>> Car companies, possibly more than anyone else in the world, are the home to people who understand how mechanical failure affects lives. You're completely ri

>> Car companies, possibly more than anyone else in the world, are the home to people who understand how mechanical failure affects lives. You're completely right, but the key phrase in your sentence is "mechanical failure". I've worked on analytics projects in the automotive industry for analyzing defects before they get into the "campaign" (aka recall) stage. They are incredibly good at that type of analysis. Most mechanical parts "make sense", since they're designed for only a few functions. An Internet connected computer and software, on the other hand, doesn't always make sense to auto execs because they are significantly more complex. As it relates to the article, I wouldn't be surprised if the car's computer system was perceived more as just a part having a particular set of features by Chrysler's top executives than as a computer system requiring the same types of security controls as, say, an ATM would.