Lexus Portal safe?

[RXJasonRX]

hello

I was tempted to register on the Lexus portal so I can try out the features with my RX450h. I know a bit about computers, but was wondering what other owners thought about the potential security issues of using the Lexus portal in the car? Could the car potentially be hacked and stolen or somehow disabled mechanically,  like ransomware?

 

I know I'm probably being paranoid, but thought I'd ask what others thought.

 

 

Thanks

 

Jason 

[PDM]

Hi Jason, 

Assuming your RX is a 2016 model as in your profile, you will have the MM15 based infotainment system.  The MM15 system has relatively basic functionality on "My Lexus" (as Lexus Portal is now called) but it will allow you to send a destination to the car (so you can plan a journey from your computer and download it on the vehicle when you connect the car to the internet by e.g. tethering through your phone).  Given the limited functionality, I would think the risk of any security issues on the vehicle through this are pretty low.

However, I note that there have been instances (not with Lexus though I think) of vehicles being hacked through rogue DAB radio signals:

https://www.theregister.com/2015/07/24/car_hacking_using_dab/

The other thing you can see on My Lexus, which is useful, is the vehicle's service history.  I think you could access this info on "My Lexus" without needing to link the car's multimedia system to the web account, if you are worried about vehicle security.

I'd also be interested to see what others think here.

Paul

[LenT]

45 minutes ago, PDM said:

The other thing you can see on My Lexus, which is useful, is the vehicle's service history.  I think you could access this info on "My Lexus" without needing to link the car's multimedia system to the web account, if you are worried about vehicle security.

Yes, indeed Paul.  I found this very enlightening.

Just go to the Lexus site and register in the ‘My Lexus’ section.  Apart from getting online versions of the relevant manuals, you do indeed see a record of the vehicle’s service history.

However,  I suspect that this service record database is only available to Lexus dealers.  So any work done outside of the dealer network may not have been recorded in it.  Just my guess, but I would not have thought non-franchises would be permitted access to the database.