Bryan Watson
Aug 22, 2017 · 1 min read

You write: “I don’t see too many hackers messing with street signs, though, presumably because the result is both fleeting and unpredictable, and the cost (jail time) is high.”

In today’s world, we can add that human drivers are unlikely to be confused or misled by a street sign that has been “messed with” and would add other factors into their driving decisions. Therefore, today, there aren’t too many incidents because it isn’t effective.

If, however, there are large numbers of automated vehicles interpreting street signs, the “effectiveness” of tampering may well increase, making it more attractive to hackers seeking to create mischief. Adding “a few pieces of tape” to a sign is also much easier than removing a sign, lowering the risk of being caught and raising the attraction.

Maps and sensors which override what the car sees creates a further conflict — should the car follow what it “knows” or what it “sees”? Which reflects the actual circumstance?

I’m confident these issues will eventually be worked out. However, during the transition period of mixing human-driven and automated vehicles sharing both roads and road signs, we humans will have to “think like a car”.

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    Bryan Watson

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