In response to threats of cyber attack, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is recalling 1.4 million vehicles that are equipped with radios vulnerable to hacking, according to a report from Bloomberg.
The automobile company is responding to an earlier report from Wired, that showed two hackers successfully play with the Jeep Cherokee's radio and air conditioning, then later successfully stopped the vehicle as it is driving along a highway.
"Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek have been working on intentionally hacking into Miller's vehicle over the past year as part of their on-going research in the area of automotive cybersecurity and have communicated with FCA about some aspects of their work," according to a blog post by Gualberto Ranieri, FCA's 'Senior Vice President of Communications.
The FCA already distributed a software update for the vehicles affected by the hack to counter the vulnerability, uncovered by the hackers.
"There has not been a single real world incident of an unlawful or unauthorized remote hack into any FCA vehicle," the Ranieri said in the blog.
In a separate blog post by Ranieri, He mentions that no actual recall of vehicles will be made, as the FCA is using the "auspices of recall" as "an abundance of caution." The process will speed up awareness of the availability of the software update for concerned vehicles.
Owners of the recalled vehicles will receive a USB drive, that contains the software update, via mail, so they can install the upgrade themselves. They can also visit their local Chrysler dealer and have a technician install the software at no charge.
Bloomberg reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encouraged FCA's action as a way to protect consumers from the vulnerability of the driver losing control of the vehicle.
"Launching a recall is the right step to protect Fiat Chrysler's customers, and it sets an important precedent for how the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the industry will respond to cybersecurity vulnerabilities," Mark Rosekind, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a report from Bloomberg.
Several vehicles of Dodge, Ram, Chrysler and Jeep are affected by the recall.
