RENAULT 

Next generation Alpine A110 is electric

Unlike many competitors, Alpine remains determined to become 100% electric. After the A290 and A390, it is preparing to launch the EV successor to the A110 in 2026, which will include some key advantages.

We have already reported that the successor to the A110, Alpine's lightweight and agile two-seater coupé, with shapes reminiscent of the model of the same name that won the first World Rally Championship in 1973, will be replaced by a 100% electric model. Now, the Renault Group's sports brand has decided to release an image of the new A110 EV, still covered, taking the opportunity to share some of the advantages that the new electric coupé will boast.

After being reborn as a vehicle manufacturer in 2017 (the brand ceased production in 1995), with the launch of the gasoline-powered A110, Alpine began its journey towards 100% electric mobility in late 2024, when it launched the A290, based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, followed by the first deliveries of the A390 in late 2025, the electric crossover to compete with the Porsche Macan. For late 2026, Alpine has reserved the start of sales of the A110 EV, the exclusively battery-powered coupé that should be shown to the public for the first time in October at the Paris Motor Show, followed by opening orders and starting deliveries to customers between the last days of 2026 and the first of 2027, at which point the brand will only offer battery-powered electric vehicles.

Interestingly, this won't be the first time Alpine has designed an electric A110, as a battery-powered version, based on the combustion-engine A110, called the E-Ternité, a convertible prototype, already appeared in 2022. The A110 E-Ternité aimed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the A110, but above all it served as a laboratory for the electric A110 that was to come, but without the limitations of having to use a platform designed for combustion engine vehicles (longer front to accommodate a gasoline engine and its respective gearbox).

The E-Ternité used the same 60 kWh battery as a Megane E-Tech, powering a 242 hp motor, all designed so that this first battery-powered A110 weighed only 1378 kg when placed on the scales. This weight, despite being 300 kg heavier than the gasoline version, is very low for an electric model, so as not to compromise agility, both in curves and in acceleration and braking. And, despite the higher weight, the E-Ternité was able to reach 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, exactly the same value claimed by the Alpine A110 with a 1.8 turbo engine with 252 hp.

The next Alpine A110 EV starts by using a specific platform for battery-powered models, not only to have a longer wheelbase to accommodate a more generous battery, but also to optimize handling, which tends to be more effective with the wheels moved to the extremes of the body. The former CEO of the French group, Luca de Meo, assured that the electric sports car, although with a new chassis and body, will adopt shapes similar to those of the current gasoline-powered A110, but probably stylized. He also guaranteed that the two-seater coupe will remain light, at least as light as its gasoline rivals. And, given Alpine's fixation on Porsche, everything suggests that de Meo was thinking of the 718 Cayman which, even in its cheapest version, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and 300 hp, announces a weight of 1410 kg, but with a larger battery than the one installed in the E-Ternité.

To give the electric sports car a more modern look, the round light signature of the current A110 will become hexagonal, with the interior taking on contours quite distinct from the current generation. In terms of mechanics, the A110 EV will inherit some of the solutions developed for the R5 Turbo 3E, starting with offering a version with only one 340 hp rear motor, powered by a 70 kWh battery to keep the weight down, which should still allow for an announced range of around 480 km. Alpine compensates for the lower battery capacity with faster charging, since the A110 EV has an 800V electrical system (instead of the usual 400V), which makes it possible to recharge at 350 kW and in less time. Similar to the R5 Turbo 3E, there will also be a version of the Alpine with two motors and 540 hp, with the aim of not exceeding 1500 kg in weight, to be able to exceed 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and reach 270 km/h.

2026 is going to be a massive year for Alpine because the A110 – the car the brand has built its name on – is going electric. And Alpine executives are promising that the replacement for the current A110 will still have “soul” and be a worthy rival to Porsche’s upcoming electric Cayman and Boxster.

