Security Alert: Could Hackers Break Into Your Car–Virtually?
More expensive, more technologically advanced vehicles offer better all-around security, right? Well, maybe, but as new research to be unveiled this week looks poised to suggest, you might be opening yourself up to another type of break-in and presenting a challenge to hackers instead of mere street thieves.
Scientists have reported that they were able to hack into vehicles and control a number of functions including braking and other safety-critical features.
Though the kind of hacking might be more likely to be in the name of mischief than remote carjacking, it's certainly cause for worry—and a hint that your in-car settings might not be as guarded as those behind a firewall on your home PC.
As the New York Times reported this past week, the researchers are accusing the auto industry of not learning from the mistakes of the personal computing industry, and not adequately thinking about potential threats from hackers.
The results are to be presented with a paper—due to be presented this week at a security conference in Oakland, California—called "Experimental Security Analysis of a Modern Automobile," by a host of researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego.
Using various techniques, the researchers were able to break into vehicle networks and activate or change a range of features—in many cases, while the vehicle was in motion.
Prior to the presentation, it's not clear whether the report will refer to GM's OnStar system, which offers remote unlocking services, or if the weak link, typically, is key fobs, Bluetooth systems, or core vehicle systems, but we'll keep you posted.
With more vehicles incorporating remote start features, vehicle networks, and screen-based interfaces, and with smartphone interfaces on the way for a number of vehicles including the 2011 Nissan LEAF and 2011 Chevrolet Volt (GM has just today revealed that Google Maps location services will be included), it's at the very least time to get proactive and apply more of the same principles we've been using to guard our PCs to our vehicles as well.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Teamsters, Tea Party Protest Some Of The Same Things At Detroit
At two places during the Detroit auto show—first circulating on a Cobo Hall press-room table, then later slipped under my hotel-room door—I found a leaflet entitled: "Toyota: A Danger to America," carrying the footer, "I ain't dying for a Toyota." Wearing the language and design earmarks of auto-industry union propaganda (yes, I'm a Michigan native), it has a paragraph questioning Toyota's safety and reliability, and mentioning the automaker's 3.8-million-vehicle recall to fix throttle pedals. Then it goes on to declare that "Toyota is also a danger to good American jobs," mentioning Toyota's plans to close its New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) plant in Fremont, California.The closure will affect 5,400 NUMMI employees, and about 50,000 supplier and support workers, the leaflet says; but as we reported last year the plant has only been operating at about half capacity and Toyota currently has a surplus of plant capacity. The NUMMI plant, which assembles the 2010 Toyota Corolla sedan and 2010 Toyota Tacoma pickup, was formerly a joint venture with GM—for some reason not mentioned in the leaflet—and is the Japanese automaker's only unionized U.S. plant.It's not clear what the aggressive flyering effort is attempting to accomplish—arguing that Americans not purchase an automaker's vehicles, but also criticizing the automaker's planned closing of a still-open plant that builds those vehicles.
The motives get hazier when we confirm that the leaflet leads to a Teamsters Union site, CarBuyersBeware.com, which carries the banner of "How Bailed-Out Auto Giants Are Ripping Off American Consumers." It doesn't mention Toyota at all; instead most of the site contents are dedicated to a current campaign against Chrysler, accusing Chrysler of not coming through on the terms of its federal bailout and saying, in leaflets of a similar format (titled Fiat/Chrysler: Stiffing Taxpayers, Gouging Car Buyers), that "Chrysler is not planning to pay back the $3.7 billion of the loan it got from taxpayers. That's your money they're keeping."And that talk of accountability is surprisingly close to what you'll see in releases from the National Taxpayers Union, who attempted to organize an ill-attended 'tea party' at the Detroit show this past Monday, to coincide with House Speaker Pelosi's visit to the show.Am I the only one seeing the overlap? If our fever-check at Detroit was any indication, nearly everyone—except the automakers themselves—seems to be disgruntled with the automaker bailout to some degree. Maybe the Teamsters and the Tea Party have a little more in common than we think.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Couple Finds Cash For Clunkers Trade Back On The Used Lot
A Southern California couple who decided to trade in their 2001 Nissan Xterra under the Cash for Clunkers program in August later found the vehicle for sale in the same dealership's used lot.
Oops. It seems that the dealership, Volkswagen of Garden Grove, decided to forget about the CARS claim on the Xterra and tried to sell it themselves.
