2002 Jeep Wrangler Sport Sport Utility 2-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Are future vehicular hacks inevitable?

Before the hack of the Uconnect system in a Jeep Cherokee resulted in a 1.4-million vehicle recall, the potential software vulnerabilities in vehicles were already a hot topic with Congressional inquiries and even proposed legislation in the US. As cars' interconnected systems gain the ability to go online, they become open to a host of new threats. Automakers are trying to stop this, but it might be too late to put the genie back into the bottle. Throughout 2015, the issue of software security in vehicles has become increasingly vital. For example, the recent Jeep case wasn't even the biggest hack this year. In February, a major flaw was discovered in the BMW Connected Drive service that allowed researchers to remotely lock and unlock the doors and potentially affected 2.2 million cars. The fix was an over-the-air patch for the problem. Automakers are actively working to fix the issues. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi reportedly are using encrypted connections and firewalls in their vehicles to prevent hacking. "Absolute, 100-percent safety isn't possible," Daimler spokesperson Benjamin Oberkersch said to Automotive News Europe. "But we develop our systems, tested by internal and external experts, so they're up to date." These vulnerabilities seem to be popping up more often. A successful hack took $14 in parts from Radio Shack in one case. There was also a 60 Minutes report earlier in the year about DARPA's ability to hack into OnStar to take control of a Chevrolet Impala. Experts aren't so sure companies can contend with hackers' advancement. "The difficulty for the carmakers at the moment is the question whether they can keep pace with advances in technology, and especially hacking technology," Rainer Scholz, executive director for telematics consultant EY, said to Automotive News Europe. "We seriously doubt they can." At this point, vehicle hacks are coming more from researchers looking for holes than from those with malicious intent. Still, the vulnerabilities are definitely there. It's up to automakers to keep patching the problems before they become dangerous to drivers. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill O'Leary / The Washington Post via Getty Images Audi BMW Jeep Mercedes-Benz Safety Technology Emerging Technologies hacking cyber security

Next Jeep Wrangler to keep solid axles

Jeep fans, you're not out of the woods yet, but the latest news is good: Automotive News reports that the next-generation Wrangler will stick with floating solid axles front and rear. Fiat-Chrysler wouldn't comment on the report, but the theory is that the combination of cost, capability, and ease of modification were deciding factors. We're sure the multibillion dollar aftermarket industry is also pleased. Remember, Jeep showed off the lifted Cherokee Dakar Concept at the Easter Jeep Safari last year, but the first ingredient in the recipe for jacking up its independent suspension was, "a whole new suspension." Above that there will be an aluminum body that's smaller than the current one, which Allpar says could be done with a narrower track and tighter gaps. It will sport a fixed windshield with increased rake to improve aero efficiency, and while there are rumors of a diesel-engined version that we'll finally get in the US, there's been no reliable info as of yet to back that up. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Jeep Truck Off-Road Vehicles

2022 New York Auto Show Roundup | All the reveals, reviews, pictures

NEW YORK — In case you missed it, the New York Auto Show took place this year after being canceled in both 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. A lot of manufacturers showed up in force, but not everybody did. No matter, we were there, and we brought you news, photos and scoops from the floor throughout the show. All of our New York-related stories can be found at our central hub here, but if youÂ’d rather just get a small taste of everything in a quick and digestible format, keep scrolling. 2023 Kia Telluride and its new X-Pro trim Kia revealed the TellurideÂ’s first major refresh at New York, and it makes the three-row crossover a little bit more desirable without screwing up what we liked about it before. ThereÂ’s a new X-Line and X-Pro trim for someone who might want a little more off-road capability, and a number of tech improvements. Most notably, a newly-designed dash features new and bigger screens. 2023 Hyundai Palisade The TellurideÂ’s sister car from Hyundai was treated to a similar refresh. Like the Telluride, Hyundai gave the Palisade a slightly revised look, a new off-road trim (called XRT in the PalisadeÂ’s case), more tech inside and a new dash design with full-width air vents. If we had to choose, weÂ’re a little more impressed with the TellurideÂ’s refresh, as a number of us on staff actually prefer the pre-refresh Palisade styling over the new one. 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L This one was inevitable. Jeep revealed the longer, roomier versions of its Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer in New York, and theyÂ’re designated with an “L” at the end of their names. Total length grows by a foot, and the wheelbase goes up by 7 inches versus the standard Wagoneer models. Jeep has essentially allocated all this extra room to the cargo area, as it now offers a staggering 44.2 cubic-feet of space behind the third row. Besides the L, Jeep announced that its new Hurricane inline-six engine would find its first home in the Wagoneer. Efficiency gets a small boost, and power is more than sufficient at either 420 horsepower (standard output) or 510 horsepower (high-output version) from the twin-turbo I-6. Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept The Stellantis party continues with Chrysler and its slightly revised Airflow. Re-styled for the New York market after initially debuting at CES in Las Vegas, the Airflow Concept gets new paint, changed accent colors, a slightly changed interior design and a new interpretation of the Chrysler logo.