Thousands of Mazdas in the Seattle area are stuck on a single FM radio station (kuow.org)

Article summary

A radio station in the Seattle area sent image files over the air, causing issues with some 2014-2017 Mazda vehicles with older software. The problem resulted in the cars being stuck on a single FM radio station. The issue is reportedly due to an unsanitized input vulnerability failure. A hardware replacement or firmware upgrade may be required to fix the problem.

Main themes

• car safety features
• infotainment system vulnerabilities
• backup camera requirements
• car design and rear visibility
• supply chain complexity
• safety vs expense tradeoffs
• regulatory requirements for safety features

What commenters say

• The addition of non-critical features like displaying album art for radio stations increases the attack surface and may not be worth the risk.
• Backup cameras are a useful safety feature and should be mandatory, despite some considering them an unnecessary expense.
• The requirement for backup cameras in new cars is a sensible safety measure that has saved lives.
• Some argue that good rear visibility in car design could reduce the need for backup cameras, but others counter that cameras provide better coverage than mirrors and windows alone.
• The issue highlights the potential risks of connecting critical systems to non-critical features like infotainment systems.
• The problem may not be limited to Mazda, as the supply chain for car radios can be complex and involve multiple suppliers.
• Some commenters believe that the focus on safety features like backup cameras has led to a lack of attention to basic car design principles like rear visibility.
• Others argue that safety features like backup cameras and ABS are essential and that their benefits outweigh their costs.