What Happens if Your Car Gets Hacked?

With smart electronics, your car may have all kinds of features that improve your driving experience. But hackers can use that technology to cause trouble and commit crimes. Here’s what could happen, and what you can do to reduce your risk of car hacking.

No matter how much smart technology your car has, the important thing is to make sure it has the right protection for when the unexpected happens. To review your auto insurance coverage, talk to Farm Bureau.

What Is Car Hacking?

Car hacking is when someone accesses your car’s digital electronics. With this access, they may be able to gain control of certain car features, track your location or steal your personal data. Today’s new cars have a lot of digital electronics controlling everything from the entertainment system to the engine. That means cars have a lot of different entry points where a hacker could gain access.

What Can Car Hackers Do?

Depending on the car and the system that’s affected, car hackers could:

• Play loud music
• Lock or unlock the doors
• Honk the horn
• Disable the brakes
• Start or stop the engine
• Locate the car
• Listen to conversations inside the car
• Find out about the vehicle’s history
• Steal personal data, including payment information
• Steal the car

Self-driving cars can be hacked as well, and hackers could create dangerous situations by controlling them or trigger privacy concerns if they gain access to cameras.

Which Cars Can Be Hacked?

The risk of your car being hacked depends on how old it is and what types of connected features it has:

• Older cars with traditional controls aren’t at risk, since they don’t have connections that hackers can use to gain access.
• Today’s newer cars have some risk, but automakers are now familiar with car hacking and take steps to minimize risk. Still, there’s always a chance hackers can outsmart the systems that manufacturers put in place.
• The risk is highest for cars that fall in-between. They’re new enough to have digital controls, but old enough that they don’t have good protection.

Can Car Key Fobs Be Hacked? 

Some key fobs can be hacked. If you can unlock your car while carrying your key, without pushing a button on the fob, it may be at risk for hacking.  A thief who hacks your key fob could steal your car in seconds.

How to Protect Yourself From Car Hacking

A few steps with the vehicle and the app you use to control it can help lower your odds of being hacked.

Protect the Car

• Make sure you’re notified about software updates and keep the software up to date.
• Limit the data your car collects and who it’s shared with.
• Turn off automatic connection to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
• Only allow trusted devices to access cameras and microphones.
• If you sell the car, clear all of your personal information.

Protect the App

• Use a strong password and two-factor authentication or passkeys.
• Check the activity and the connected devices regularly.
• Delete any features you don’t use.

Farm Bureau Can Help Protect Your Vehicle

From car hacking to theft to accidents, your vehicle is at risk for expensive problems. Talk to Farm Bureau to make sure you have the auto insurance coverage you need.