In a teaser video laying out Alpine’s plans for 2026, the French brand’s boss Philippe Krief said: “The next communication is going to be really fun. With the next generation we will evolve, but keep the original DNA and spirit, the result is just fantastic. Within the first six months of 2026 we will show some really exciting news.”

Both Krief and former Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo – who has now left to head up the Kering fashion empire – have talked in depth to Auto Express about Alpine’s electric replacement for the A110 coupe, revealing a string of technical headlines. 

The electric coupe will ride on a dedicated sports car platform, has a target weight of 1,450kg (close to a Cayman GT4 RS’s), should travel more than 350 miles on a charge, and packs two in-wheel motors that generate “more than enough power – I can guarantee [it],” claimed ex-Ferrari director of engineering Krief.

According to the French press, after competing against the Porsche 718 with the A110 EV, Alpine is expected to go further and launch a larger coupe, with two doors and four seats (or 2+2), based on an extended version of the same platform, the Alpine Performance Platform, to compete with the electric Porsche 911 when it arrives on the market.

The 2028 Alpine A110 will be a 100% electric model; the image above reflects this transition with futuristic design elements:

-Visual identity: It retains the iconic four round headlights, now with ultra-modern LED technology and integrated light signatures.

-Aerodynamics: The body features more fluid and aggressive lines to optimize airflow, essential for electric efficiency.

-Chassis: It is expected to use the new APP (Alpine Performance Platform), focused on maintaining the brand's characteristic lightness.

-Performance: Projections indicate that the electric successor will have an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h close to 3.5 seconds.

by Autonews

 

AUTONEWS

A new way to study how cannabis use impacts safe driving

As marijuana legalization expands across the U.S., it is outpacing research on the impact of cannabis use behind the wheel. Researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) recently spent two years collecting real-world driving data from cannabis users to help fill in the gaps.

Using the patented naturalistic driving study methods, researchers collected 105,000 miles of driving data from 14,700 trips made by drivers ages 21 to 70 between 2021 and 2023. Of these, 9,000 miles involved cannabis use, 1,000 miles involved alcohol use, and 400 miles involved polysubstance use, or more than one drug. The remainder of the miles driven were considered substance free, creating a baseline for each participant.

"Because most studies have not followed a driver over time, that missing piece of how people adapt to driving under that influence is actually covered through this," said Kaitlyn Bedwell, study author and senior research associate at the institute. "Since the effect of cannabis and impairment is so individualized, this study shows use over time and provides an opportunity to look at that full individual window in depth."

The study and initial findings were published in a 2025 report, "Naturalistic Driving Study on Cannabis Use in Washington and Virginia." In addition to the naturalistic driving study data, participants provided 10,081 self-reported substance-use journal entries, which were combined with regular oral swabs to confirm substance use.

Early results from data analysis revealed:

-Time of day patterns: Cannabis-related trips spiked during typical lunch times and in the evening. Fridays were the most popular day of the week for imbibing.

-Behavioral changes: Some participants compensated for substance use by taking different routes, typically choosing to use more rural roads than sober trips.

Bedwell said the first-of-its-kind study's real value lies in its holistic approach, accounting for individual factors that affect driving under the influence of cannabis and providing both qualitative and quantitative measures that connect reported substance use with lab data. She said the framework can be replicated for future research and the sizable, novel database utilized by other researchers to further answer questions about cannabis use and driving performance.

"My takeaway is that I believe people want to know 'am I being safe? Am I keeping other people on the road safe?'" she said. "We've got to use research to provide that clarity."

Bedwell said data from sober trips can provide unique insights. By collecting data on participants when they are not using substances, this study effectively uses participants as their own baselines.

A driver-facing camera on the vehicle’s rearview mirror is part of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s system for collecting driver behavior data in naturalistic driving studies. Credit: Jacob Levin for Virginia Tech

The challenge of measuring cannabis impairment...As of early 2026, 40 U.S. states have legalized either medical or recreational cannabis use. It is illegal to drive while impaired by any substance, but unlike alcohol, cannabis impairment is difficult to quantify.

