Hacked Jeep Is Driven Off Road Into Ditch

Owners of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) vehicles are being urged to update their on-board software after white-hat hackers took control of a vehicle and crashed it into a ditch.

A security hole in FCA's on-board internet-enabled software allows hackers to affect everything from windscreen wipers and GPS, to steering and braking.

The system - called Uconnect - has been installed in hundreds of thousands of car models manufactured since late 2013, and is designed to allow the doors to be unlocked and the car to be started with the tap of an app.

But two security researchers have shown how easy it is to take control of the car using only a laptop and mobile phone.

They demonstrated it for a Wired magazine article, forcing a car driven by reporter Andy Greenberg off the road.

The video shows the steering wheel turning without being touched, as well as the car doors locking. The car then trundles off the road and into a grassy ditch.

The security researchers told FCA about the flaw several months ago and a security patch has been released to fix the problem. They say it is important that owners update their vehicles.

However, the process is not automatic; it requires owners to download a programme to a flash drive from the FCA's website.

It must then by inserted into the car's USB socket.

FCA brands include Alfa Romeo, Chrysler (Xetra: 710000 - news) , Dodge, Fiat and Jeep. Only those vehicles with the Uconnect system need to be updated.

It is unclear whether the issue is confined to Jeep vehicles or other FCA brands, as the company has not yet responded to a request for comment.