Stealthy Vehicle Hack: Concealing Cars from Radar Detection or Creating Ghost Cars
Modern automobiles have the impressive capability of linking us to our preferred music platforms and alerting us to any nearby vehicles that might be in our blind spot. However, as with any new technology, this comes with its own set of security and safety risks that we are just starting to comprehend. The availability of low-cost technology has made it simple for thieves to steal high-end cars in a matter of seconds, while car manufacturers are constantly gathering and disseminating vast amounts of personal data. To make matters worse, recent discoveries have revealed that it is now possible for a car’s radar system to create false images.
Researchers from Duke University have recently made a fascinating discovery regarding car radar systems. They have found a way to deceive these radars by altering their readings in real-time. With their invention, called the MadRadar, engineers can manipulate an approaching car’s signal or even create a fake vehicle without needing detailed information about the target’s radar.This groundbreaking development has major implications for the automotive industry and law enforcement. The ability to manipulate radar signals could have a significant impact on how cars communicate with each other and with surrounding objects. Moreover, this technology could be used to create deceptive scenarios that could potentially cause accidents or confusion on the road.The team of engineers behind the MadRadar project has shown that it is possible to disrupt the accuracy of radar readings without prior knowledge of the system’s specific parameters. This means that their invention could have a wide range of applications, as it does not require any specific information about the target radar to function effectively.One of the most exciting features of the MadRadar is its ability to camouflage an approaching vehicle or generate a phantom car. This adds an extra layer of deception to the manipulation of radar signals and could be useful in various scenarios, such as evading detection or creating diversions.However, this advancement in radar technology also raises concerns about
Based on the findings of experts, it is highly unlikely for two vehicles to share identical radar parameters. However, with MadRadar, these parameters can be swiftly identified in under 0.25 seconds. Once obtained, the system can then transmit its signal to deceive the targeted vehicle’s radar. This study was conducted by engineers on actual road-going cars operating at regular speeds. The attack was carried out from other moving vehicles as well as while stationary close to the roadside.
MadRadar has the capability to deceive a car into misinterpreting the movements of another nearby vehicle. With the rise in use and enhancement of radar-based driver-assistance systems by automakers, manipulating these technologies could result in potential accidents or other malicious attacks in the near future.
Miroslav Pajic, the current Dickinson Family Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University and leader of the project, stated that MadRadar has the capability to trick systems like adaptive cruise control. This means that your car could be duped into thinking that the car in front of you is accelerating, when in reality it is not. Such a thought is quite alarming.
Source: Duke Pratt School Of Engineering