Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has issued a new recall of a further 7,810 Jeeps that are open to a widely reported exploit that allows an attacker to gain control of the vehicle, remotely.
Automotive giant Fiat Chrysler has recalled nearly 8,000 cars of the 2015 model Jeep Renegade that are equipped with 6.5-inch touchscreens. FCA noted that more than half of the recalled vehicles are currently with dealers and will remain so until they are serviced before they are sold, reports Fortune.
Related Article: Hackers Remotely Hijack a Jeep While It’s Being Driven!
With the second recall in as many months, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles released a statement:
“The campaign – which involves radios that differ from those implicated in another, similar recall – is designed to protect connected vehicles from remote manipulation. If unauthorised, such interference constitutes a criminal act.
“FCA US has already applied measures to prevent the type of vehicle manipulation demonstrated in a recent media report. These measures – which required no customer or dealer actions – block remote access to certain vehicle systems.”
The second recall follows the initial Chrysler recall of 1.4 million vehicles after white-hat hackers demonstrated the means to hijack a Jeep Cherokee remotely while it was being driven.
The latest recall was announced prior to the three-day Labor day weekend, and the company attempted to quell growing concerns by insisting that there have been no reports nor complains of any injuries related to the exploit. The automaker also insisted that there are no “warranty claims or accidents”, other than the remote hijack demonstrated by the hackers.
The much-publicized hack had two hackers demonstrating their exploit wherein they increased the air conditioning and took control of the sound system. After a series of other hijacks, the car finally ended up in a ditch.
Related Article: Hacking Causes Chrysler Recall of 1.4 Million Vehicles
FCA contends that no further defects have been discovered or found since the exploit was made public and that the new recall is borne out of “an abundance of caution.”
“The software manipulation addressed by this recall required unique and extensive technical knowledge, prolonged physical access to a subject vehicle and extended periods of time to write code,” added Fiat Chrysler in its statement.
