That didn't take long.
After a report about hackers remotely disabling a Jeep Grand Cherokee made headlines Tuesday, July 21, Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) announced a massive safety recall Friday on 1.4 million vehicles to update software of their infotainment system and prevent future wireless attacks.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also announced that it is launching an investigation to ensure that Chrysler's massive recall – a first of its kind in the automotive industry – will be sufficient.
"Launching a recall is the right step to protect Fiat Chrysler's customers and it sets an important precedent for how NHTSA and the industry will respond to cybersecurity vulnerabilities," said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind in a statement to USA TODAY.
This comes after two senators pitched the SPY Car Act to save vehicles from being hacked.
In a controlled experiment documented by Wired, two hackers remotely wreaked havoc on a Jeep – doing everything from blasting cold air through the vehicle's vents to blaring loud music through the speakers and spraying windshield wiper fluid – before disabling the SUV and leaving it stranded on the side of the highway.
The hackers revealed that they compromised the vehicle through its Uconnect, Internet-connected system, which they were able to break into wirelessly and manipulate. Chrysler initially offered a software update to prevent such hacks, but decided that a massive recall was the safer approach.
According to reports, the safety recall covers brands and models from 2013 on, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Challenger. Owners of these vehicles can check if their car or SUV is affected by inputting their vehicle identification number on FCA's software update page.
