1971 Fiat 850 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Supplier says Jeep Cherokee hack only affects FCA cars

Harman doesn't think that drivers need to worry about any further hacks of its products. The company supplies FCA's Uconnect infotainment system where a software vulnerability is responsible for a 1.4-million vehicle recall. "This experimental hack is unique to Chrysler," Harman CEO Dinesh Paliwal said to Automotive News. "This does not exist, to our assessment, in any other vehicle." The reason that the company wouldn't be involved is that automakers aren't simply plugging in the existing infotainment systems into new vehicles. According to Paliwal, Harman supplies the unit, but FCA and other automakers are able to make additional modifications for their vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also recently taken up the question of broader software vulnerabilities in Harman's products. On July 29, the agency began investigating the company to check for similarities between Uconnect and the infotainment systems supplied to other automakers. The Jeep hack became national news when two researchers were remotely able to take control of a Cherokee. The vulnerability in the cellular connection even gave control over the brakes. "Once people get in the car and get into the CAN bus, then you can start to mimic and mess up many, many things in the car," Paliwal said to Automotive News. Politicians immediately responded with legislation to create federal standards in hopes of protecting drivers better. NHTSA also opened an investigation to make sure the automaker's software update actually solved the problem. Related Video:

Buy a real Popemobile: the Pontiff's Fiat 500L

Pope Francis has urged people to drive "humble" cars, and he practiced what he preached during last year's US visit by riding in a Fiat 500L rather than a more opulent vehicle. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia will offer the chance to feel a little closer to His Holiness on January 29 by auctioning at least one of the Fiats from the Pope's trip at the Philadelphia Auto Show Black Tie Tailgate. All of the auction's proceeds will follow Pope Francis' desire to help the less fortunate. Half of the money will go to the Catholic Charities Appeal, which aids those that struggle with homelessness and poverty. The other half will be split equally among Mercy Hospice, Casa Del Carmen, and the Schools of Special Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. "The Fiat is such an icon of Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia and the auction of this vehicle serves as an extraordinary final event to close this memorable chapter in the City's history," Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015, said. FCA US let Pope Francis use two 500Ls while he was in Philadelphia, and the automaker then donated the cars to the Archdiocese, according to its director of communications Kenneth Gavin to Autoblog. The Archdiocese still hasn't decided whether to auction the other one at the Black Tie Tailgate, but the Fiat will be on display at the Philadelphia Auto Show from January 30 through February 7. It's difficult to put a price tag on these special vehicles, Gavin told Autoblog, but the Archdiocese hopes to get as much as possible for them to benefit the charities. FCA US and the US Secret Service have records of the cars' VINs from the trip, and the Archdiocese would show the winning bidder all the documentation to certify the vehicle's authenticity. Related Video: The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 Offer Opportunity for Bidders to Own a FIAT 500L Used by Pope Francis During Historic Philadelphia Visit at the Philadelphia Auto Show Black Tie Tailgate Held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday, January 29, the auction will benefit the Catholic Charities Appeal, Catholic Social Services, Mercy Hospice, Casa Del Carmen, and the Archdiocesan Schools of Special Education.

Chrysler nets $1.6B income in Q4, Fiat profit up 5%

Chrysler announced its 2013 financial results today and unveiled its new name and decidedly bank-like logo. Amid the announcement, Chrysler posted big gains in income, while Fiat didn't perform to analysts' expectations.
For 2013, Chrysler had revenue of $72.1 billion, up 10 percent from 2012. Net income reached $2.8 billion, a 65-percent increase. It was the company's third straight year of annual profits.
In terms of unit sales, Chrysler sold 2.4 million cars worldwide in 2013, up 9 percent. According to Automotive News, 1.8 million of those vehicles were sold in the US, a 14-percent increase. The sales growth boosted Chrysler's US market share to 11.4 percent, up 0.2 percent.