The environmentally minded couple says that they wouldn't have traded the Xterra in the first place if they'd known it wasn't going to be scrapped. They had intended to purchase a Jetta TDI and get the $4,500 CARS credit, but instead the dealership didn't have any and they settled for a gasoline Jetta, with the $3,500 credit. The customer completed the transaction thinking that the 17-mpg Xterra would be taken off the road.
"I had brought in my car registration, the car title, and one year of auto insurance proof for the clunker, fulfilling my end of the cash for clunkers, the other was for the dealer to sell me a new car and to destroy my old one," said Dan Hoang, who traded the Xterra with his girlfriend. "If I had known that the dealership was using the car as a trade-in, then I would not have brought the car in, but simply kept the car for another year or two."
It sounds, based on the dealership's response to the Orange County Register, that the terms of the sale were cleverly switched in the last minutes of the sale, allowing them to take the Xterra on trade when the owners had intended it to be scrapped.
The vehicle was priced at $5,995 on the lot.
The National Highway Traffic Administration replied to the OC Register that since a claim was never submitted, they had no jurisdiction over the issue; that punts it into the realm of the California attorney general.
If the opportunistic dealership failed to adequately communicate that the status of the trade-in had changed, an ethical if not legal line was crossed.
Have you seen a vehicle that you thought was being traded in through Cash for Clunkers back out on the used-car lot? Let us know about it, and report it to the proper authorities. Them's tax dollars.
[OC Register, via Consumerist]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Toyota To Wrap Up NUMMI Production By March 2010
Ever since General Motors announced plans to pull out of the NUMMI plant in Fremont, California, its partner in that venture -- Toyota -- has been evaluating what to do with its own operations there. There's been much speculation as to whether Toyota would continue production on a limited basis, find a new partner, or sell its stake in the plant entirely.
It appears the matter has now been decided: according to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Toyota will end operations at NUMMI by the March 2010 (although the company itself says no official decision has been reached). Assuming that information is accurate, Toyota will need to shift production of the two models it manufactures there -- the Tacoma pickup and the Corolla sedan -- to other factories. The Tacoma will likely move to San Antonio Texas, with Corolla production split between Ontario, Canada and Japan.
To industry analysts, the shutdown is a smart move for Toyota, which is only operating NUMMI at half-capacity and is losing money in the process. To the financially strapped state of California, whose elected officials -- including Governor Schwarzenegger -- have lobbied hard to keep NUMMI and its 4,500 jobs alive, the news isn't nearly as good.
UPDATE: Toyota confirmed this report earlier today.
[AutoNews, sub req'd]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Fox Host Charges GM: You Sank My Dealership
Between Carrie Prejean and Gretchen Carlson, it's been made clear this week that you don't want to piss off a beauty queen.
Prejean's been slagged this week in the press--but championed by Fox News for her stance on gay marriage, which in part got her removed as Miss California. Now, former Miss America Gretchen Carlson is using the Fox platform to tackle General Motors, which is in the process of closing thousands of dealers across the country as it downsizes and pushes for a speedy exit from Chapter 11.
Carlson's parents own a GM dealership in Minnesota that's being identified for closure, despite making money, Carlson says. This week, she's been in a full-court press to publicize (ethically or not, on the Fox morning show and other outlets) what she thinks is unfair closures of GM dealers, including the GM dealership owned by her family for 90 years.
Yesterday, Carlson appeared on co-Fox host Glenn Beck's evening talk show and said the GM moves were illegal. "It gets worse because by Friday (June 12) terminated dealers by GM have to sign what's called a wind-down agreement," Carlson said. "And if they don't sign it, they have a gun to their head - they will not get any warranties on any of the vehicles that are currently sitting in their lots, which the judge [FNC contributor Andrew Napolitano] tells me is illegal."
"Capitalism, some say, is being crushed," she said this morning on the Fox & Friends program.
What's a car company to do? Send out an equally attractive blond with business acumen and a valid counter-argument--in this case, Pontiac/GMC/Buick division chief Susan Docherty. As Carlson charged that GM said it would only terminate underperforming dealerships, Docherty explained rationally how GM had a four-point plan to shutter dealerships--dealerships that did not fit the company's targets for profitability, capitalization, customer service and sales effectiveness. To stay alive, Docherty said, dealers "needed to perform well in all four categories."
Carlson's counterpunch: what if GM management were held accountable in same categories? Why are profitable dealers being closed when they were "not asking for billions of dollars in handouts?"
"Take a look at what has happened in our industry," Docherty swung back. "Our industry has gone from being anywhere from 17 million, 18 million units annually to down to 9. Surviving in an environment where the industry has been cut in half requires all of us take drastic measures."
