Why is Uber hiring hackers? - Christian Science Monitor

Starting next week, Charlie Miller, former security researcher for Twitter, and Chris Valasek, who worked at security firm IOActive, will join the ride-hailing company’s research team for self-driving technology and robotics, Reuters reported Friday. The decision highlights growing concerns among security experts over wireless security, as cars become increasingly connected and move toward driverless technology. “I think it goes without saying that if you don’t get security right, automated cars don’t get off the ground,” Woodrow Hartzog, a law professor at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and an affiliate scholar at Stanford Law School’s... A report from Verizon last November found that 14 car manufacturers accounted for 80 percent of the worldwide auto market, and each one has a connected-car strategy. Security experts say one remote hacking of an Uber vehicle could spell disaster for the ride-hailing company. The Advanced Technology Center is part of Uber's broader plan to focus on “research and development, primarily in the areas of mapping and vehicle safety and autonomy technology,” according to a company blog post in February. “I’ve been in security for more than 10 years, and I’ve worked on computers and phones. Source: www.csmonitor.com