@juiceme, that might explain the coupling between the entertainment system and the engine control. So far so good. I can understand that and hide it under the umbrella of accidental side effect that I mentioned in my post.

What I do not understand is why any of those has to be coupled to any kind of radio. That is an additional feature that turns a gun you can use to shoot yourself in the foot into a gun that anyone can use to shoot your brains out.

"Canada digging it's head in the sand?"
No.
Nor did I say that there weren't problems... the "good old days" weren't all so good.
My childhood was the 70's there were probs...but not the kind there are now..,
...the hole in the ozone wasn't the pressing public issue yet.
...Climate change wasn't the forefront topic yet..

...the domesticated sheep going blind in argentina? (really? wow.. there is a tragedy...yeah...raybans are the answer... )
We have most Canadian arctic wildlife (already or) going blind up here...
arctic ice disappearing...
the polar bears are losing drastic amounts of weight because there is no ice for them to rest on...they are moving further inland and are crossbreeding (in some odd incidents..) with grizzlies..(nature tries to find a way) ..
the pine beetle and other "imports" are destroying our forests wholesale...
The pacific salmon are going (extinct...due to warming waters amoungst other issues) ...
they aren't expected to be around much longer...
We have been watching the mass migrations on both coasts of crab and lobster further north from the US waters into cooler temperature'd Can. waters just over the last couple years...(anything that can migrate is trying to do so...)
We are getting more and more jellyfish off our coasts...
I can go on if you wish...

No..Canada hasn't had it's head in the sand..

Of course terrorism and those trying spin the fear have always been around...
but now ..
little Jimmy down the street ...instead of playing with his RC plane in the field on Sunday....is able to go to radio shack....or just use his ebay account and have everything he needs mailed right to his doorstep ...
so he can fly his drone around and get into gawd knows what trouble...or sit in his basement on a laptop and attack and help crash whatever necessary infrastructure ....
and now ...has the potential to get his parents into a tragic fatal multi-car pile-up ...because he got grounded for not eating his "greens" at dinner last night..

"that's" what I mean...
it's getting harder to trace who is responsible...
Now anyone can be a saboteur ...or weekend terrorist...
all from the comfort of their living room...

That (CANBUS) goes to radio because it makes the whole system simpler and easier to implement all the bells and whistles customers want...

For example in my car (even when it is "old" 2006 model) the navigation radio has CANBUS. The radio backlightning is controlled through the CANBUS as well as the vehicle speed is reported through it. Trying to get all this information to radio without using CANBUS would require fair amount of extra wires and supporting electronics. Now when the ECU already knows all this it is just a small software change to send it to the radio through CANBUS.

Partly like what @Mara says, but more important; in the newest vehicles there's a permanent 3G connection and GPS tracking, which sends a distress signal coupled with location when an accident happens for example. The same thing works in the opposite way of course, the car manufacturer and their licensed reps can remotely diagnose the car's systems and send software updates to the ECU.

What is more alarming IMHO is that such features will be made mandatory in the future, so that all new vehicles will be equipped with them. The intention is good of course but it will indeed plant a new attack vector to the vehicles.

Hmm. I didn't know that and it honestly makes me even more worried. Not so much about somebody hacking into my car. Just like the alleged "terrorism threat", I am willing to take my chances.

No, what REALLY worries me is that it adds another vector for my beloved government to snoop on me. You have just effectively convinced me not to buy a car newer than 2009.

I'd post the link...but our national broadcast service has an issue with individs outside the country viewing and using their material...copyright laws and such. so the written transcript I have put here along with the attached photo...



Illegal drone use over and around wildfire containment efforts hamper firefighting efforts in British Columbia Canada.

"Wildfire officials say their efforts to fight a fire near West Kelowna, B.C. have been hampered because of drones flying over the area.

B.C. Wildfire Service says one of its helicopters has been grounded due to unmanned aerial vehicles flying close to the 560-hectare wildfire.

"We want to stress the fact that this is illegal," said Fire Information Officer Melissa Klassen.

"Anytime you have an active wildfire, the airspace directly over the wildfire within the radius of five nautical miles is restricted."

Klassen said flying drones over a wildfire poses a significant safety risk to firefighting crews.

She said wildfire officials are working with the RCMP regarding the incident.

More lightning, wildfires to come

There were 129 wildfires burning in B.C. as of Saturday afternoon, 85 of which were started by lightning.

According to Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek, more lightning is on its way.

Skrepnek said crews are on alert for another period of storms hitting the southern interior this weekend.

Two weeks ago, lightning and thunder swept across the southern and eastern sections of the province. That activity started more than 100 fires in a day.

Skrepnek said he hopes the next round of lightning isn't so powerful."


Fire near the city of Kelowna British Columbia taken july 22nd ...which is still being fought.