In another thread on Jaguar technology, the OP was marveling at how his $35K Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk had far more technology than the F-Type, which is true because I also have one. I like it a lot.

Recently there was widespread coverage in the news media regarding a white-hat hacker who had figured out a way to break into the UConnect system and commandeer the car. This week I received the recall notice from FCA explaining the problem and offering two options for correcting the issue:

1) Take it to the dealer and have the system reflashed, or
2) Do it yourself with an included USB flash drive included with the notice.

Also included was a slick 3-page, full color pamphlet with pictures showing how to DIY, and there was no question I wanted to do that. It could not have been more simple and took about 20 minutes. I loaded the flash drive into the media port, and the vehicle display basically led me through the instructions. It was as easy as updating an iPhone or iPad. The instructions were essentially unnecessary, but nice to have them.

I used to own a fair number of classic cars and enjoyed wrenching on them myself because they were so simple. I miss not be able to do that with today's cars. It felt really good to be able to fix something on a modern, high-tech car.

As all vehicle systems become increasingly run by software, I would like to think more and more things can be handled by a manufacturer sending out new software.

Kudos to FCA!

 

As long as it's a safety issue, absolutely. But they have no incentive to improve the infotainment software, for example. Why would they?

 

However, that flash drive and "instructions" were sent to you FROM a hacker, and now you uploaded a virus to your Jeep. It's about to start doing all kinds of crazy things, including sending all your money from you bank accounts to some offshore un-numbered account in the Cayman Islands...

 

LOL, I know, and I'm not operating under any delusions that if they hacked into that system once, they won't find out another way in soon enough. Anyone who's fought the increasingly losing battle of keeping a PC uncorrupted gets that.

I just find it very cool that a car manufacturer sent out software and DIY instructions for a Federal (NHTSA) safety recall directly to customers, while also giving them the choice to get the recall taken care of at the dealer.

 

The cost of sending out the mailer and USB stick is probably FAR less than the cost of an hour or labor the dealers would be charging back to the manufacturer, as well as it being more convenient for any semi tech savvy customer to not have to schedule an appointment back at the dealer.

I think it was a very wise decision on the part of Jeep to offer the DIY solution.

 

Yes, absolutely! That was the point of starting this thread. It's win/win for both customers and manufacturers. I hope it's the wave of the future.

This one didn't even need a tech savvy customer. Start the engine, make sure the UConnect system is on, put the flash drive in, and all you had to do was press "yes" on the screen when it asked if you wanted to do the software update. Wait 20 minutes for it to finish and done.

 

I already have a diagnostic tool I can use to read and clear faults and change basic setting on my Land Rover. This stuff is all very cool, the only problem I have is not with enthusiasts getting better at the electronics, it is that mechanics are getting worse at the mechanics. I have had several instances where I have had things wrong with my cars and taken it to the dealers and the tech connects the computer and says no faults go away and bring it back if it shows a fault. It took 4 years for me to get a faulty trams,is simon sorted out on a Peugeot because of this.

They need not just tech skills but real mechanical diagnostic skills.

 

A friend of mine has a Tesla Model S (also a Series II Jaguar E-Type, so he's one of us). When parked in his garage and plugged in, the car connects to Tesla corporate automatically via. wifi. Operating parameters and service data is uploaded, and software updates are automatically installed.
Last year he said a major update to the battery management software increased his range from 250 miles to 300 miles.
The Jaguar dealers have systems to reflash and update our cars, I plan to ask them to check for all available updates for both the car and the entertainment system when I bring it in.

 

Yes, OBD II readers have been around for years, and I have one. I can find the code for what's wrong and temporarily clear but it comes back without a fix. The difference here is that software was provided for a fix

This wasn't just an infotainment system issue, it was a safety issue, since the UConnect system is tied into so many other systems. The hackers were able to take control of a car, drive it into a ditch, and demonstrated that to the network media with cameras rolling.

More and more, those "entertainment" systems are going to become the vehicle's cerebral cortex and hooked up to everything in the vehicle.

 

Thanks for sharing that. If Elon is moving in that direction, I suspect others will be quick to follow.

 

The only problem I have with this technology, is that it may be too intrusive. What exactly is being uploaded back to Tesla... how far the car was driven, how fast it traveled, where it traveled, just imagine this getting to the point of an aircraft "black box" that sends back your recorded audio along with all your telemetry...

I am not a conspiracy theory type of person, but you can see how this could quickly move into a no more privacy type of environment if too much data is collected. and, if it is collected, how would we ever know?

 

Sorry, TX - Big brother is already watching.

From an article I read a while back:

"At present, consumers' privacy is regulated when it comes to banking transactions, medical records, phone and Internet use. But data generated by cars, which these days are basically rolling computers, are not."

"If it's a recent model, has a fancy infotainment system or is equipped with toll-booth transponders or other units you brought into the car that can monitor your driving, your driving habits or destination could be open to the scrutiny of others. If your car is electric, it's almost surely capable of ratting you out."

"The government is about to mandate installation of black-box accident recorders, a dumbed-down version of those found on airliners — that remember all the critical details leading up to a crash, from your car's speed to whether you were wearing a seat belt. The devices are already built into 96% of new cars.
Plus, automakers are on their way to developing "connected cars" that constantly crank out information about themselves to make driving easier and collisions preventable."

Your car may be invading your privacy

 

Oh, I am well aware of the "crash data" and such. It's even mentioned in the Jag owners manual, or in a supplement. I'm more "concerned" with the everyday data being transmitted every night when you plug in the car, or it connects to your WiFi. I know the day is coming...

If you do nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide right?

 

If this is a concern to you, do not install InControl Remote. It gives Jag access to everything you do in that car including precise addresses of origin and destination for each trip. I'm not planning to overthrow any governments any time soon, so I could care less. When I get around to that in my spare time after retirement, I'll uninstall the app.

 

Actually, with some of my acquaintances, it might be a good thing if I saved the data from the "My Journeys" simply to prove I wasn't with the guys when they got into trouble... (or at least I can prove my car was parked at the Men's Club...)

 

+1. That's how I'll be using it.

 

Agreed, kudos to FCA for DIY alternatives. I didn't wait for the USB and took another route offered by FCA: download the updated software from the UConnect site, load to a USB and install. It only took 5 minutes of my time/attention and 20 minutes of wait time, and my Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk was up-to-date.

Desert Hiker

 

Interesting thread - Just out of interest I have just received a $20,000 deposit into my bank account from 'Anonymous ' in Maryland ;-)

Time to put a deposit down on an F-Pace!

 

I'm known for my generosity. Has anyone else received their $20K yet?

 

Yes, but I sent it to a Nigerian prince who emailed me for help.