
Uber Inc. has just hired the two hackers responsible for remotely hijacking a Jeep in a security demonstration earlier this year to head up their driverless car security research team.
As autonomous vehicles plow their way toward the marketplace, one of the lingering concerns is the strength of onboard security systems. According to a report form Engadget, transportation network company Uber has just hired Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, a team of hackers that remotely hijacked a Jeep’s onboard system earlier this year.
The notorious hack prompted Fiat Chrysler to recall 1.4 million cars, fearing that hackers may be able to tamper with the vehicles’ internal computers. Uber was impressed by the keen eye for security flaws demonstrated by the hackers and invited them to work at its Advanced Technologies Center in Pennsylvania.
In the past few years, Uber has made considerable investments in mapping technology, autonomous vehicles, and innovative corporate structuring. Charlie Miller, previously worked with Twitter’s security team, said that he would begin working with Uber this Tuesday.
The decision to hire the two hackers may prove beneficial for the ride sharing company, as security concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles mount. Uber is counting on the people who have an eye for security flaws to point them out.
Uber has been a disruptive force in the transportation industry, raising concerns about the long term stability of Taxis in major cities across the world. As the company turns towards autonomous vehicles, the thousands of jobs they claim responsibility for creating may begin to dwindle in numbers in the near future.
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