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Chevy Corvette is latest car breached by hackers

UPDATE: This story has been updated with comment from General Motors. In the latest car-hacking exploit in a summer full of them, researchers from the University of California-San Diego say they've found a way to manipulate braking in a 2013 Chevrolet Corvette. The vulnerabilities may not be limited to that model. Cyber-security researchers breached the car's security systems via a device they had plugged into the Corvette's OBD-II port, and through that connection, they sent messages that could turn windshield wipers on and off and tamper with the brakes as the car drove at low speeds. It's the latest in a series of car hacks that involve access to critical systems obtained via the OBD-II port, where drivers can plug in devices that provide anything from diagnostic information for mechanics to driving information for insurance companies. Last November, cyber-security engineers from Argus Cyber Security remotely controlled vehicle functions in a car that had a OBD-II dongle called a Zubie installed. In January, researchers from Digital Bond Labs found security holes in an information-tracking dongle popular with more than 2 million Progressive Insurance customers. Those came before prominent hacks unveiled in recent weeks, in which researchers remotely commandeered control of a Jeep Cherokee and, separately, showcased problems with GM's OnStar infotainment system. Regarding the dongles that plug into the OBD-II ports, Stefan Savage, a Cal-San Diego professor involved in the research, tells WIRED that, "we acquired some of these things, reverse-engineered them, and along the way, found that they had a whole bunch of security deficiencies." Savage and others unveiled the latest study at the Usenix security conference Tuesday. In a video of their exploit entitled "Fast and Vulnerable," they show how they sent SMS messages from a smartphone to the dongle plugged into the car's OBD-II port. From there, their messages accessed the CAN bus, a network on the car that connects individual electronic control units, which control dozens of vehicle functions. As they send the commands to brake the car, the driver of the Corvette notes "the pedal doesn't react to any pressure." General Motors issued a written response Wednesday, warning drivers to be careful with third-party devices they plug into their OBD-II ports.

2021 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon facelift spied

The Chevy Colorado and its GMC Canyon twin have been on sale for a good long time now, and while things move a little more slowly on the truck side when it comes to facelifts and model changeovers, it seems like it’s about time. So itÂ’s no surprise to see some lightly camouflaged trucks running around ahead of what appears to be a minor refresh for the 2021 model year. Starting with the Colorado, it appears to have a bowtie hiding behind some camo in the center of the grille, which otherwise looks like the no-bowtie option you can get on 2019-and-up trucks. It could be that Chevy is keeping the no-bowtie grille design but allowing a bowtie to grace it, or it could be misdirection. Either way, the grille pattern adds a bit of flair to the otherwise staid front end design. There also appears to be a bit more shape to the lower air inlet, with echoes of some of the lower fascias of its bigger Silverado stablemate. The Canyon, on the other hand, shows more extensive front-end changes. At first glance, it looks to emulate some variants of the GMC Sierra, which would make sense given those modelsÂ’ changes for the 2020 model year. In particular, this Canyon has hints of Sierra HD, being more square and monolithic than the regular Sierra 1500s, although itÂ’s a little hard to tell with the camo covering the edges of the grille. It could certainly also adopt more rounded corners like the 1500s. Either way, itÂ’s more vertical and thereÂ’s less differentiation between the upper grille and lower opening. ThereÂ’s nothing in the way of changes around the sides or back, and while there may be some minor changes inside, we arenÂ’t expecting any. The word around town is that this isnÂ’t a full facelift, but rather a minor front end tweak thatÂ’ll just be a regular part of the model-year changeover. 

Question of the Day: Worst year of the Malaise Era?

The Malaise Era for cars in the United States spanned the 1973 through 1983 model years, and featured such abominations as a Corvette with just 205 horsepower (from the optional engine!) and MGBs with suspensions jacked way up to meet new headlight-height requirements. There were many low points throughout this gloomy period, of course. The horrifyingly low power and fuel-economy numbers for big V8s during the middle years of the Malaise Era make a strong case for 1974 or 1975— the years of Nixon's resignation and the Fall of Saigon, respectively— as the most Malaisey years. But then the GM-pummeling debacles of the Chevy Citation and Cadillac Cimarron could make an early-1980s year the low point. 1979, the year of the ignominious Chrysler bailout? You choose! Related Video: