Can Cars Be Hacked? | What Drivers Need To Know

Yes, connected vehicles can be hacked through software, wireless features, apps, and weak account security, though the risk differs by model and setup.

Cars are rolling computers now. A modern vehicle can have dozens of electronic control units, wireless radios, phone pairing, app links, cloud services, cameras, sensors, and over-the-air updates. That adds convenience. It also adds more ways for someone to tamper with the car, the data inside it, or the account tied to it.

That doesn’t mean every car is easy to break into with a laptop in a parking lot. Most attacks need a specific weakness, the right access, and a target worth the effort. Still, the short answer is clear: yes, cars can be hacked. The smarter question is where the weak spots tend to be, what kind of damage a hack can cause, and what you can do to cut the odds.

Can Cars Be Hacked? What Raises The Risk

The biggest shift came when vehicles stopped being mostly mechanical. Once cars gained built-in internet connections, remote apps, keyless entry, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and software-based features, the attack surface got wider. NHTSA says vehicle cybersecurity now centers on both wired and wireless entry points, plus the systems tied to safety functions.

That matters because not every car part carries the same weight. A weak password on a mobile app may expose lock and location controls. A flaw in an infotainment system can be worse if it touches other modules inside the car. A cheap third-party dongle plugged into the OBD-II port can add another opening if it sends data to a shaky app or stale cloud service.

Age plays a part too. Older connected cars may stop getting updates even though they still have active features. Owners often don’t know when software support ends, which leaves the car running code that may never get patched.

Where Hackers Usually Start

Most vehicle attacks begin at one of a few familiar points. Wireless links are the ones people think of first, though they’re not the only route. In many cases, the easier win is the driver’s account, not the car’s hardware.

• Mobile apps and owner accounts: weak passwords, reused logins, or no two-factor authentication.
• Infotainment systems: bugs in software, media handling, Bluetooth pairing, or connected services.
• Telematics units: built-in cellular links that handle remote commands and data exchange.
• Keyless entry systems: relay attacks that fool the car into thinking the key is nearby.
• OBD-II devices: insurance trackers, fleet tools, or tuning gadgets with poor security.
• USB ports and service tools: local access can matter if the right protections are missing.

What “Hacked” Can Mean In Real Life

The word gets tossed around loosely. In one case, it may mean someone stole app access and can unlock doors. In another, it may mean a researcher found a flaw that can send commands deeper into the vehicle network. Those are not the same event, and the risk to the driver is not the same either.

CISA published an advisory on the Uconnect issue tied to older Fiat Chrysler vehicles after researchers showed remote access that could affect systems inside the vehicle. Cases like that are rare, highly technical, and model-specific. They still prove the core point: when a connected feature touches other systems, a software flaw can have real-world consequences.

Attack Point	What Can Go Wrong	What Lowers The Risk
Mobile app account	Remote lock, unlock, start, location access	Strong password, unique login, two-factor authentication
Bluetooth pairing	Unauthorized pairing or data access	Delete old devices, pair only when needed
Built-in cellular link	Remote commands through a software flaw	Install updates, watch recall notices
Keyless entry	Relay theft or spoofed proximity	Signal-blocking pouch, disable passive entry if allowed
OBD-II dongle	Extra path into vehicle data or settings	Use trusted devices, unplug tools you no longer need
USB media port	Malicious files or local tampering	Avoid unknown drives, update infotainment software
Cloud-linked services	Exposure of trip history, contacts, saved places	Review privacy settings, remove unused services
Old software support	Known flaws stay open for years	Check support status before buying used

What A Car Hack Can Actually Affect

The first layer is usually privacy and account control. A connected car can store contacts, call logs, saved addresses, garage door codes, trip history, and app credentials. If the next owner gets that data, or if an attacker gets into the linked account, the fallout can be messy even if the car still drives fine.

The next layer is theft and unauthorized access. Keyless systems can be tricked with relay tools. Remote apps can be abused if account security is weak. Fleet vehicles can be a bigger target because one account may control many units.

