Wire · regulatory
Anyone in Bluetooth Range Can Unlock Cars, Kill Engines Through Alarms Owners May ...
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Fusion42 · 21 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
UC San Diego researchers discovered a Bluetooth vulnerability in Karr alarm systems installed in approximately 2 million US vehicles that allows attackers to unlock doors, disable ignition, and trigger other functions remotely. Karr has released a firmware patch via a smartphone app, though the vulnerability went unpatched for 18 months and many owners are unaware their vehicles have the system installed.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Cybersecurity and Autonomous Vehicles.
◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
If you're building car security, telematics, or dealer-installed systems, you now know that hardware sitting in 2 million vehicles has an 18-month patch lag and ships without owner consent—meaning your replacement product has a ready distribution channel if you can solve the visibility and consent problem first.
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1 source · 21 Jul 2026
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