“This new cybersecurity guidance from the Department of Transportation is like giving a take-home exam on the honor code to failing students. If modern day cars are computers on wheels, we need mandatory standards, not voluntary guidance, to ensure that our vehicles cannot be hacked and lives and information put in danger.”

U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) commenting on voluntary cybersecurity guidance unveiled this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Senators are advocating a more aggressive approach as provided for in their Security and Privacy in Your Car (SPY Car) Act which directs the NHTSA to work with the Federal Trade Commission to develop standards to prevent hackers from accessing the computer systems in vehicles.