2. How does the car manufacturer handle security updates?

VDC's Hoffenberg says the first issue on updates is to find out if the manufacturer does security updates at all. Then, assuming they are available, how does the manufacturer protect the consumer against malicious firmware updates? Ask if a digital signature gets applied using a private encryption key to protect the update. Typically, these more-protected updates are done at an authorized dealer.

Kunal Agarwal, general manager of IoT at Symantec, says he's been driving a Tesla for the past five years, and the company tends to inform him of an update that he can easily accept by tapping on the main console screen in his car. He says consumers should also ask the car manufacturer how long it intends to keep supporting the system. Agarwal says car manufacturers recognize that people tend to keep their cars for up to 10 years, in some cases — and the car itself could be driven another five years or more after that.