Today’s topics include how Qualcomm is extending the reach of its Snapdragon processor architecture, the return of the Pwn2Own hacking contest as part of a joint HPE-Trend Micro effort, the announcement that Internet providers will use private routers as public hotspots and the NHTSHA ruling that Google’s AI System is the “driver” in autonomous vehicles.
Qualcomm officials are continuing their efforts to expand the reach of the company’s wireless chip technologies beyond consumer mobile devices and into emerging industries, such as connected cars, networking and the Internet of things.
The company on Feb. 11 unveiled its latest efforts, introducing a broad array of new chips that can be used not only in smartphones but also in other systems, including Internet of things and wearable devices.
The headliner is a new platform designed specifically to bring greater connectivity to wearable computing devices.
The annual Pwn2Own browser hacking competition that takes place at the CanSecWest conference is one of the premier security events in any given year, as security researchers attempt to demonstrate in real time zero-day exploits security against modern Web browsers.
This year there was initial concern that the event wouldn’t happen as the Zero Day Initiative, which is the primary sponsor of Pwn2Own, is currently in a state of transition.
However, because of the transition, HPE and Trend Micro will jointly sponsor the 2016 Pwn2Own event taking place March 16-17.
At least one in three home routers will be used as public WiFi hotspots by 2017, and the total installed base of such dual-use routers will reach 366 million globally by the end of 2020, according to a report from Juniper Research.
The report explained that these so-called homespot routers essentially create two wireless networks separated by a firewall. This means one network is for private use while the other is offered as a public WiFi hotspot by the broadband operators.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has granted a recent Google request that the artificial intelligence system behind its self-driving vehicles be considered the “driver” of the vehicle under federal automobile safety laws.
The agency said it would interpret drivers in the context of Google’s described motor vehicle design as referring to the Self-Driving System, and not to any of the vehicle occupants.