With a final jab, Carlson accused GM of both purging dealers in "an assault on private enterprise," and charged that GM CEO Fritz Henderson was influenced by Rep. Barney Frank (D.-Mass.) in choosing to delay the closing of a Massachusetts warehouse facility located in his district--all due to political influence.
Docherty's response: "I have no problem admitting on your program that there are no political favors going on here." Many dealers have appealed the GM closure process and 41 have convinced the company of their value, she added.
It's a classic macro- versus microeconomic argument--or is it populism versus pragmatism? Whatever the case, we're just glad to see two tough ladies battling on morning TV without having to tune into the USA Network.
Lagniappe: here's Carlson and 50 other "talented, progressive women" at the 1989 pageant. Note the aggressive use of polka dots:
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
First Drive: 2010 Kia Forte
Kia has renamed its core small-sedan model the Forte to signal a new beginning for the brand in this segment, and it only takes a glance at the new model to understand why. It's a really good-looking car. While the Spectra that preceded the Forte certainly wasn't a bad car, its anonymous styling didn't win many friends and its feature set was far from exciting.
Like the fashionable 2010 Soul, the 2010 Kia Forte merits a new trip to the Kia dealership and perhaps a new look at Kia, as the brand is quickly shedding its reputation for dowdy vehicles. The Forte has many of the elements and features of much more expensive cars, yet it's still one of the least expensive small sedans.
Thank Kia's new design studio in California for creating such clean, assertive, and attractive look for the Forte. With smooth, clean sheetmetal and an uncluttered look in front and in back, the new Forte doesn't go over the top and it's likely to age well; even more to the point, they got the trim proportions right. The svelte 2010 Kia Forte doesn't have any awkward angles, and a nice wide stance from the front and back somehow matches the flowing, elegant roofline. Inside, the look is simple, with a smoother, more organic version of the teardrop center stack used in the Forte.
Forte shoppers have a choice of two different engines—a 156-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder in LX and EX models or a 173-hp, 2.4-liter four in the sportier Kia Forte SX. LX and EX models have a standard five-speed manual and optional four-speed automatic, while SX models get a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic.
The 2010 Kia Forte delivers a lot more driving satisfaction (and sophistication) than most value-minded buyers will expect. Both engines bring more than adequate acceleration, and they function just fine with the automatics as they both are happiest in the mid-rev ranges. Kia expects acceleration to 60 mph to be in the low eight-second range for the SX. The standard hydraulic power steering responds well, outward visibility is good, and the ride is firm but absorbent—a nice compromise for daily driving. There's not a lot of nosedive in hard braking, and the four-wheel discs stop the Forte confidently. Automatic Fortes include a manumatic shift mode that actually locks in a gear; unlike other systems it won't force a downshift if you floor it. We recommend the automatic with the Forte, as it works well with the engine and clutch-throttle coordination on manual cars was imprecise.
The EX Fuel Economy Package keeps the 2.0-liter engine but upgrades to a five-speed automatic, and includes electric power steering, a smart alternator system, low-rolling-resistance silica tires, and some minor aerodunamic enhancements. And, surprisingly, it's the Forte that we liked best; we thought the weighting of the electric power steering was better, with a little more feel of the road, and boosted more while parking and less at speed. None of the other changes affected ride or handling noticeably, yet the package ups fuel economy ratings to 27 mpg city, 36 highway. What's not to like?
The rather tall roof and wider body works wonders for passenger space in the Forte. Front seats aren't generously proportioned, but there's adequate headroom even with the sunroof for this 6'-6" driver, with lots of legroom, and the back seat has plenty of space for two adults, three in a pinch—though there legroom is limited. The trunk is huge.
Overall, Kia has done a great job damping the noise and vibration that usually accompanies the cheapest small cars, and even over the coarsest road surfaces the cabin boom wasn't excessive. And while there's definitely some hard plastic around the cabin we couldn't find any ragged edges.
All safety features are standard across the entire 2010 Kia Forte line; that includes dual seat-mounted side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, front active headrests, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, and electronic stability control.
The new Forte starts at just $13,695 for the LX model, while the EX starts at $15,745 and the SX bows at $17,195, not counting destination. All models get Bluetooth, Sirius Satellite Radio, and an auxiliary input jack for the audio system, plus steering wheel controls and voice activation. The EX model adds air conditioning, power accessories, and the SX adds fog lamps plus upgraded upholstery and trim. The SX model is the "image leader" of the lineup; in addition to those details and the stronger engine, it gets a sport-tuned suspension, larger brakes, and showy 17-inch alloy wheels. Other options are limited to a power sunroof, leather seat packages (heated in front), and a Convenience Package that adds A/C and other upgrades to the LX.
