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Ars Technica Mar 23, 2026 at 21:10 Big Tech Stable Warm

After hackers hit an Iowa company, cars around the country failed to start

If you don't calibrate your interlock in time, your vehicle is dead.

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By Nate Anderson Original source
After hackers hit an Iowa company, cars around the country failed to start

Driving after a DUI conviction can be a dicey experience. Many states require drivers, if they want to keep using their cars, to install ignition interlock devices that measure alcohol levels before allowing the vehicle to start. One of the most common is from Des Moines, Iowa-based Intoxalock, which takes the form of a small box with a plastic tube into which the driver blows. The box then measures the level of alcohol in the breath. You must be below your state's legal limit to start the vehicle. (In some states, the system will also log your location using GPS and/or take a photo of you every time you blow in the tube.) The interlock device can only be leased, and it costs around $70–$120 per month. Read full article Comments

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After hackers hit an Iowa company, cars around the country failed to start

If you don't calibrate your interlock in time, your vehicle is dead.

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