The last layer is safety. This is the one people care about most, and rightly so. Not every hack reaches steering, braking, or powertrain controls. Good vehicle design tries to isolate those systems and add checks that limit unsafe commands. NHTSA’s vehicle cybersecurity guidance pushes a layered approach built around prevention, detection, response, and recovery.

Used Cars Carry Their Own Set Of Risks

A used connected car can be a bargain, but it can come with stale software, leftover accounts, and old paired devices. That’s easy to miss during a test drive. The car may still be tied to the last owner’s app, still store home addresses, or still have active subscription links.

Before buying, check whether the model still gets software support, whether recalls are open, and whether the seller can show a full reset and account transfer. After buying, do your own reset anyway. Then remove every paired phone and re-pair your devices from scratch.

How Drivers Can Cut Car Hacking Risk

You don’t need to turn your car into a bunker. A few habits do most of the work. Start with the account linked to the vehicle. If someone can sign into the app, they may not need to “hack” the car at all.

1. Use a fresh password for the vehicle app. Don’t reuse one from email or shopping accounts.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication if the automaker offers it.
3. Install software updates as soon as they’re available.
4. Check recall notices and service campaigns tied to software or connectivity.
5. Delete old phones and users from the infotainment system.
6. Be picky with third-party devices that plug into the car or link to its data.
7. Limit what stays stored in the car if you don’t need it there.

The public record already shows why updates matter. In CISA’s archived FCA Uconnect vulnerability alert, the agency pointed to a patch released for affected vehicles after researchers showed remote exploits. A patch can’t fix every future flaw, but skipping updates is a bad bet.

Physical habits still count too. A signal-blocking pouch can help if your car uses passive entry. Parking in a locked garage won’t stop a software flaw, though it can cut ordinary theft. And if your vehicle lets you disable features you never use, that can trim your exposure.

Situation	Best Move	Why It Helps
Buying used	Ask about software support and open recalls	Older connected features may no longer get fixes
Selling or trading in	Run a factory reset and remove app links	Prevents the next owner from seeing stored data
Using keyless entry	Store keys away from the door in a signal-blocking pouch	Reduces relay theft risk
Adding an OBD-II gadget	Use a known brand and remove it when finished	Cuts exposure from weak third-party hardware
Pairing a new phone	Delete old devices first	Leaves fewer stale access paths behind

What To Do Before You Sell, Trade, Or Return A Vehicle

This step gets skipped all the time. Your car may hold contacts, texts, call logs, navigation history, garage door codes, streaming logins, and app tokens. If you hand the keys over without clearing that data, you’re leaving a chunk of your digital life in the dash.

The FTC warns that connected cars can hold a lot of personal data, and that a factory reset may not end every linked service by itself. Its advice on clearing your personal data first is worth following: reset the car, remove paired devices, cancel or transfer subscriptions, and disconnect any manufacturer app tied to the vehicle.

Red Flags Worth Taking Seriously

A connected car deserves extra scrutiny if the maker is vague about updates, if the app security feels weak, or if the car depends on an old third-party gadget for remote features. The same goes for cheap aftermarket parts that want broad access to location, locks, diagnostics, and account data all at once.

If you’re shopping used, pay close attention to models with lots of connected features from the early connected-car era. Those systems can feel dated for a reason. Security moves on. Hardware often doesn’t.

So, Should Drivers Worry?

Worry isn’t the right word. Awareness is. Most drivers are far more likely to deal with plain old theft, account reuse, or leftover personal data than a movie-style remote takeover. Still, the risk is real enough that regulators, automakers, and security researchers treat it seriously.

The sweet spot is simple: keep the vehicle updated, lock down the linked account, be careful with add-on devices, and wipe your data before the car changes hands. Cars can be hacked. That’s true. They can also be managed smartly, which is what matters when you’re the one behind the wheel.