"There is no equivalent to a breathalyzer for cannabis," Bedwell said. "There's no concrete way to actually say you are impaired while you are driving this vehicle right at this moment."

Alcohol impairment can be measured reliably by blood alcohol content (BAC), and there is a proven relationship between increasing BAC and decreased driving performance.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the chemical in cannabis that causes the mind-altering effects—does not have a standard metric that distinguishes between impaired and unimpaired. THC is fat-soluble and can be detected in a person's system for up to 30 days, long after impairing effects have faded. Individual characteristics such as weight, metabolism, and even frequency of use can all alter how a person processes and is affected by cannabis. THC content in cannabis products also varies widely, ranging from 1% to 30%.

These factors make obtaining accurate crash data and policy development challenging. Bedwell said research in this area has also been slow to catch up and has often delivered conflicting results.

"We need more informed research in order to have informed policy," she said. "To this date, there is still no standard measure for how cannabis use affects impairment in a real-world environment."

VTTI's naturalistic driving research provided a method for overcoming some of these challenges by documenting an individual's behavior while both sober and under the influence over the course of multiple years. Pioneered by VTTI in the 1990s, the method involves installing unobtrusive cameras and sensors in participants' own vehicles to monitor them during daily routines. This allows researchers to have a wealth of information on driving behavior, vehicle information, and traffic scenarios, which can be used to study crash risk.

Bedwell said that the long-term naturalistic driving research study addresses the limitations of studies that use computer driving simulators or short-term studies that study drivers on a closed course.

"It allows for a precise assessment of driving performance in the real world, and that's what's going to capture the real complexity of driving," she said. "If you got this artificial simulation environment, it's got limitations because the participant doesn't face real consequences of crashing or the variability of other drivers."

Provided by Virginia Tech

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Limited 2026

The Pan America 1250 was the first maxi trail bike in the American brand's century-long history, which over the years has split into two: the ST, a more asphalt-oriented version with 17-inch wheels; and the Special, which maintained the trail essence with which it was conceived.

As expected, Harley-Davidson marketed accessories and kits to meet the aspirations of its passionate fans; and to make life easier for those who want to explore the more off-road side of the Pan America, it created this new fully equipped premium version, based on the Special.

Among the exclusive features of this Limited version are the robust top case and aluminum side cases with a combined capacity of 120 liters. An exhaust guard, an aluminum lower skid plate, and a radiator guard enhance its off-road capabilities; these accessories are sold separately on the standard version.

It also comes standard with the Screamin' Eagle quickshifter, which allows for up and down gear changes without using the clutch lever, and the position of the rear brake and gearshift pedals is fully adjustable to improve rider control and comfort when riding standing up.

The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Limited features the latest version of the liquid-cooled Revolution Max 1250 engine, which delivers 149 hp at 8,750 rpm and 124 Nm of torque at 6,750 rpm. This twin-cylinder engine, combined with the electronics, can be configured in nine riding modes, including off-road modes.

Otherwise, all the features of the Pan America 1250 Special are retained, including semi-active front and rear suspension, tubeless spoked wheels, hand guards and heated grips, intelligent lighting technology, automatic bike height adjustment, low position when stopped and higher when in motion.

by Autonews

 

AUTONEWS

Robotaxis are coming to London. The city's famed black cab drivers are skeptical

The Ford Mustang Mach-E cruises down a London road choked with traffic, using its onboard AI system to avoid jaywalkers and cyclists, and navigate roadwork as it drives to its destination.

The autonomous vehicle from British startup Wayve Technologies is on a test run ahead of the U.K. government's robotaxi trials set to launch in the spring. Tech companies including U.S. company Waymo and China's Baidu also plan to take part in the pilot program, making London the latest arena in the global robotaxi competition.

While self-driving cabs aren't new, London's ancient road layout and busy streetscapes could pose special challenges for the technology.

