U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) warns that the computers that control and monitor the aircraft isn't protected enough by on-board firewalls intended to protect avionics from hackers. These could be breached if flight control and entertainment systems use the same wiring and routers had they in turn, been connected to the on-board WiFi. The GAO report authors stated that the affected planes include the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the Airbus A350 and A380. All have advanced cockpits that are wired into the same WiFi system used by passengers.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by WizardFusion on Thursday April 16 2015, @11:40AM
The mobile phone and petrol stations was a completely american issue (as far as I remember), and the problem was that the pumps have a little catch that allows people to walk away when the petrol is still being delivered. The spark came from people with cheap clothes getting in and out of their cars and the friction causing a static spark that would ignite the fumes.
Here in the UK, we don't have those little catches, so you have to stay where you are when pumping.
(Score: 1) by yarp on Thursday April 16 2015, @12:50PM
I'd read the story of sparks being caused by clothing, but never twigged that it would have been exacerbated due to entry and exit of a vehicle while a pump was running automatically.
Still, I wonder why we still have the signs up on forecourts. It's not helped that mobile phone manufacturers also give the same warning in their user manuals (not that anybody reads them).
(Score: 2) by Snow on Thursday April 16 2015, @09:11PM
You can solve the problem of having to stand by your car by jamming our car's fuel cap under the handle of the dispenser. Ta-da! Auto Fill!
When it's really cold and windy, I'll take my chances with fire over the certainty of freezing my ass off.
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Thursday April 16 2015, @09:54PM
A funny anecdote I heard from a friend is that the stickers placed on pumps in jurisdictions that forbid the catch (NY is one) reads: "It is illegal to place gas cap in handle." So people started using tennis balls since they were not forbidden by the sticker. Doubt it is a real practice or stand up in court.