Peter Shawn Taylor: Car hacking, the crime of tomorrow
21.05.12
Omar Ramos-Lopez was none too pleased when fired from his job at an Austin, Tex., car dealership in 2010. So he decided to get even. Getting revenge on former employers may not be a particularly novel reaction, but his choice of payback was cutting-edge.
Texas Auto Center, where Ramos-Lopez worked, installs GPS units in leased cars that can remotely prevent the car from starting, or sound the horn on demand. Such functions come in handy if anyone happens to fall behind on their lease payments.
The disgruntled Ramos-Lopez, however, used the devices to disable cars regardless of payment status. He also set off their horns at random times. He disrupted about a hundred cars over several weeks, wreaking havoc with the lives of many drivers.
Police eventually traced the mayhem back to Ramos-Lopez, who was using another employee’s password to gain access to the firm’s GPS system from his home computer. He was charged with felony breach of computer security, but was subsequently placed in a first-time, non-violent offenders program that allowed him to avoid a criminal record.
Inilex Showcases SkyLINK and SkyLINK PROTECT at NADA
21.05.12
Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) February 02, 2012
Telematics is predicted to be a $2 billion dollar market in the U.S. this year, presenting a sizeable opportunity for dealers offering aftermarket vehicle theft recovery devices. At this weekend’s NADA Convention , Inilex will showcase SkyLINK and SkyLINK PROTECT , the latest in aftermarket telematics that offer considerable resell and markup potential for car dealers.
At NADA, attendees can view demos of the SkyLINK stolen car recovery device, as well as the new SkyLINK PROTECT vehicle monitoring service. SkyLINK is a dealer-installed device that uses a combination of GPS and cellular technology to provide nationwide coverage and enable stolen cars to be tracked by all law enforcement agencies. SkyLINK PROTECT is a brand-new service that works in conjunction with SkyLINK to provide car buyers and dealers with real-time vehicle monitoring and reporting. Through a web-based dashboard, SkyLINK PROTECT users can set speed alerts and GeoFences, as well as monitor car battery levels.
Use of reversing camera or Audi Parking sensor display with aftermarket AV system for Audi A4, A5, Q5
What's the best aftermarket GPS unit for your car?
Sep 20, 2006 by mz1154 | Posted in Other - Cars & Transportation
I would preferably like to install it in the dash, and I have space for a full double din size install. (large opening in the dash)
I'm open to portable GPS units, as long as they're very funtional.
I agree with the previous review, I own the Garmin i3 which is basically the same as the i5 only it doesn't have built in memory - it has a transflash memory slot, so in order to put all the maps of the US and Canada (which are included on a dvd) you will have to purchase a larger memory card (transflash) 1gb, which will cost about 40 bucks. However it still may cheaper than buying the i5. You can check the prices on Amazon it is about 247 for the i3 and 329 for the i5.
Garmin has much nicer units in the 5 to 700 dollar range, they have more features, but all of the use the same navteq maps and calculate routes exactly the same.
In dash after-market units are about 3 to 4 times the cost of the portable units and they don't navigate any better. Also with a portable you can use it in any vehicle you are in.
I haven't tried any other brand - You can also research Magellan, Lowrance, TomTom, and coming soon Rand McNally.
Iv'e researched all the above units and the concensus from many forums is that Garmin is far and above the best.
billm_07456 | Sep 20, 2006
If you change your mind, and decide on a portable GPS unit, my favorite is the Garmin Street Pilot i5. It's small, portable, can run off two AA batteries, has a lound speaker, a nice color screen, and is simple to use, without even reading the manual. It's so small, you can get out of the car and take it with you, yet it retains all the features.
shake_um | Sep 20, 2006
Looking for an aftermarket GPS system for my truck, would appreciate any reviews on the different models?
Dec 13, 2006 by dallascan2000 | Posted in Car Audio
i use microsoft streets and trips 2007 with gps,use 2003 and 2005 as well as deleo and my laptop
all have worked very well
2007 can be loaded to a portable unit now as well
doug b | Dec 13, 2006
I work as a delivery driver part-time and find the Garmin to be very good. I have a Streetpilot III, which is an older model and I bought refurbished. Still works great and has saved me much time and headache. It's a dash-mount, so it just sits on the dash. Don't go with cheap brands. Garmin, Tom-Tom, Magellan are the top brands.
I've used Garmin products in vehicles and in the air, they are some of the best. If you like Ebay, you can find a pretty good deal, although the big box stores are running Christmas deals too. Find the newest model you can for the price you are willing to pay.
Andrew | Dec 13, 2006
Which is better a GPS that comes installed in a car or an aftermarket GPS, Garmin-TomTom etc..?
Jul 10, 2009 by Blah B | Posted in Car Audio
Not talking about the looks but like its uses besides being convenient
After market, less chance of theft cause you can take it out, works exactly the same, way less money
mark n | Jul 10, 2009
What mark said, plus: With a Garmin or Tomtom, you can get updated maps - these are rarely available in an inbuilt. You can take it to another country with you, and get maps for the other country. You can't do that with an inbuilt.
You can load up specific points from a PC onto your GPS, and save them, reload them, etc.
With some of the Garmin/Tomtoms you can also get your tracklog out of the unit. That way you can look at where you went on your PC - and see how long different bits took, etc...
gary t | Jul 12, 2009
What is the best aftermarket GPS for a vehicle?
Apr 18, 2007 by filf38 | Posted in Audi
I have a 2006 Audi A4 S-Line, was thinking of purchasing a window installed GPS, any suggestions?
I have an 06 A4 2.0T, and LOVE my TomTom 510. It cost me about $350 (used a lil coupon) and it's a helluva lot better than Audi's $2000+ Nav system, PLUS you can connect it to your PC or Laptop and program in destinations, addresses, even plan a trip! I just planned a trip from Dallas to San Antonio, and picked out places to eat, shop, get gas, and sightsee. It also has Bluetooth, and most restaurants that are listed in there also have a phone number, so you can use the TomTom to dial the number, make a reservation using the Tom Tom's speaker, and then it will tell you how to get there!
One of the best investments I ever made....besides the Audi!
drumbum811 | Apr 19, 2007
can i use my factory radio and a aftermarket gps dvd playeras?
We have an aftermarket GPS in our new van, and my Wiser Half has long cautioned not to leave it in view on the dashboard. But when I hid it away somewhere, and more »
Pimping your 'yakAs mentioned before some kayaks already come with them – some moulded and some aftermarket – but they might not suit your style of fishing,
Does Sprint's EVO 4G battery make it a non-starter?There are larger aftermarket batteries coming. In fact, the HTC Hero battery works in Evo. There are larger ones coming from Seido.and more »
“Pressure from the aftermarket, and from free or low-cost applications available via smartphone handsets, will drive down ASPs for GPS/navigation and more »
The company provides live traffic information direct via mobile phone services and Radio Data System -Traffic Message Channel (RDS TMC) to other aftermarket and more »