1990 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer T157110 on 2040-cars

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Jeep hackers return to take over your steering wheel

Last year, security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek made headlines by remotely hacking a Jeep, killing the transmission and applying the brakes while Wired reporter Andy Greenberg was behind the wheel and driving in traffic. The hack led to a 1.4 million-vehicle recall for Fiat Chrysler and new jobs at Uber's Advanced Technology Center for Miller and Valasek. Despite the cushy new gigs, the two of them apparently aren't done hacking Jeep Cherokees for sport. In their latest exploit, the pair can gain even more control over a vehicle, but it would also be extremely difficult to pull off in a real-world setting. Here's the harrowing part first: Miller and Valasek can do more than just apply the brakes at low speed or cut the transmission this time around. Now they can turn on the parking brake, mess with the cruise control and hijack the auto-parking system to jerk the steering wheel a dangerous 180 degrees while the car is in motion. It looks about as frightening as it sounds: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Although it's not hard to see how that would make for a very terrifying drive, there's a big grain of salt that comes along with it: Miller and Valasek actually used the same model 2014 Jeep Cherokee as the original demonstration, but without the software patch applied. Or, as Wired put it, "imagine an alternate reality," where a fix had never been made. Unlike before, the latest hack requires a physical connection plugging their laptop into the Jeep's OBD-II diagnostic port under the dash. The team also had to update the Jeep with their own firmware to disable some of the car's built-in safety checks before they could get much control. In other words: In order to get hacked, Jeep owners would first need to roll back their car's firmware to an older version, invite someone to remove security features and then also let them ride shotgun with a computer. Or, as Engadget's resident security expert Violet Blue wrote on Twitter, it's sort of a non-threat. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. That said, The Verge points out that it may still be possible to exploit OBD-connected wireless dongles like the Metromile Tag, Automatic Link or other similar devices currently marketed by insurance companies.

Fiat Chrysler will invest up to $1.5 billion to build EVs in Windsor

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will invest between $1.35 billion and $1.5 billion in its Windsor assembly plant in Canada to build electric vehicles as part of a tentative deal with Canadian autoworkers, Unifor National President Jerry Dias said on Thursday. The auto union said FCA would invest in a state-of-the-art vehicle platform that will enable the assembly of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles, with at least one new model in 2025. The announcement comes less than a month after Unifor said Ford would invest $1.46 billion in its Oakville and Windsor plants. "Not only is Fiat-Chrysler maintaining the current portfolio but they will be investing three derivatives to enhance the current portfolio," Dias said. Unifor also said it expects to extend the life of the Chrysler 300, a rear-wheel-drive luxury car and introduce multiple derivatives of the Dodge Charger and Challenger. The union said as many as 2,000 jobs would be added in 2024 at the Windsor plant. Market forecasting firm LMC Automotive on Thursday said it would take until 2024 for U.S. vehicle sales to recover from the coronavirus downturn and get close to the 17 million vehicles sold in 2019. Ratification meetings for the FCA deal will happen over the weekend, and members will vote on whether to accept the agreement on Sunday. The union is expected to begin negotiations with General Motors's Canadian unit next week. Related Video: Green Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Coupe Electric Sedan windsor

2017 Jeep Compass debuts with tiny Grand Cherokee looks

Meet the Jeep Compass. It is, thankfully, completely new and entirely unrelated to the Jeep Compass and Patriot that are on sale now. Bet you almost forgot about that pair. As the new C-Segment SUV in Jeep's lineup, it'll replace both of those models and take a spot in between the Renegade and Cherokee. The new Compass is based on a stretched version of the Renegade platform, what Fiat Chrysler Automotive in a fit of eloquence calls the "Small Wide 4x4" architecture. We expect front-wheel drive as standard and four-wheel drive as a very commonly selected option. The Compass should offer either a 2.0-liter turbo inline-four or a naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four, both mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. There's a chance it'll get a manual, but it's a very slim chance. That being said, globally there will be 17 powertrain options, according to FCA, and that may mean US consumers will have more than one choice in the matter. Judging by the first photo above, a an off-road-ready Trailhawk model is a good bet. We've already seen this thing completely uncovered in these spy shots, which were taken in Brazil, where it will be produced, so the overall mini-Grand Cherokee aesthetic isn't a surprise. The interior looks more like the Cherokee's than the Renegade's, however, and you'll notice there's no controversial T-handle shifter in sight. So why didn't we see the new Compass at the New York Auto Show, like everybody expected? Jeep says it's because it wanted the reveal to occur at the plant that's going to build the thing, highlighting the importance of the South and Central American markets for the brand. There will be a North American debut with more information coming at the LA Auto Show in November, so we won't have too long to wait for more details. As originally planned, the Compass should hit American dealerships in early 2017. Featured Gallery 2017 Jeep Compass Revealed in Brazil Jeep Crossover SUV Off-Road Vehicles jeep compass jeep patriot