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Here's your chance to vote for the best-looking state police cruiser

Across the country, state police generally drive the same types of vehicles. Right now, the most common cruisers are Ford Explorers, Chevrolet Tahoes, and Dodge Chargers, with some exceptions sprinkled in. The differentiation comes through in the livery, which can range from simplistic badging to busy stripes. Each year, the American Association of State Troopers (AAST) holds a fun contest to determine which state has the coolest-looking cars, and 2019 voting has just opened. We discovered the contest after Motor1 posted about the Florida Highway Patrol's newest addition to its fleet, a Dodge Challenger R/T. The musclemobile is, without question, the coolest car in the competition, and it might have the best livery too. But that doesn't mean it's going to win, as contests like this often turn into hotbeds for chest-beating homers.  The AAST is posting results on Facebook, and as of July 17, 2019, Kentucky and Nebraska are blowing the rest of the states out of the water. Florida is in ninth place with 4,653 votes compared to first-place Kentucky's 14,699. New Jersey is in last place with only 107 votes. As the internet goes, this will likely be determined by how many times the contest is shared across social media.  The Challenger isn't the only eye candy, either. Not every state participated, but those that did came correct with the photography, including Nebraska posing its car in front of a freakin' tornado. Others staged their cars with helicopters in the background, some set the car in front of the gorgeous landscapes their states have to offer, and others posed with dogs. Because who doesn't love dogs? No matter which car wins, it's cool to see the various designs all in one place. Check out the gallery above and vote for your favorite on the AAST's survey. The survey will close on July 30, 2019.  

Chrysler recalls 1.2 million Ram pickup trucks

Chrysler has announced that it will issue three separate recalls that will cover as many as 1.2 million Ram pickup trucks for "steering-system tie rods that may have been misaligned during assembly or steering-system service." The vast majority of these trucks were sold in the United States, though some trucks in Mexico, Canada or overseas will be called in, as well.
The largest of the three recalls covers an estimated 842,400 model-year 2003-2008 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks. Two smaller campaigns will bring 294,000 model-year 2008-2012 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups, chassis cabs and 2008 Ram 1500 4x4 Mega Cabs; plus 43,500 model-year 2008-2012 Ram 4500 and 5500 4x4 chassis cabs into the dealer to be checked and repaired if necessary.
This is a very large recall, and Chrysler says it is "casting the net wider than necessary to identify those vehicles that require repair." The automaker estimates that "as many as 726,000 may not need repair."

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.