There's also skepticism from London's famed black cab drivers, who must pass a grueling training course known as "The Knowledge," which requires memorizing hundreds of routes and takes years to complete. They've previously opposed technology that's disrupted their industry, and protested the arrival of Uber.

Self-driving taxis are "a solution looking for a problem," said Steven McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, which represents black cabbies.

He doubts that robotaxis would have any advantage on London's road network, which is laid out in a convoluted spiderweb that dates back to Roman times—unlike the grid layout in American cities like San Francisco and Phoenix where Waymo operates.

Britain Robotaxis Frank O'Beirne, black cab driver poses with his taxi in London, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

The British capital is notorious for being one of the world's most congested cities and its streets are already clogged with other modes of transport, including private cars, buses, motor scooters, bicycles and electric rental bikes.

McNamara and many others have noted that robotaxis face another challenge from pedestrians crossing the streets. While jaywalking is illegal in the United States and many other countries, it's not an offense in Britain.

"It's virtually impossible to drive anywhere (in London) without somebody walking in front of you," McNamara said. In London, with a population of nearly 10 million, he wondered "how these cars are going to deal with those volumes of people?"

The robotaxi companies say there's room for the new technology.

"I think Londoners are going to love autonomous driving. It's going to be another choice alongside the Tube, cycling, walking, "said Wayve CEO Alex Kendall in a recent interview at the company's workshop.

Wayve is teaming up with Uber for the taxi trials, which are part of Britain's move to adopt national regulations for self-driving vehicles. The nation is seeking to position itself as a world leader in the technology.

Chinese tech company Baidu is also teaming up with Uber, as well as its ride-hailing rival Lyft, to operate its Apollo Go autonomous vehicle service in the London pilot.

Waymo, owned by Google parent Alphabet, will also take part and plans to launch a London passenger service by the third quarter of 2026, company representatives told reporters last month.

Waymo officials sought to ease concerns that the company would suddenly flood London streets with robotaxis, noting that it has operated 1,000 total vehicles in San Francisco since going into full service in 2024.

"We're not here to replace anyone," Waymo spokesman Ethan Teicher said. "We're here to add another option for people who will choose to take black cabs or other modes of transportation when it suits them and choose to take Waymo, when it makes sense."

Waymo's self-driving Jaguar I-Pace sedans have been spotted doing test runs around London. Wayve's Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles have also been doing road tests with human backup drivers sitting behind the wheel, ready to intervene if needed.

On a recent demo ride for The Associated Press, Wayve's Ford steered automatically through a three-mile (five kilometer) loop in North London without any problems.

Cruising down a straight and open stretch of road, the car maintained a steady pace of 19 miles (30 kilometers) per hour, a tick under the speed limit.

A traffic light changed as the car approached, forcing it to brake firmly and lightly jolting the passengers forward—the only moment that the driving was less than smooth.

Kendall said Wayve takes a different approach from traditional self-driving technology. It doesn't rely on "high definition" maps and "hand-coded" safety systems rules written by programmers anticipating every scenario.

Instead, it uses an AI trained on millions of hours of data gathered by its cars to learn and understand how the world works.

Britain Robotaxis Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO of Wayve, sits in the autonomous vehicle during an interview in London, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

"This is the key thing for self-driving, because every time you drive on the road, you're going to experience something different," Kendall said. "You can't rely on a self-driving car being told how to behave in every scenario it encounters."

He said Wayve is positioning itself as a technology company providing hardware and software that can be added to any vehicle to make it autonomous. It signed a deal with Nissan in December to build self-driving cars that will go on sale in Japan and North America by 2027.

Kendall wouldn't reveal any more specific details about the robotaxi service it will operate in collaboration with Uber, such as pricing.

Waymo, which has its own app to hail rides, will have "competitive" prices and fares will be in line with the market, officials said last month, while adding that it is often able to "demand more premium pricing."

Experts say there's a role for robotaxis in Britain, but it might be a niche one.

