Automobile Gianst Unites To Fight Car Hackers

Today’s automobiles are now more computer controlled than manual. With their ever increasing software and sensors drivers can now navigate the roads more safely. Some times they go driver-less. It is a very good innovation, however its pitfall is fearfully great.

As the world grows in technology for good so it does for bad. The world can now boost of the greatest hackers in history. this world of connected vehicles involving on board computers collecting and transmitting data about location, speed, and engine performance also leads to a much more insecure automobile landscape. So the fear of my automated or semi automated car been hacked and stolen by computer software or me being kidnapped in my own car by some hacker in another part of the world scares people to death. But not to worry, the automobile industry is preparing for any possible contingency.

President Obama has recently called for companies and government agencies to swap security related information to help prevent cyber attacks. Additionally, a couple of cyber security bills were recently created to encourage the private and public sector to exchange security data. Both bills support the idea of a government-sanctioned threat-exchange hub and would offer some sort of legal protection for companies willing to swap data in case any privacy-related lawsuits emerge. The automobile giants have also responded to that call.

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM)—an alliance of twelve automakers including Ford F , General Motors GM , and Mercedes-Benz—said Tuesday is creating an information sharing and analysis center (ISAC). This center will let participating companies swap cyber security data and keep each other abreast of the latest hacking threats targeting vehicles.

The organization said that the new center will be up and running later on this year, and that it will be distributing cyber threat information to the automakers involved with the hub. The goal is to “further enhance the industry’s ongoing efforts to safeguard vehicle electronic systems and networks,” explained Robert Strassburger, vice president for vehicle safety at the AAM, in a statement.

 

As the threat-sharing hub matures, the AAM expects that other companies related to vehicle manufactures—such as auto part suppliers, telecommunication providers, and even tech companies—will join the hub.

Google has been busy developing its own self-driving car, so one would imagine the hub would like to tap into any security related information the tech giant might have that could help car companies

Consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton was selected to help the AAM develop the center. The auto organization is also asking the government to help out by including “legal protections that facilitate cyber security information sharing,” explained Strassburger.

Whether tech companies like Google , Facebook FB , or Apple AAPL choose to participate remains to be seen. The tech industry has made it clear that it doesn’t want the government to participate in any data-swapping initiative they may be involved with.

Additionally, carmakers have made it clear that they want to limit the amount of data like engine and braking information they share with tech companies like Google and Apple so only they can be the ones holding valuable data that could improve their bottom line.

fortune.com