Advocates Want FCC to Address Car Hacking Threat

The rulemaking process will take a step forward Wednesday, the deadline for comments on a petition filed in June with the FCC requesting that the agency draft rules for the privacy and cybersecurity practices of automobile and tech companies that use the Direct Short Range Communication service. Responses to those comments are due on Sept. 8.  Harold Feld, senior vice president at Public Knowledge, one of the two groups that filed the rulemaking petition, says automakers aren’t yet in a position to deploy the communications technologies that will enable vehicles to connect to traffic light systems or make payments at gas stations. “You have to have a cybersecurity plan in place,” Feld said. “You have to explain to us how you’re going to handle vulnerabilities.”