Michigan legislators proposed two new bills on April 28, aimed to penalize individuals who hack into computer systems for fraudulent purposes. Specifically, Senate Bills 927 and 928 will ideally help regulate the connected and autonomous vehicle industry.
In many instances, the digital systems embedded within motor vehicles are vulnerable to hacking. Depending on the situation, a malfunctioning electronic system may seize control of the vehicle from the driver and cause injury.
Senators Mike Kowall and Ken Horn sponsored the two bills. Kowall told Automotive News that he "hopes" they never have to enact the punishment associated with the crimes.
If the violation involves an aggregated amount of less than $200, an individual who is found guilty may be imprisoned for up to 93 days or fined up to $500. In the event that the crime is more severe, fines may go up to $50,000, and jail sentences could exceed 20 years.
Senate Bill 927 is described as, "an act to prohibit access to computers, computer systems, and computer networks for certain fraudulent purposes; to prohibit intentional and unauthorized access, alteration, damage, and destruction of computers, computer systems, computer networks, computer software programs, and data; to prohibit the sending of certain electronic messages; and to prescribe penalties." Senate Bill 928 is a bill to amend 1927 PA 175, or "the code of criminal procedure."
Kowall continued to tell the news source that the goal is to be proactive, rather than wait for some of these hackers to tap into automotive electronic systems.
The severity of the automotive hacking was exposed in a 2015 article published by Wired, which showed how easily a Jeep Cherokee could be hijacked. In the experiment, hackers tapped into the vehicle and managed everything from the air conditioning to the windshield wipers. At one point, they were able to cut the transmission, eliminating the driver's ability to use the accelerator.
A similar experiment conducted by Wired in 2013 involved a Ford Escape and Toyota Prius. Though they were different cars, hackers were able to command the steering wheel, honk the horn and disable the brakes.
Car manufacturers have supposedly been working closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to address security holes in vehicle communications systems.
