Congratulations -- your cars internal workings are now connected to the internet. Your car is now hackable either through your android device or through the bluetoot OBD II dongle.

It would take skills and dedication to gain access -- first they need to hack your phone, then they need to circumvent whatever security measures the OBD II - dongle may have (or not have). After that they may send virtually whatever command they like through the car computer network (CAN-BUS). Turn on the fan, Stopping the engine, messing with your brakes, ... virtually any component in your car can be controlled through the CAN-BUS network. Gain acces, and you can send ANY command to ANY component.

Here's a nifty youtube demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0SrxBC1xs
Here's a writeup: https://blog.kaspersky.com/blackhat-jeep-cherokee-hack-explained/9493/
In the example above, the researcher hacked the entertainment system, which is connected both to the CAN-BUS network and internet.


I really like your nice setup, but it's not something I would do in my car, for the reasons above. At the very least, I would disconnect the android device form the internett while connected to the OBD II dongle.

LOL! Thanks, but I'm Android developer with electrical engineering degree, so I know a bit better all of the potential threats. Yes it is possible. But you have to install a malicious app with a backdoor on your phone first, or have a hidden smartphone installed in the car. I trust Torque and always closely monitoring what I'm installing. A remote BT connection hack on the go is near to impossible, the hacker must follow me very close for quite a long period of time to be able connect to my very low range OBD dongle and stay connected long enough to communicate with the computer. In most of the cases I'm occupying that connection with Torque already when riding, so hacker's chances to connect are close to a zero. There is no way to connect to my car when parked, as OBD port has no power without the key in the ignition. Also my Subaru Forester 2002 on-board computer provides way too little for a hacker to play with, so I doubt anyone would be interested even in pranking me - too boring

On other hand, if anyone have a serious intent to hack a car - he/she can do that with anyone's car, regardless of any wireless OBD installed or phone apps used by the owner.

With the right antenna, I'd expect to be able to succeed in this sort of attack if I could stay within three hundred yards or so. It would take a significant effort; best chance of success would probably require a driver for the car, a hacker on a laptop, and a dedicated antenna-aimer.

Hacking cars without physical access can be very easy (for cars that have Bluetooth or Wifi devices with security designed by automotive engineers rather than infosec professionals) to impossible (my car has no such integration). With physical access, anything can be hacked.

Cars that have life-safety equipment such as brakes that are remotely accessible are cars that I for one do not want to own.

I used one of the ball compasses (Bell?) that could be adjusted for magnetic fields. It worked great on the older cars, but with all the electronics in the dashboard of the newer cars, it had to be mounted way off the dashboard. Otherwise the car's electronics will monkey with it. The electronics also monkey with my phone's onboard compass.

If I want just direction, coordinates, and speed; I use a GPS app on my phone (GPS Test Plus) that uses GPS coordinate diferences instead of the phone's compass, and works off network.

My .02 is to get a dash mounted inclinometer/tilt gauge separate from the compass, and then mount a decent marine compass as a stand alone device.

My first windshild compass was much like the Bell Suction Cup Mini Compass. Easy to mount and plenty accurate for a car on a road. The compass I received as agift was much nicer but installation and real estate in a small car were issues. The small ones work.