I hate talking about motorcycle theft. it’s not a pleasant topic on the best of days, even when there’s enough colorful info to keep the conversation light – but, as always, tech advancement has given us a new gadget that y’all should probably be aware of, so let’s dive in.
For those of you unfamiliar with a Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus, your bike has likely got one; it’s the bit with a central computer – apart from your ECU – that controls parts of the bike, making diagnostics that much easier to perform on your machine of choice.
With “nearly all European motorcycles us[ing] CAN bus for the connection and communication between different systems of the motorcycle” (via Moto Mate), you can imagine the damage that could be done if the thing were hacked.
Unfortunately, we have a picture of the thing right here, courtesy of coverage from MCN:
Disguised as a Bluetooth speaker, this CAN Bus injector can plug into a vehicle “by removing a headlight or drilling through plastic panels,” fooling machinery into thinking a key has been inserted and enabling the thief to, theoretically, scoot off into the sunset.
While the news is more than a little concerning, MCN’s talks with BMW have brought to light one of the industry’s preventative measures: The electric immobilizer.
“We have a very high standard of anti-theft protection… Even if the CAN bus is accessed, it is not possible to start a BMW motorcycle without permission or to deactivate the electronic immobilizer,” imparts the contact from BMW Motorrad.
“Nevertheless, we are continuing to work on improving the anti-theft protection of BMWs.”
In other words, expect this injector to come hand-in-hand with attempts to reprogram EEPROM chips on ECU… a complicated business, but like I said, there’s always somebody trying it.
Stay safe.