US top court declines to take up Fiat Chrysler hacking case

FILE PHOTO: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) headquarters are seen in Turin, Italy, July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Massimo Pinca

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court on Jan 7 declined to hear Fiat Chrysler's appeal in a class action lawsuit over allegations that its Jeeps and other trucks are vulnerable to hacking, one of the first legal cases involving automotive cybersecurity risks.

The court's action paves the way for an October trial in the litigation centering on the question of whether truck buyers can sue over hypothetical future injuries without having been actual victims of cybersecurity attacks on their vehicles. Fiat Chrysler has received widespread support from industry groups in the dispute.