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NHTSA investigating Harman Kardon for software vulnerabilities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating infotainment units from Harman Kardon, which produces FCA's Uconnect, to determine if Harman Kardon systems used by other companies are also vulnerable to hackings. Researchers discovered a hole in the cellular connection to the Uconnect infotainment in a Jeep Cherokee. They were able to exploit it to gain access to the vehicle's brakes, radio, and other systems. In the wake of the hack, FCA pledged to send out 1.4 million USB drives to update the software. Politicians also attacked the automaker for not reporting the problem sooner, and NHTSA opened an investigation to find whether the fix worked. INVESTIGATION Subject : Software security vulnerability Date Investigation Opened: JUL 29, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: EQ15005 Component(s): EQUIPMENT All Products Associated with this Investigation Equipment Brand Name Part No. or Model No.Production Dates HARMAN KARDON R3R4 - Details Manufacturer: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL SUMMARY: On July 23, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) submitted a safety recall report to NHTSA concerning a software security defect condition in approximately 1.4 million model year (MY) 2013 through 2015 vehicles equipped with Uconnect 8.4A (RA3) and 8.4AN (RA4) radios manufactured by Harman Kardon (Recall 15V-461). According to FCA, software security vulnerabilities in the recalled vehicles could allow unauthorized third-party access to, and manipulation of, networked vehicle control systems. Unauthorized access or manipulation of the vehicle control systems could reduce the driver?s control of the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash with an attendant increased risk of injury to the driver, other vehicle occupants, and other vehicles and their occupants within proximity to the affected vehicle. This EQ is being opened to obtain information from the supplier of Chrysler Uconnect units to determine the nature and extent of similarities in other infotainment products provided to other vehicle manufacturers. If sufficient similarities exist, the investigation will examine if there is cause for concern that security issues exist in other Harman Kardon products. Related Video:

FCA's profit rises ahead of Peugeot merger

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler (FCA) posted a 7% rise in fourth-quarter profit on Thursday, boosted by strong business in North America and better results in Latin America as it heads into a merger with France's PSA. The Italian-American carmaker said adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose to 2.12 billion euros ($2.3 billion), in line with a 2.11 billion forecast in Reuters poll of analysts. That left its adjusted operating profit for the year at 6.67 billion euros ($7.34 billion), just shy of its target of over 6.7 billion euros. Its adjusted EBITDA margin came in at 6.2%, in line with its target of more than 6.1%. A trader said Fiat Chrysler results were "a touch above" expectations and the carmaker's shares in Milan were up 3.4% at 1300 GMT following the results. Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot maker PSA agreed in December to combine forces in a $50 billion deal to create the world's No. 4 carmaker, in response to slower global demand and the mounting cost of making cleaner cars amid tighter emissions rules. Chief Executive Mike Manley said last month that talks with PSA were progressing well and that he hoped to complete the deal by early 2021. FCA reiterated its plan to boost adjusted EBIT to above 7 billion euros ($7.7 billion) this year. In slides prepared for an analyst call, FCA said it was monitoring the global impact of coronavirus in China. FCA operates in the country through a loss-making joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and has a 0.35% share of the Chinese passenger car market. Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; Additional reporting by Danilo Masoni; Editing by Stephen Jewkes, Jason Neely and David Clarke. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

1986 Chrysler LeBaron owned by Lee Iacocca to cross the auction block

Enthusiasts will have the opportunity to bid on an overlooked piece of Chrysler history during the huge Bonhams auction taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona, on January 16. Offered without reserve, this LeBaron Town & Country Convertible was first registered to former Chrysler boss Lee Iacocca, and it has covered only 20,500 miles since. The LeBaron Town & Country shares its K platform with numerous Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth models built between 1981 and 1989. Nearly every nameplate built on it was mass produced and mass destroyed, but this wood-sided droptop is a rare exception. It's one of 1,105 examples built, and its connection to the man who saved Chrysler (and helped create the original Ford Mustang, the infamous Pinto, and Chrysler's first minivans, among many others) likely helped it reach its 34th birthday in like-new condition, a fate a majority of Ks could only dream of from the wrong side of the Pick-N-Pull fence. Bonhams stated the Town & Country comes from Iacocca's personal collection. The auction house doesn't mention how long the influential executive owned it for, or how many miles he put on it. What's certain is that Iacocca undoubtedly knew there was nothing exhilarating about the 97-horsepower engine that came standard in the LeBaron, so he paid extra for a turbocharged version of the fuel-injected, 2.2-liter four-cylinder that put 146 horses under his right foot. It spun the front wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission.  Our archives indicate Chrysler charged $17,595 for the Town & Country Convertible in 1986, and priced the turbo four at $628, figures that represent about $42,300 and $1,500, respectively, in 2020. While Chrysler's K-based cars haven't set the collector world on fire yet, Bonhams expects this exceptionally clean example will sell for anywhere between $20,000 and $25,000 when it crosses the auction block in sunny Scottsdale. To quote Iacocca, "if you can find a better car, buy it." Or, if you're into faster Mopar products, his personal, 6,500-mile Dodge Viper — the very first regular-production example made — will also cross the block in Arizona. Featured Gallery Lee Iacocca's 1986 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Convertible (high-res) View 21 Photos Chrysler Auctions Convertible Classics