"... protection against theft of millions of cars at a conference tomorrow."
So if no one drives to the conference, there will be no cars stolen? I was just leaving...
Security researchers will demonstrate how crooks can break into cars at will using wireless signals that can unlock millions of vulnerable vehicles. The eggheads, led by University of Birmingham computer scientist Flavio Garcia alongside colleagues from German engineering firm Kasper & Oswald, have managed to clone a VW Group …
Welp, it was nice knowing VW. Between faking diesel numbers and this, it'll be interesting to see them survive the lawsuits.
Investors might take a haircut, but as one of Germany's largest companies (probably THE largest German company), anybody who thinks that the German government will just watch VW shrivel into the hands of a US vulture fund is kidding themselves.
You do not seem to be aware of the relation between German economy and car manufacturers. Also, 20% of VW is effectively state-owned
I don't know enough about counties like Denmark, but France, Germany, Italy and Greece seem to have very relaxed views of the interpretation of EU wide legislation, in their favour. The U.K. Uniquely, amongst the larger nations tends not to (although they do seem to be taking a much more reasonable point of view over vaping legislation - disclaimer, I don't). If I was writing a sketch for Yes Minister, Sir Humphrey would be organising it all..... In the name of unity of course.
What if car manufacturers take a leaf out of Formula 1's book and develop detachable steering wheels for family saloons etc? The steering wheel could have a unique serial number that hardware in the steering column could detect and would only allow that wheel to operate the vehicle? No steering wheel, no worries!
Inevitably leading to someone having to stand at the tobacco counter at Tesco's as their icecream nelts and say, errr... has anyone handed in a steering wheel? I'm sure I had it when I paid, but can't find it anywhere
Not that I once realised I'd left my wallet on the counter once I'd driven 100 miles. Thankfully there was enough diesel in the tank to get back
Inevitably leading to someone having to stand at the tobacco counter at Tesco's as their icecream nelts and say, errr... has anyone handed in a steering wheel? I'm sure I had it when I paid, but can't find it anywhere
"Nah mate, but we've had this old quartic one from an Allegro knocking around spare since the rest of the car rusted away - you can have it to get you home..."
"Thanks, but I'd rather walk."
Not that I once realised I'd left my wallet on the counter once I'd driven 100 miles
Well better that than getting to 100 miles before realising that you have left the removable steering wheel behind.
Incidentally, does this mean that if I use this technique to steal a VW I would be able to to join the class action suit for the emissions fiddling?
Plenty of LR Defender owners remove the steering wheel at night to prevent theft. Those of us with poor in-built security are well versed in using layers of security. Looks like those with more modern vehicles need to do the same.
Mine's the one with 2 trackers, smart water sprinkled liberally, etched windows, huge sterring immobiliser and steel grills over the rear windows.
" develop detachable steering wheels"
well I remember when car stereos used to be removable - and people would plonk them on the bar in a pub like a status symbol. (pinstripe shirt and braces wearing types) .
Somewhere down the line the stereo manufactured realised you didnt have to drag the whole stereo around with you and the "removable front panel" was invented.
Further down the line, ie today , for those who still want the "take it with you" security placebo its now just a small "KEY" that comes out of the stereo.
Full circle.
The steering wheel could have a unique serial number that hardware in the steering column could detect
Or in other words, exactly like the immobiliser chip in the key currently works? I have to point out, a key is a lot more convenient to carry in your pocket than a steering wheel.
"What if car manufacturers take a leaf out of Formula 1's book and develop detachable steering wheels for family saloons etc? "
the siting of airbags in the wheel would stop that......
however many years ago in a pub alongside the docks in Dublin I was amused to see a rack of steering wheels hanging on the wall while their owners drank excess amounts of Guinness. The steering wheels were routinely removed on parking to prevent the local teen joyriders........
So, you want to replace a small, pocketable key for a big one that people will just leave in the car? I can't see people wandering around the local supermarket, steeringwheel in hand.
The problem isn't the form factor of the key, but the fact that the serial numbers in the keys are based on a very small number of master serial numbers, which means they can be easily cracked. Whether you put the serial number (generator) in the key or the steering wheel doesn't make any difference, you would just need a steeringwheel with the software hack, as opposed to a key with the software hack.
"Garcia was previously blocked from giving a talk about weaknesses in car immobilisers following a successful application to a British court by Volkswagen"
Slightly more detail on this here:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/26/scientist-banned-revealing-codes-cars
Very dodgy decision if you ask me.
Why was it a dodgy decision? VW did not want the entire paper suppressed, but merely wanted the actual code (cryptographic key) redacted. That would not have reduced the academic purpose of the paper one bit, but would have prevented criminals having the actual key needed to steal cars. The researchers refused to publish the paper without the key.
Personally I'm not a fan of keyless entry. I prefer some mechanics, also because it gives me an emergency power switch in case things go wrong. In a keyless car it should actually mandated they have the same sort of kill switch installed as is required on racing cars, for the same reason: in case of problems, kill the damn thing.
Admittedly that'll be a bit harder with electric cars, though (imagine the cabling), but I've worked long enough with electronics and computers to know that a last resort ability to kick the plug out of the socket is not as much a luxury or overengineering as it appears.
The engines of keyless Fords can be turned off by pressing and holding the Start button, or by pressing it quickly three times.
That's not an emergency cutout; it still relies on some piece of software to not have gone titsup. It's not something I'd trust to kill the engine, unless it's some dedicated, separate piece of hardware that controls a Big Chunky Relay killing power to vital parts of the engine (but not braking and steering). But a direct mechanical way to get the relay to disconnect would still be on my requirements list.
Kill switch, huh?
Well, you could attach a mechanical device that cuts the battery cables, the radiator fan belt and a few
spark plugs, when you pull on that string. Or install a hand grenade that literally blows the engine exactly when you want it to happen. The "sugar in the tank", "sand into the crank case", or "sausage into the
exhaust pipe" methods work slower, but could also be updated and robotized. So many ways to kill an engine.
Yup, that's right. The battery on my FOB died, and I haven't found the time to replace it, so I am using my physical key again.
It's a whole new world, because no sneaky FOB-radio-listening-hacker can ever get my code. They can of course use physical methods to steal my car, but, hey, who would want to steal a 20 year old rust bucket with a resale value of close to nada, zero and zilch. I am so safe, it's unbelievable.
But merely as an engineering idea, I think one could come up with an ever-changing random code, such that each time the FOB is used, the code changes. Something with PGP and such with an extra allotment of whatnot.. With radio waves that lie when listened to, in a quantum jumpy sort of way.
(Yes, your honor, my FOB is smarter than me, yes, my FOB lied, because we told it to.) With a code that is embedded in a bunch of random garbage, and only the car and the FOB knows where it begins or ends. As in: 512 bits of garbage, 5 bits of code, 463 bitsa garbage, 7 bits of code, 585 bits of garbage, 39 bitsa code, 4567 bitsa garbage, 85 bitsa code, plus extra garbage, with the beginning and end of garbage changing based on random crap, time of day, the measurment of marigolds and the weight of sunspots. How hard can it be, when you are inspired?
Like tomato sauce, except without garbage, it's all in there, salted, spiced, amazing and undoable.
I wish I wan't too dumb to be a genius.
Of course, anything will eventually get cracked, just to keep people on their toes.
Until then, thieves have to go for the obvious and quietly break the mostly still breakable windows.
Shhhhhh! Be very very quiet, we are hunting VW's...