They're best poised to fill gaps in Britain's public transport network, such as serving villages that have lost bus services connecting them to bigger towns and cities because of budget cuts, said Kevin Vincent, director of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Automotive Research at Coventry University.

There will still be demand for human drivers, especially from out-of-town visitors and tourists, he said.

If you find a "cab driver who knows the area, you can ask him questions. You feel confident and comfortable you're going where you need to go," which is a service that won't be easily replaced in the short term, Vincent said.

Self-driving taxis can't replicate the human touch, said Frank O'Beirne, who has been driving black cabs for 14 years.

For example, one of his recent fares was a pair of blind passengers going to touristy Leicester Square. He ended up parking at a cab rank and walking them across the street to their destination, a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be in the basement of a casino.

"They would never have found that, ever, (on their own)," said O'Beirne. "There's nothing like us. I can't see the space where autonomous taxis can operate, really."

© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

TATA MOTORS

Tata Punch EV: €9,055

The facelifted Tata Punch EV has also been launched in India, starting at Rs 969,000 (€9,055).

This is the first major update to Tata’s smallest electric SUV since its launch, bringing styling changes inspired by the combustion engine Punch.

Bookings are already open, and deliveries are expected to begin soon.

The redesigned Punch EV gets a revised front bumper with a closed grille and a cleaner design. The previous black trim connecting the headlights has been removed, while the Y-shaped LED daytime running lights and centrally mounted fuel filler flap remain unchanged. The car also gets aerodynamically optimised 16-inch alloy wheels, along with three new exterior colour options paired with a contrasting black roof. At the rear, the facelift introduces linked LED taillights.

Ground clearance is 195 mm, while wading depth is 450 mm.

Tata Motors has launched the Punch EV Facelift in the Indian market today. With this update, the Indian automaker aims to make the micro electric SUV future-ready, with changes to design, features, and powertrain. All of these revisions are aimed at improving the EV's appeal to consumers. Furthermore, the update for the electric powertrain version of the vehicle comes after the automaker already launched the facelift version of its ICE counterpart.

Offering an easy entry point for electric car consumers, the Punch EV facelift features compact dimensions with SUV aesthetics. The model will be a direct rival to the Citroen eC3 in the Indian market. To gain an edge over the competition, the Punch EV facelift will get revisions in its powertrain with a bigger battery pack. In this space, we share all the LIVE updates related to the launch of the Tata Punch EV facelift. 

"The Tata Punch EV Facelift range in India now start from Rs 9.69 lakh (ex-showroom). The facelifted Punch EV come with comprehensive design, battery options and features update.The Punch EV facelift boasts a refreshed exterior with a closed-off grille, updated bumpers, and connected LED DRLs/tail lamps, mirroring the latest Tata design language. Inside, enjoy a feature-rich cabin with a focus on modern tech, including up to a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, and a 360-degree camera.

The interior retains the overall dashboard layout and two-tone paint scheme with new finishes. More expensive variants get a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch digital driver display. Features such as wireless charging, ventilated front seats, ambient lighting and a 360-degree camera are still on offer, depending on the variant.

Safety equipment includes six airbags as standard, electronic stability control, hill start assist, tire pressure monitoring system...

The refreshed Punch EV is offered with two new battery options – 30 kWh and 40 kWh, replacing the previous 25 kWh and 35 kWh packs. Both are paired with a single front-mounted electric motor that drives the front wheels. The larger 40 kWh battery offers a range of 468 km according to the ARAI standard and a range of 355 km according to the C75 standard, while the 30 kWh version is rated at 365 km.

"The Tata Punch EV Facelift range in India now start from Rs 9.69 lakh (ex-showroom). The facelifted Punch EV come with comprehensive design, battery options and features update.The Punch EV facelift boasts a refreshed exterior with a closed-off grille, updated bumpers, and connected LED DRLs/tail lamps, mirroring the latest Tata design language. Inside, enjoy a feature-rich cabin with a focus on modern tech, including up to a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, and a 360-degree camera.

