All of us have experienced Patch-Tuesdays, when we come into work and find our desktops & laptops rebooted due to mandatory Microsoft patches.

Imagine starting your car and finding out the dashboard changed…and your radio stations are gone.  Or worse, the car won’t start.

Yes, automakers have a lousy track record in software development and security.

See http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/03/hacker-bricks-cars/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4396831.stm – Malaysia car thieves steal finger

But I’m sure MB has THIS system locked down…and if believe that, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

Yes Virginia, the ultimate expression of physical ownership and transportation is just another droplet in the cloud…

From the TXNOLOGIST:

This new system upgrades on the fly, he said, the first such in-car application to do so. “It’s seamless to the customer,” Link said. “I have a friend who was excited about his system upgrade, which required him to plug in his stick and leave his car running for 45 minutes. Who wants to do that? In a process called ‘reflashing,’ the Mercedes system can turn on the car operating system (CU), download the new application, then cut itself off. It doesn’t require you to do anything at all.”

The implications of this go far beyond transparent upgrade of your streaming music system. Consider that the average car has 70 to 100 electronic control units (ECUs) and even econoboxes have lines of code in the tens of millions — the Mercedes S-Class has more than 20 million. According to Link, software-related recalls are a big problem for carmakers, costing $75 to $95 per car. Not only is it expensive, but it’s a hassle for drivers—nobody likes bringing their car to the shop.

via New York Auto Show: Upgrading Auto Software In A Flash | Txchnologist.