Car hacking remains a very real threat as autos become ever more loaded with tech


Automakers and suppliers are making progress in protecting vehicles from cyber attacks, but the car-hacking threat is still real and could get increasingly serious in the future when driverless vehicles begin talking to each other.

A worst-case scenario would be hackers infiltrating a vehicle through a minor device, such as an infotainment system, then wreaking havoc by taking control of the vehicle's door locks, brakes, engine or even semi-autonomous driving features.

Justin Cappos, a computer science professor at New York University's Tanden School of Engineering, said one of the more promising ways to stay ahead of hackers is through regular over-the-air software updates to fix vulnerabilities as soon as they become known.

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