In-car Internet raises safety concerns

I think some people have become so attached to the online world that they find difficulty in leaving it, even for just a little while. Luckily, there’s WiFi to still allow people to remain connected, even while they’re on the go. Because of this, many establishments have began offering free wireless Internet access, as long as you buy your meal or purchase your coffee and drink it there.

Even public places are already being equipped with WiFi. The latest example is the London Underground, which announced that it will soon be offering WiFi access across 120 of its tubes in London. This followed after the London Underground was able to hold successful trials earlier on.

A recent study by KPMG on future trends revealed that in-car Internet might soon become a “normal” thing. The group reports that aside from WiFi and 3G, voice recognition features installed in vehicles will soon become the norm.

While this might seem like a new and convenient way to actually have fun during long car rides and road trips, it’s not necessarily one of the safest things out there. KPMG’s report raised a few eyebrows and many calls for safety concerns after it was released.

Although having in-car Internet might be convenient, it’s also going to raise a nightmarish amount of safety and security issues. Some of these include remote car hijacking, where an outside party will be able to control your breaks, speed, and door locks, among others. And if terrorists can somehow gain control of your vehicle, then things will obviously take a huge turn for the worst.

Ryan Permeh, a principal security architect at Intel Corp.’s McAfee division, said: “I can definitely imagine organised crime or potentially even nation states leveraging weaknesses in these functions to cause different kinds of havoc.”

Chrysler spokesman Vince Muniga expressed the company’s concern and said, of the technology, that they were consulting experts with regards to “things that may be vulnerable in the future.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also made the following statement regarding in-car Internet: “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is aware of the potential for ‘hackers’ and is working with automakers to better understand what steps can and are being taken to address the problem.”