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Hackers arrested after stealing more than 30 Jeeps in Texas

This article has been updated with details on how the thefts were carried out, and with comments from FCA. It seems the news regarding vehicle hacking continues to get worse, especially when it comes to products from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Last year, a Jeep Cherokee in St. Louis, Missouri, was wirelessly hacked from Pittsburgh. Nissan had to shut down its Leaf app because of vulnerabilities. Now, a pair of hackers in Houston, Texas, stole more than 30 Jeeps over a six-month period. The two were arrested by police last Friday while attempting to steal another vehicle. ABC 13 in Houston reports that police had been following Michael Arcee and Jesse Zelay for several months but were unable to catch them in the act until now. The two were using a laptop to connect to and start a vehicle. The thieves were able to access Fiat Chrysler's own DealerCONNECT software. After entering the vehicle identification number, the hackers were able to reprogram the cars' security systems to accept a generic key, according to The Houston Chronicle. Additionally, Automotive News reports that FCA subsequently updated the terms of use for its DealerCONNECT program. These thefts were not related to the UConnect remote hacks from last year. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In April, this surveillance video showed the theft of a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. It was this footage that first led the police to Arcee and Zelay. The police began to follow and record the pair. That investigation eventually led to Friday's arrest. Both are charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. In addition, Arcee is charged with felon in possession of a weapon and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. According to ABC 13, Homeland Security is investigating more than 100 stolen FCA vehicles that they believe were hacked using this method. After their theft, the vehicles were brought across the border to Mexico. FCA is currently conducting an internal investigation into the matter. After this article was posted, the company reached out to Autoblog, stating "FCA US takes the safety and security of its customers seriously and incorporates security features in its vehicles that help to reduce the risk of unauthorized and unlawful access to vehicle systems and wireless communications. FCA US has been cooperating with Houston Police Department since they first started the investigation.

Chrysler recalling hundreds of thousands of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander SUVs

The public might associated ignition switch recalls with General Motors - and with good cause - but that's not the only automaker calling its vehicles back in to fix that sort of issue.
Last month we reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was investigating an array of Chrysler Group vehicles for electrical-related safety issues. The administration and Chrysler subsequently issued a recall for 700,000 Dodge Journey crossovers, Dodge Grand Caravan minivans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans. But while the Jeeps that were also under investigation were not covered in that recall, they are being addressed in a separate one now.
Although Chrysler reports that it is only aware of a single accident stemming from this issue, it is "committing now to conduct a recall out of an abundance of caution." The recall affects the 2006-2007 Jeep Commander and 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee, of which it reports there are 792,300 on the road: 649,900 in the United States, 28,800 in Canada, 12,800 in Mexico and a further 100,800 outside of North America.

Jeep bringing Renegade Hard Steel with adorable matching trailer to Geneva

Trailers are hardly an uncommon site. They can, after all, be an effective way of adding cargo capacity when you need to haul more than you can fit in your car and truck. But there's something that just gets us about trailers made to match the vehicle behind which they're being towed. Like this one, attached to this unique Jeep Renegade. Set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show mere days from now, the Renegade Hard Steel concept is a joint effort between various elements of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, including Jeep, Mopar and the FCA Style Centre. It's based on the Trailhawk off-road model, but is distinguished by its unique metallic finish, offset by matte black trim and a full raft of available and custom Mopar accessories. Though Jeep has yet to show us what it looks like inside, it's said to have a specially coated leather finish. And of course there's that trailer. Designed to mimic the Renegade's rear-end styling, the appendage will be used on the floor of the Geneva Palexpo to showcase the vehicle's Uconnect Live infotainment system through an oversized pop-up touchscreen display that mirrors the new 5- or 6.5-inch display that'll soon be available on the littlest of Jeeps, offering streaming content including music, news, social media and traffic conditions. We have no indication that a similar trailer could be going into production (minus, of course, the infotainment stuff), but it's worth noting that Jeep has indeed done something similar before. Feel free to read more in the press release, below. Related Video: 27 February 2015 Renegade Hard Steel Jeep Showcar The Renegade Hard Steel Jeep showcar, which blends style, off-road vocation, and technology, will be making its debut and the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. Created by the Jeep brand, in collaboration with the Mopar brand and backed by the FCA Style Centre, the showcar "explores" the potential of a model that provides countless customization options, while also providing an outlook for potential future Mopar accessories dedicated to the new Renegade. Based on the Trailhawk - the off-road version of the range - the prototype is not a simple customisation in aftermarket but a design project that, with due respect to the peculiarities of original models, has led us to the creation of a unique and fascinating article.