Powering the updated Punch EV are new, larger battery options: a 30 kWh pack offering an ARAI-claimed range of 365 km, and a 40 kWh pack delivering an impressive ARAI-claimed range of 468 km. The 40 kWh version produces 127.39bhp and 153.8N of torque and the 30 kWh version produces 87.16bhp and 153.8Nm of torque. It comes equipped with 6-airbags as standard along with ESC, and robust build quality, safety is paramount.

The electric motor produces 129 hp and 154 Nm in the 40 kWh battery variants, while the 30 kWh battery variants have 88 hp and 154 Nm. Tata claims that acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes less than 9 seconds.

The car also has three driving modes: City, Eco and Sport.

Tata claims that the battery can be charged from 20-80 percent in 26 minutes using a 65 kW DC fast charger, with a range of 135 km in 15 minutes.

by Autonews

 

LADA

Only on the Lada Niva: the "crank" for starting the engine was in series production until 1997

Although the electric starter was introduced as early as 1912, the Russian Lada Niva retained the option of manual engine starting as a backup system until 1997, long defying modern industry standards.

The first cars in history were devoid of many modern conveniences, including the electric starters that are now standard. It was in 1912 that Charles F. Kettering invented the electric system for the Cadillac, which is considered a turning point. Namely, until then, manually turning a lever (crank) was the only way to start the engine, which was a physically demanding and often dangerous process.

Despite the available technology, the manual starter did not immediately become a thing of the past. Although it ceased to be the primary method of starting a car from the 1930s, it remained on certain models for decades after most global manufacturers had abandoned it. The reason for its survival lay primarily in its role as a reliable backup system in extreme conditions.

The most striking example of such a technological anachronism is – perhaps not unexpectedly – ​​the Russian Lada Niva, a robust off-road vehicle known for its durability, but also for the questionable reliability of its electrical components. Precisely because of the specific conditions of use and the unreliability of batteries or electric starters in cold climates, Lada kept the manual start option in the Niva in production until – 1997. In the attached video you can see how a more modern Niva, with a 1.7 liter gasoline engine, could be started "by cranking".

It is widely known that Russian production was slower to adapt to modern trends. Accordingly, even when they removed the manual starter from the Niva engines, some examples produced in 1998 could still find a hole in the front bumper for inserting a lever.

The most unusual modification ever: adding a hand crank to the Lada Niva...The 1998 Lada Niva was the last car to have a factory-installed hand crank for the engine. No, it had a starter motor, but in case of electrical failure or a dead battery (both common in its use in Russia at the time), it was possible to start the engine manually.

What was more interesting, however, is that the 1998 model was a "new and improved" version of the Niva; introduced as VAS-21213 in 1995, it featured an injector engine instead of a carburetor. Still, it was possible to start it manually if necessary, and the option was available from the factory.

The initial plan was to have the Lada Niva 21213 as a temporary solution; it was supposed to be replaced by the new model "soon". But the 1998 Russian standard altered those plans somewhat, and also demanded drastic austerity from automakers; As a result, the manual crank disappeared in 1999.

However, many Russian Niva customers disliked this. Nivas were used extensively as everyday 4x4 vehicles in not-so-remote villages, where the last few kilometers of road, often unpaved or lacking snow removal, presented a challenge on the daily commute, and the possibility of being stranded in winter without the ability to call for help could be potentially lethal. You wouldn't even have to do something extremely stupid to get into trouble: melted snow could damage the wiring under the hood.

It's true that the number of people who actually needed this option wasn't that large, so initially, used Nivas already produced could suffice. But as time passed and existing Nivas went out of circulation, people discovered that although post-1998 Nivas didn't come with one from the factory, it was surprisingly easy to add one: you just had to install the pre-1998 manual crank adapter on the engine and sometimes drill holes in the bumper and/or body to access it.