First with the Soul, and now with the 2010 Forte, even without nitpicking features and value we can confidently say that Kia has some of the best small cars out there.
Check out our overview page on the 2010 Kia Forte for new pictures, along with specs, prices, news, and more.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
SoCal to Vancouver On Hydrogen–And We’ll Do Some Of The Driving!
The California Fuel Cell Partnership has announced a Hydrogen Road Tour 2009 event, aimed at informing the public about hydrogen-fueled vehicles. From May 26 through June 3, the tour will travel nearly 1,700 miles, from Chula Vista, California, to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Twelve different fuel cell vehicles from seven automakers will caravan in the event, with stops in 28 communities along the way and organized public showings or ride-and-drives in many of them.
With a total of 30 members now, including automakers, energy companies, fuel-cell tech companies, and government agencies, the California Fuel Cell Partnership aims to work toward commercialization of hydrogen vehicle technology.
In last year's Hydrogen Road Tour, which went cross-country from Maine to California, vehicles were trucked for some segments of the trip where the distance between refueling stations was too great. Vehicles in this year's tour will cover the entire distance on their own, with a mobile refueling station along for segments where it's needed, and to educate people on how quick, simple, and safe the process is.
Look for updates from your truly as I pilot the Honda FCX Clarity—the model that's now being delivered to a few select California lessees—on an 85-mile stretch into Portland, Oregon, on May 31.
Visit www.hydrogenroadtour.com for more info, including when the caravan might stop near you.
Here are some of the vehicles:
Daimler F-Cell
Chevy Equinox FCV
Honda FCX Clarity
Hyundai Tucson FCEV
Kia Borrego FCEV
Nissan X-Trail
Toyota FCHV-adv
Volkswagen Tiguan HyMotion
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Mich., Ca. Differ On Emissions Regs: What Should Obama Do?
Tree-huggers on the left coast, championed by Conan-No-Longer-The-Barbarian Schwarzenegger, want to impose strict new standards that would dictate a 30 percent reduction in vehicle emissions by 2013. At least 13 other states feel similarly, and they've banded together to ask the Obama Administration to allow them to navigate around current EPA guidelines preventing them from taking action. On Wednesday, Schwarzenneger and CARB (California Air Resources Board) even wrote Obama an official request.
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox is incensed, arguing that allowing states to set their own emissions standards would "be devastating to the auto industry." He claims that, as written, the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act prevent California and other states from taking independent action where emissions regulation is concerned.
So, WSOD (What Should Obama Do)?
We already reported that the Obama Administration and then-EPA-nominee Lisa Jackson seemed to be leaning towards granting some type of waiver for California and other states. And during his campaign, Obama put in writing that he'd allow California to impose its own regulations. Just last night the 46-year-old Jackson, a Princeton-educated chemical engineer, was officially confirmed to head the U.S. EPA (making her the first African-American to do so).
Claimed benefits of allowing states to set their own emissions standards include a reduction of airborne health risks in congested areas and a reduction in global warming. But there are plenty who fiercely contest Al Gore's raison d'etre, and others say that California's recently-passed diesel emissions regs are beating up an already bloodied trucking industry.
Suddenly my job seems really, really easy.
[source: Detroit News]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Aptera: On Track And On Time
A couple of weeks ago, things weren't looking good for Aptera, the upstart start-up from Carlsbad, California. The company had collected quite a few $500 deposits for its snazzy, space-age, all-electric 2e model, but Aptera suddenly realized that they hadn't polled those customers--you know, to find out what's important to them. Turns out, Aptera's customers want things like roll-down windows, which the 2e doesn't have. Dang. In light of that and more, the company pushed back the 2e's drop date from January 2009 to October 2009. Pessimists smiled.
Those same naysayers will be very disappointed to learn that Aptera has finished its initial re-toolings, and the first 2e pre-production model has rolled off the line for testing. The company is on target to drop its first batch of cars in--get this--October 2009. Right on schedule.
There's no word on how customer surveys affected the pre-production design, but you can see from the photo above (and from Aptera's updated 2e gallery) that a portion of the window does, in fact, retract. All that, and the equivalent of 200mpg? Dang, indeed.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
