*WINNER* Vulnerabilities of Autonomous Vehicles: The Impact Self-driving Technology Has On Our Data and Safety

Abstract

Autonomous vehicles have seen a meteoric rise in recent years and will undoubtedly hold a significant place in our future. We, consumers, should know and understand the current vulnerabilities associated with autonomous cars and vehicles with new technologies. These companies acquire massive amounts of sensitive data and many consumers may be uniformed about what happens to their data and the dangers associated. As new technology is incorporated into any vehicle, the attack surface for the vehicle is widened, meaning consumers become more susceptible to attacks and information brokers. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, "demonstrated hacks that could even activate the brakes of a car while the car was traveling," said News at Northeastern. However, most of the attacks like those in San Diego, have only been recorded in labs and other controlled spaces (livewire). As autonomous cars become more common, security vulnerabilities will increase exponentially. Our goal is to research these vulnerabilities and add information we find into a consumer-friendly model.