BEAST Magazine #3 2016

32
#Entertainment | Mobility
The need to increase cybersecurity
and for new experts
Last summer, two researchers from the US made the
headlines when the website Wired published a video of two
researchers remotely hacking and driving a Jeep Cherokee
on the highway. As cars are becoming more and more
connected, it is only logical that the cybersecurity risk is
increasing. And motives for hackers are abundant: access to
online automotive apps and services that contain banking
and credit records, lifestyle information, medical records,
vehicle location information, but also industrial espionage,
sabotage and vehicle identification re-assignment in case
of a stolen car.
«ONCE YOU CAN DELIVER
A CAR IN FIVE MINUTES,
THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS
YOU CAN DELIVER IN FIVE
MINUTES»
Travis KALANICK
CEO, Uber
In Luxembourg, Raphaël Frank and his team at the SnT
(Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust)
of the University of Luxembourg have been working on the
same problematics and were able to hack several cars and
control them from distance. Good news for Chief Information
Officers, who are by the way now called Chief Information
Security Officers!
Radar traps, road construction and alcohol consumption
Not only does autonomous driving mean less accidents, it
also means no more speeding. What’s the use of radar traps
then? Since governments feed on them, other taxes may be
increased… A shame, especially in Luxembourg where radar
traps just arrived in March after a lengthy debate. Therefore
will governments be willing to help with the development of
autonomous driving? Maybe not.
Special lanes may be necessary to avoid autonomous cars
and regular ones colliding. In this respect, the road industry
might get a piece of the cake. On the other hand, drivers
will suffer from months of roadworks, which may cause an
increase in traffic in big cities and especially in Luxembourg.
And last but not least (we’re talking here about a nonexhaustive
list), what about alcohol consumption? Will
autonomous car passenger have to be sober? For now,
given the driver will still be required to take control of his/
her car, yes, obviously! If we look forward, 2040 may see a
strong increase in the consumption of alcohol. There for on
one hands this would be safer, however many people could
be susceptible to addiction and alcohol-related diseases.
Once just a fantasy, the road to autonomous driving is
already affecting many industries all over the world, but
also the behavior of the «former» drivers. Where the origins
can be dated back to the myth of the flying carpet, and
much later, to the 1950s ad called Driverless Car of the
Future for «America’s Electric Light and Power Companies»,
autonomous driving has now truly become a reality. From the
streets of San Francisco to test-runs on campuses in the
US, intelligent cars will soon hit the streets of Luxembourg.
Be ready for change, be ready for disruption!
BEAST MAGAZINE #3