2006 Jeep Commander Sport 4x4 3rd Row 7 Passenger Fantastic Condition 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

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Quick Spin

Jeep won't come out and say it, but the 2017 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk exists to bloody the nose of the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro. America's off-road brand hasn't built a wheeling-specific version of its Grand Cherokee flagship in years, and the last GC Trailhawk was mostly stickers and tires. It was time for a true trail-spec Grand Cherokee again. We took a quick spin (two of them, actually) in the latest Trailhawk model, which joins Renegades and Cherokees with the same badge and off-road bent for 2017. Our time was limited, and so were our initial findings. After driving on and off pavement at Fiat Chrysler's proving grounds in Chelsea, Michigan, we can tell you that on the road, this Grand Cherokee has the same refined driving dynamics as any other. As for off-roading, the capability is still somewhat of an open question. Driving Notes The suspension and off-road system tuning are what really set the Trailhawk apart from other Grand Cherokees. Jeep tweaked the four-corner Quadra-Lift air suspension to improve articulation and suspension travel, while retaining the 10.8 inches of ground clearance of lesser Quadra-Lift Grand Cherokees. Paired with the standard Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system, rear electronic limited-slip diff, and 20-inch Goodyear Adventure off-road tires, the Trailhawk is not short on capability (at least on paper). Unfortunately, paper is almost where this stops. The Trailhawks we drove were pre-production models with unfinished software calibrations. The throttle on the 3.6-liter V6 Trailhawk we took on the off-road course was super touchy and hard to modulate, regardless of which Selec-Terrain off-road mode was selected. Without a reliable throttle, we were bounding over obstacles instead of negotiating them patiently. This was back in June, and Jeep's PR reps assured us at the time that the engineers knew about the oversensitive throttle and have since confirmed that the issue has been fixed for production models, which are rolling off the line in Detroit now. We're planning to get into one of those vehicles as soon as one becomes available for a full review. Like the standard model, the Trailhawk's air suspension offers more comfort than the double-wishbone front and four-link rear suspension on the 4Runner.

Fiat Chrysler profit up as it closes in on retiring its debt

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reduced its debt by more than expected in the first quarter, putting the carmaker well on course to become cash positive later this year. Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne expects to cancel all debt during 2018 — possibly by the end of June — and generate around 4 billion euros ($5 billion) in net cash by the end of the year. Marchionne has said that forecast does not include any one-off measures, nor the impact of the planned spinoff of parts maker Magneti Marelli, which he hopes to execute by early 2019. The world's seventh-largest carmaker said on Thursday net debt had fallen to 1.3 billion euros ($1.6 billion) by the end of March, well below a consensus forecast of 2.6 billion euros in a Thomson Reuters poll of analysts. FCA said capital spending fell 900 million euros in the quarter due to "program timing," which analysts said implied higher investments for the rest of the year. The Italian-American group said first-quarter operating profit rose 5 percent to 1.61 billion euros, below a consensus forecast of 1.74 billion, as a weaker performance from its North American profit center weighed. Shipments there were higher due to the new Jeep Wrangler and Compass models. But currency moves hit revenues and earnings, and costs related to new product launches added to the pressure. FCA's shift to sell more trucks and SUVs boosted margins yet again in North America to 7.4 percent from 7.3 percent in the same quarter a year ago, although they were down from the 8 percent recorded in the preceding three months. Marchionne, preparing to hand over to an internal successor next year, is close to his goal of ending a margin gap with larger U.S. rivals General Motors and Ford. The 65-year-old has said becoming debt free and being able to compete on a par with U.S. peers would mean FCA no longer needed a partner to survive and could well succeed on its own. The CEO has previously said tying up with another carmaker would help to meet the huge costs in an industry investing in electric vehicles and automated driving. FCA shares fell immediately after the results, but recovered to trade up 3 percent at 19.71 euros by 1150 GMT, outperforming a 0.4 percent rise in Europe's blue-chip stock index. ($1 = 0.8214 euros) Reporting by Agnieszka FlakRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.