Question: What car is most vulnerable to cyber attacks?

Paul Knight answered on 26 Feb 2025:

A really difficult questions as every car is different in its technology and design. Imagine how many parts make up a car, how many different cars types are available to buy.

If we look at the question a different way “What makes a car vulnerable to cyber attacks”. As vehicles become more connected, incorporating Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and remote access features they also become targets for hackers.

Some recent examples show just how serious this can be:

A security flaw in Kia’s online portal allowed hackers to remotely unlock doors, start engines, and track vehicle locations with just a license plate number.

A Subaru vulnerability exposed the location of vehicles and allowed remote control over certain functions like unlocking and make the horn sound.

A recent study also found that 16 car manufacturers, including BMW, Ford, and Toyota, had weaknesses in their telematics systems, meaning attackers could send commands to vehicles.

Manufacturers are constantly fixing these issues, but every time a new feature is added there’s a potential for new security flaw.

It’s a great reminder that cybersecurity isn’t just about computers; it’s about protecting everything connected to a network, including the cars we drive.