car can be anything from an early 2000's basic sedan to a vintage restoration. Cars that aren't computer run in general will be a bit safer security wise. Next would be to go for base models. If you're hard set on buying a brand new car, the base models will have less bells and whistles and will even cost you less. Before you buy the package that gets you the self parking function, really ask yourself if you necessarily need it. Lastly is the most important of all, do your research! Before buying a car look for any stories about computer problems within them either in the past or recently. If a manufacturer makes a mistake in the past, they may learn and test their systems more carefully the next time around, but if you find repeat stories it should serve as a red flag. Knowing everything you can about a car before buying it is always the smartest thing you can do.
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