The car was designed to accommodate the manual crank, after all, and aside from the bumpers/lack of adapter, not much changed. Some enthusiasts even managed to successfully install the manual crank on the Chevy Niva as well, which featured a different engine and wasn't designed to accommodate the manual crank in the first place; but in some cases, the radiator made this "upgrade" impossible.

Hand cranks haven't been the primary method of starting cars since the 1930s, so why did they persist? The crank served as a backup to the electric starter. For instance, the Russian Lada Niva, a rugged SUV, didn't have the best track record in terms of reliability, so the hand-crank option remained well into the '90s. (This wasn't the only unusual model to come out of that part of the world — Soviet Russia produced an off-road sedan way before AMC or Subaru.) YouTuber gogmorgoaway uploaded a video showing the process of hand-crank starting his 1996 Lada Niva(below).

Car enthusiast bearmtnmartin recalled on Classic Motorsports: "[There was a] 1997 Lada Niva which a forestry company I worked for bought. It came with a hand crank so we all had fun with it." But the car "was gone six months later as parts were unobtanium and it had already started falling apart."

Autonews

 

AUTONEWS

AI 'blind spot' could allow attackers to hijack self-driving vehicles

A newly discovered vulnerability could allow cybercriminals to silently hijack the artificial intelligence (AI) systems in self-driving cars, raising concerns about the security of autonomous systems increasingly used on public roads. Georgia Tech cybersecurity researchers discovered the vulnerability, dubbed VillainNet, and found it can remain dormant in a self-driving vehicle's AI system until triggered by specific conditions. Once triggered, VillainNet is almost certain to succeed, giving attackers control of the targeted vehicle.

How the VillainNet attack works...The research finds that attackers could program almost any action within a self-driving vehicle's AI super network to trigger VillainNet. In one possible scenario, it could be triggered when a self-driving taxi's AI responds to rainfall and changing road conditions. Once in control, hackers could hold the passengers hostage and threaten to crash the taxi.

The researchers discovered this new backdoor attack threat in the AI super networks that power autonomous driving systems.

"Super networks are designed to be the Swiss Army knife of AI, swapping out tools, or in this case sub networks, as needed for the task at hand," said David Oygenblik, Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech and the lead researcher on the project.

"However, we found that an adversary can exploit this by attacking just one of those tiny tools. The attack remains completely dormant until that specific subnetwork is used, effectively hiding across billions of other benign configurations."

An application of SuperNets and how VNet enables targeted attacks on SuperNets depending on real-world deployment conditions. Credit: Proceedings of the 2025 ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security (2025)

Why this backdoor is so dangerous...This backdoor attack is nearly guaranteed to work, according to Oygenblik. This blind spot is nearly undetectable with current tools and can impact any autonomous vehicle that runs on AI. It can also be hidden at any stage of development and include billions of scenarios.

"With VillainNet, the attacker forces defenders to find a single needle in a haystack that can be as large as 10 quintillion straws," said Oygenblik.

"Our work is a call to action for the security community. As AI systems become more complex and adaptive, we must develop new defenses capable of addressing these novel, hyper-targeted threats."

Experiments, impact, and research details...The hypothetical fix to the problem was to add security measures to the super networks. These networks contain billions of specialized subnetworks that can be activated on the fly, but Oygenblik wanted to see what would happen if he attacked a single subnetwork tool.

In experiments, the VillainNet attack proved highly effective. It achieved a 99% success rate when activated while remaining invisible throughout the AI system.

The research also shows that detecting a VillainNet backdoor would require 66x more computing power and time to verify the AI system is safe. This challenge dramatically expands the search space for attack detection and is not feasible, according to the researchers.

The project was presented at the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS) in October 2025. The paper, "VillainNet: Targeted Poisoning Attacks Against SuperNets Along the Accuracy-Latency Pareto Frontier," was co-authored by Oygenblik, master's students Abhinav Vemulapalli and Animesh Agrawal, Ph.D. student Debopam Sanyal, Associate Professor Alexey Tumanov, and Associate Professor Brendan Saltaformaggio.

Provided by Georgia Institute of Technology