14 DAY TRIAL // Eddie Schwartz, VP of global security solutions at Verizon, warns that hackers will start testing the security systems on autonomous cars as soon as they hit the streets.
Google and many major car manufacturers are racing to develop self-driving cars, so it’s only a matter of time until we see such vehicles being sold to anyone.
However, Schwartz has told The Guardian that the companies that make self-driving cars should not neglect security.
The expert highlights that such vehicles must be able to communicate in order to recognize each other. They must have some sort of authentication that will enable them to exchange information fast.
These communication systems are the most tempting targets for hackers. Schwartz says there are “a million applications” in the industry for machine-to-machine communications and they all have underlying security issues.
Of course, the fact that autonomous cars will be targeted by hackers isn’t surprising. Even regular cars have been put to the test by security researchers, so, clearly, smart cars will be much more tempting.