by Mark Ollig
If you told me 20 years ago automobiles connected to
the Internet would be the topic of a dual US subcommittee hearing in 2015, I
would not have been surprised.
In 1995, I predicted telephone and television would
eventually be carried over the Internet – how many remember that?
Well, some of you might.
But I digress.
The US House Oversight and Government Reform committee
held a hearing Nov. 18 with the Information Technology and the Transportation
and Public Assets subcommittees.
They met to discuss issues concerning automobiles’
computing systems being connected to the Internet – and with each other.
Officially, this hearing was called: The Internet of
Cars.
Yes, having our cars technically connected with each
other, and the Internet, has now become a political issue.
This hearing defined “connected-vehicles” as cars that:
“access, consume, create, enrich, direct, and share digital information between
businesses, people, organizations, infrastructures, and things.”
I loved how they added “things” at the end of this
definition.
It appears cars will become just another electronic
“thing” which will make up the Internet of Things (IoT).
The hearing was chaired by US Congressman John Mica,
and focused on issues concerning intelligent automobiles, their being linked to
each other, and other things, via the Internet.
Testimonies were made by automobile makers: General
Motors, Toyota, and Tesla Motors.
Congressman Mica opened the hearing with; “It’s
interesting the age that we live in of new technology and communications . . . we
have all of the incredible technology that we see and take for granted every
day. We’re entering a new era in transportation technology.”
He then joked about how some of the “older” panelists
and members of the audience would remember when opening the hood of your car
meant you could take out the various parts and identify everything.
I guess more of us are falling into that category now.
Congressman Mica continued, suggesting we almost need
to have a PhD degree just to figure out the capabilities of our automobiles.
He said the technical abilities of today’s automobiles
are “astounding.”
There is so much new technology in today’s cars we did
not have years ago.
I have come to learn this from personal experience.
When I bought my new 2013 automobile, I was amazed by
all the technology inside it.
“With all the advanced technology inside this new car .
. . I feel I’m driving an iPhone down the highway,” I wrote in my Sept. 2, 2013
column.
When I first took the new car for a test drive, I asked
the salesperson where the ignition key was.
She promptly said I didn’t need to start the car with a
key – I just needed to have a “fob” (frequency operated button), and press the
car’s start button.
Right then and there, I knew driving for me would never
be the same again.
Back in the hearing, the members of the subcommittees
were presented with circumstances involving vehicle-to-vehicle communications.
Benefits mentioned on having “smart automobiles”
communicating with each other included: fewer accidents, lowered fuel
consumption, and improvement in commerce.
The concern about having connected-cars was their
vulnerability to cyber-attack.
Stark questions arose about the probabilities of
computer hackers gaining control over automobiles.
Today’s smart, and connected-vehicles, equipped with
electronic capabilities connected to the Internet, can, and I will add;
“already have been hacked into.”
A recent car-hacking was into a Jeep made by Chrysler.
This past July, 1.4 million Chrysler automobiles were
recalled when it was determined hackers gained control through the Jeep’s
Internet-connected entertainment system.
These hackers took over control of a Jeep Cherokee’s
computer system by accessing it through the mobile data network the Jeep was
networked to.
Using off-the-shelf electronic components and typing
out the right programming code, a dedicated hacker had found a way to remotely
take control of a vehicle over the Internet.
This is scary stuff, folks.
Now, imagine yours truly happily driving his new,
high-tech, Internet-connected-car down the freeway, and preparing to take an
exit ramp.
Unbeknownst to me, there’s a small, glowing red light
on my GPS display screen.
As I begin to steer towards the freeway exit ramp, the
car’s speaker system activates and says; “I’m sorry Mark, I’m afraid I can’t do
that.”
The car’s computer-control system has been hacked into,
and taken over by the HAL 9000 computer from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Indeed. What a nightmare that would be.
On a more serious note; there’s no doubt having
verifiable consumer protections installed in vehicles connected to the
Internet, or other things, will become a vital necessity.
These protections will need to instill consumer
confidence, and ensure safe guarding of our automobiles from hackers.
In fact, our friends at the US Department of
Transportation (DOT) were to have a report about enacting safety standards for
connected-cars this past July.
During the hearing, it was learned they had not
completed it.
This did not sit well with an impatient Congressman
Mica.
With measured words, he tersely told the DOT
representative; “You can, you will, and will have it [the report] here within
10 days.”
All of us can look forward to reading the DOT’s report
very soon.
I felt the question regarding specific government involvement
with these car makers during this first Internet of Cars hearing was not fully
answered.
The automakers did express their need for freedom to
innovate and create the new technologies customers will desire, and have
confidence in.
They also stated the importance of working with
government agencies to ensure the safety and security of connected-automobiles.
Congressman Mica ended the hearing with; “We want to do
the right thing at this important juncture.”
To visit the US Oversight government link to The
Internet of Cars hearing, use this shortened URL link I created:
http://tinyurl.com/bytes-icars.
Here is the complete, two-hour long, joint-subcommittee
video (the hearing begins at the 11:44 minute mark):
http://tinyurl.com/bytes-icarvid.
The Bits & Bytes column: “It’s like driving an
iPhone” can be read at: http://tinyurl.com/bytes-09022013.
