“Still don’t know why you couldn’t just turn off the key...”
Most luxe cars nowadays have push-button starters. The key fob sits in your pocket and the ignition system senses that it’s in the car.
Hitting that “START” button doesn’t seem like a reliable way to switch off a hacked car.
“Much easier to hack the computer to react to some event such as going over x miles per hour. The hack could have been done while the car was in a parking lot or garage.”
Exactly, just set the throttle to go ballistic “When the car reaches 45mph.” The driver will naturally steer to avoid obstacles as long as possible.... meanwhile the car continues to gain speed under full acceleration....
...until he runs out of road or approaches a turn he can’t make b/c he’s reached 80mph.
The odds of Hastings contacting Wikileaks, saying he’s going “off the radar,” then dying in a fiery car crash on the SAME DAY are extremely remote.
That’s about as likely as Soetoro being a Christian.
In the real world of electricity, power systems, and the maintenance thereof, a mechanical disconnection means is necessary with a visible opening that can be manipulated and locked in the open/off position before something is considered "off" or de-energized. That ought to be a must on a vehicle.
I also have a car with a pushbutton start. Suppose it could be hacked by a pro, and I suppose that it could make things a bit dangerous (to say the least). I'm not expecting it, but it ought to be something that car manufacturers are cognizant of.