We use our smartphones a lot. Checking email, texting friends, scheduling time together—these are just a few of the many ways that technology is improving our lives. Our cars, too, are offering more technologies to keep up with the times. But one of the big challenges that technology faces is security.
2014 will likely be remembered as the year of hacking. Dozens of companies were not as secure as they needed to be. You might remember seeing headlines to this effect. Thankfully, car companies were not targeted. We flew under the radar. We feel that this was a warning that next time we might not be so lucky. Which is why we’re pleased to report that car companies are preparing their systems to be more secure.
Automakers recently formed the Information Sharing Advisory Center, or Auto-ISAC. Thus far we know only three of the members: Toyota, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers.
In this center, automakers will be able to share cyber security technology. This is important because cars of the future will do a lot of talking to each other, and will need to be speaking the same language. Breakthroughs in security technology will be given to all members.
Increasing the cyber security of cars is an important function because, as we indicated above, hacking is a growing reality. As cars develop more sophisticated technologies in the future, we’ll get to do even more cool things with and through our cars. More technology, however, will mean that we’ll need more technology security. That’s why it’s good that automakers are taking steps to increase security.
This news comes from the former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, David Strickland. Strickland left the NHTSA ten months ago to join the private consulting company Venable. Venable is a major lobbying firm for the auto industry. Strickland hasn’t been in the news since his departure from the federal agency earlier this year – until now.
The bottom line is that this is a good development. Automakers are taking technology safety seriously.