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Polish Hackers Repaired Trains the Manufacturer Artificially Bricked. Now The Train Company Is Threatening Them (www.404media.co)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

117 comments fedilink hide all child comments

In one of the coolest and more outrageous repair stories in quite some time, three white-hat hackers helped a regional rail company in southwest Poland unbrick a train that had been artificially rendered inoperable by the train’s manufacturer after an independent maintenance company worked on it. The train’s manufacturer is now threatening to sue the hackers who were hired by the independent repair company to fix it.

After breaking trains simply because an independent repair shop had worked on them, NEWAG is now demanding that trains fixed by hackers be removed from service.

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[–] [email protected] 81 points 10 months ago (3 children)

I wonder if they were taking notes from John Deere and the automotive industry or will it be the reverse here soon?

Just imagine all these vehicles that could be bricked for not going back to the stealerships for outrageous prices on parts and incompetent service.

Also the vehicles that could be disabled for not paying for device protection plan that allows your vehicle to operate safely. It would be a shame if your vehicle stopped working on your way to work or the hospital.

I suspect Tesla, BMW, and John Deere are the closest to this reality.

I sure hope the government doesn't help with another great cash for clunkers national program to get rid of more cars too old for these measures. Sure is a great way to drive new car sales though...

[–] [email protected] 24 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Oh don't count GM and a Ford out of it. They're already kicking android auto and Apple car to the curb so they can control more stuff and get access to more data. The savvier they get the closer that comes to reality.

Of course, by the end of our lives you won't own a car at all. You'll subscribe to a car company that will act like a hybrid ride share and rental program. Commutes will be on a rideshare basis and you'll be able to rent a car for a weekend road trip.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

I just heard about GM this morning in my tech news. I didn't realize that about Ford too.

I've drawn a line in the sand with my vehicles at about 2011 for tech. I love tech and I love cars but just not into the current versions of everything being touch screen controls.

Give me knobs for climate controls, gear shifters, and gauges for the rest. They don't need all of these computer systems that fail or become outdated as soon as they are released like the manufacturer's nav systems. We also don't need them to stop working completely because a sensor failed and can only be replaced by the dealer.

My phone in a holder can be the smartest part of the car for me thanks.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I think you can go further. My 2017 A4 is still "normal."

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I'm glad to hear that. Often I've driven rental cars and *last time I struggled to find the gear shifter which was replaced by buttons on the dash.

I've also seen just a video of a Tesla only new driver struggle to drive a ICE car because it had a gear shifter and didn't automatically brake. I'm feeling like a dinosaur now...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

Stop reading my mind.

You can pry my older cars from my cold, dead, hand.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago

If the manufacturer can stop your trains, then obviously anyone with the necessary hacking skills can do it too. Certain governments might be very interested in tampering with the logistics of another country.