this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2025
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There are two things hidden here:
the entertainment system should have zero access to anything that controls the movement of the car. androidauto apps can't implement self driving functions either. if it's possible, the car manufacturer was incredibly irresponsible and needs to be sued into oblivion. see, the actual problem is not that irresponsible users could implement "self driving apps", but that the entertainment system lacks any real security, is filled with vulnerabilities, and often even have remote access capabilities with bluetooth/wifi/cellular, and bad actors could load malware wirelessly that would kill the passengers and whoever else on the road.
Not only is is possible, there are many CAN bus attacks from the entertainment system I've seen over the years. That, along with your noted remote attacks makes modern cars a nightmare. It doesn't help that manufacturers cheap out on basic protections to save a few bucks (see the Hyundai boys and the lack of an installed engine interlock).
yeah, unfortunately. but do androidauto apps have access to the CAN bus? I would at least hope that this platform would not grant access to it
One would hope. But given we've seen CAN bus attacks over basic radios, I wish I could say I was confident they've taken those basic precautions. Car hacking is one of those topics that can keep you up at night when you think about how lax some manufacturers are to save a buck.
Lacking government regulation in the largest markets, proper separation will never be enforced, because it isn't to the manufacturers' benefits. And that probably isn't going to happen until hacked infotainment systems kill enough people to draw attention, unfortunately.
People have totally gotten killed from maintenance done by a "professional" (new kid on the job at the shop.)
I watch YouTuber CarCareNut and he's shown many stupid mistakes made by dealerships.
I assure you I take greater care doing repairs than a tech who will get yelled at if they don't finish the job fast.
Why are you assuming that the infotainment center in a car can take over steering at all?
If saftey is your concern I hope you do not blindly trust manufacturers given their history of "safety and security". My concern is software freedom: being in control of your own computing (instead of the creator being in control). All software has bugs, but at least 3rd party software isn't intentionally adding anti-features and spyware.