Software-Defined Vehicles Reshape Auto Industry Amid Surging Cyber Risks

Imagine your car becoming like a smartphone on wheels.

Instead of being just metal and engines, cars today have software that can be updated over the internet.

This means carmakers can improve a car without changing its physical parts.

Experts say the software and electronics market for cars could grow to $519 billion by 2035.

Soon, almost 7 out of 10 new cars might drive themselves at least a little bit.

But there is a problem: when cars connect to the internet, they can be hacked.

Bad people can use ransomware, a kind of computer virus, to lock up car systems.

More than half of those attacks could affect thousands or even millions of cars at once.

That is why keeping cars safe from cyberattacks is now very important for carmakers.