Fiat Chrysler Automobiles issued a voluntary recall today that addresses concerns over remote hacking of some of its vehicles. The company says the network itself has been repaired as of July 23, so the specific hack can't occur.
Related: Hackers Take Control of Jeep Remotely: What Owners Should Do
The recall, which affects vehicles with 8.4-inch touch-screens, will also include additional security measures to the vehicles' onboard electronics and safety systems detailed below.
Vehicles Affected: Approximately 1.4 million vehicles manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, including model-year 2013-15 Dodge Viper supercars; 2013-15 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks; 2013-15 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 chassis cabs; 2014-15 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs; 2015 Chrysler 200, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans; and 2015 Dodge Challenger sports cars
The Problem: This voluntary recall is part of an ongoing software distribution that insulates connected vehicles from remote manipulation. No defect has been found, FCA said in a statement, and the recall is being done out of caution.
The Fix: Affected owners will receive a USB device by mail that they must use to upgrade vehicle software, which provides additional security features independent of network-level measures FCA has implemented; owners may seek help from dealers in installing the update. FCA stated that these network-level security measures are intended to prevent the type of remote manipulation "demonstrated by a recent media report" by blocking remote access to certain vehicle systems. FCA said the systems were fully tested and implemented within the cellular network on Thursday.
What Owners Should Do: FCA did not immediately announce a schedule of when owners would begin receiving the USBs. Owners can call the automaker at 800-853-1403; they can also go to www.driveuconnect.com/software-update/ to input their vehicle identification number and determine if their vehicle is included in the recall. FCA urged owners to acquire the software update.
Need to Find a Dealer for Service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find your local dealer.
No comments:
Post a Comment