Modifications (or mods for short) are now common in the gaming universe, but there are some mods that do require a bit of hacking for them to work; take this recent one from Grand Theft Auto as an example. While many just go for some aesthetic changes towards the game, one hacker plays around with the videogame by inserting the Google Driverless Car into it. Sounds pretty harmless, right? Well, what if that vehicle were to go on a rampage on its own?
Grand Theft Auto Hacker Places Google Driverless Car Into the Game. Releases Utter Chaos With It.
Hacker PizzaForBreakfast (who did not wish to disclose his real name) hacked Grand Theft Auto as he included the pod-shaped Google car into the game. While seemingly harmless when you think about it, the hacker made it so that the car would mow down on and over pedestrians if it wishes. He tells CNBC that the basis for what he did was satirical in nature but it also shows what could possible go wrong with such a technology if it were to be released too early.
“Technology makes our lives infinitely easier and it’s an exciting age to be alive. But it’s both a blessing and a curse. At some point, every brand new smart phone crashes, every top of the line computer needs to be updated, every outdated fax machine is replaced by a super deluxe wireless bluetooth all-in-one printer. And I think the idea for the video came from that,” according to an email sent by PizzaForBreakfast to CNBC.
“Cars are already a feat in engineering, but that’s not enough – now we want cars to drive themselves. So while companies are racing to be the first to provide the ‘latest and greatest,’ I thought it’d be funny to imagine what could go wrong if Google released their self-driving car prototype a little prematurely,” the GTA hacker added.
The YouTube video in that showed how the Google Driverless Car run amok in the Grand Theft Auto world had already racked up 200,000 views. The hacker also installed mods to modify the game so that it would include the car. CNBC reports that Google did not immediately respond with regards to a request for comment. Google has been known to be testing their self-driving cars in several states across the United States. So far, they have already attained over 1.5-million miles of autonomous driving collectively.