US EditionTire Pressure Sensors Can Secretly Track Cars, Study Finds
IMDEA researchers tracked over 20,000 vehicles via unencrypted tire sensors during a 10-week study, exposing privacy risks and urging improved security measures in automotive systems.
- Researchers at IMDEA Networks Institute revealed a ten-week field study collected roughly 6 million wireless signals from over 20,000 cars, uncovering a tire sensor privacy risk.
- Mandated since the early 2000s, TPMS was intended for safety, but researchers say `TPMS was designed for safety, not security` and current vehicle cybersecurity regulations omit TPMS.
- Using inexpensive receivers, the researchers showed small hidden wireless receivers costing $100 each captured signals from moving cars at distances greater than 50 meters, matching signals from four tires to boost accuracy.
- A network of receivers could expose daily schedules and travel habits, as tire pressure data reveals vehicle type and load, so researchers urge manufacturers and policymakers to enforce stronger privacy protections.
- The study exposes a regulatory blind spot and shows TPMS-based tracking is cheaper, harder to detect than camera-based surveillance, highlighting gaps in vehicle cybersecurity regulations; the paper was accepted at IEEE WONS 2026.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Your tires may be broadcasting your movements without you knowing
A safety feature found in most modern cars could also be quietly exposing drivers to tracking, according to new research from the IMDEA Networks Institute and European partners. The study shows that tire pressure sensors—designed to prevent accidents—may unintentionally allow vehicles to be identified and followed over time. Most cars today include a Tire Pressure […] The post Your tires may be broadcasting your movements without you knowing app…
Tire sensors enabling covert vehicle tracking
Madrid-based research institute Imdea Networks said it has found that wireless tire sensors used in most modern cars could enable cheap, hidden vehicle tracking. A study by Imdea and European partners analysed signals from more than 20,000 vehicles over ten weeks, showing that tire pressure sensors transmit unique identifiers that can be intercepted by simple radio receivers. The findings reveal an overlooked privacy risk in systems originally d…
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