In a stunning display of cyber-prowess that has sent shockwaves through the global automotive industry, security researchers at Pwn2Own Automotive 2026 have obliterated the illusion of impenetrable smart car security. On the opening day of the event in Tokyo, white-hat hacking teams uncovered a staggering 37 previously unknown zero-day vulnerabilities across major vehicle brands and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, earning over $516,000 in bounties in just eight hours. As the dust settles on the three-day competition, the industry is grappling with a critical realization: our connected cars are more vulnerable than ever.

Day One: A Record-Breaking Security Wake-Up Call

The third annual Pwn2Own Automotive, held alongside the Automotive World conference in Japan, commenced with an unprecedented blitz on modern vehicle architecture. Organized by Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), the event challenges the world's elite ethical hackers to breach fully patched, off-the-shelf automotive systems. The 2026 edition shattered previous records immediately, with the "37 exploits" figure emerging as the headline statistic that defines this year's contest.

Unlike theoretical classroom exercises, these were functional, critical exploits executed against real hardware. Researchers successfully compromised In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) units, EV charging stations, and operating systems like Automotive Grade Linux. The rapid-fire disclosure of these flaws highlights a widening gap between the pace of automotive digitalization and the security measures meant to protect it.

Tesla and Sony Systems Breached by Synacktiv

Among the most high-profile targets was the Tesla Infotainment System, a perennial favorite for researchers testing the limits of connected vehicle security. The renowned French hacking team Synacktiv once again demonstrated their mastery, earning $35,000 for a sophisticated breach. By chaining an information leak with an out-of-bounds write vulnerability, they achieved root access via a USB-based attack, effectively taking control of the unit's core functions.

Synacktiv didn't stop there. They also targeted the Sony XAV-9500ES digital media receiver, chaining three separate vulnerabilities to gain root-level code execution. This feat earned them an additional $20,000, underscoring the fragility of third-party infotainment units that millions of drivers install in their vehicles. These "roots" allow attackers to potentially pivot to other critical vehicle networks, raising concerns about passenger safety and data privacy.

EV Chargers: The New Frontier for Attackers

While cars often steal the spotlight, Pwn2Own Automotive 2026 marked a significant shift toward EV charging infrastructure. With electric vehicles becoming ubiquitous, the chargers themselves—connected directly to the power grid and user payment systems—have become a prime target.

Team Fuzzware.io, who would go on to be crowned the "Master of Pwn" champions, dominated this category. They successfully exploited the Alpitronic HYC50 commercial charging station, a critical piece of infrastructure for rapid EV charging. By leveraging a single bug in the device's "Field Mode," they earned a massive bounty and exposed a flaw that could theoretically allow malicious actors to manipulate charging rates or disrupt service grids.

Other teams, including Team DDOS and PetoWorks, relentlessly attacked home and commercial chargers from brands like ChargePoint, Autel, and Phoenix Contact. In one instance, PetoWorks chained three zero-day bugs—including a Denial of Service (DoS) and command injection—to seize control of a Phoenix Contact charging controller. These exploits prove that the "Internet of Energy" is facing its own cybersecurity reckoning.

The $1 Million Implications for Manufacturers

By the time the contest concluded on January 23, researchers had exposed a total of 76 unique zero-day vulnerabilities and earned over $1 million in cash and prizes. However, the 37 flaws found on Day 1 remain the focal point for industry analysts because of the sheer speed at which they were discovered. It signals that many automotive systems currently on the market contain dormant vulnerabilities waiting to be found.

The implications for manufacturers are immediate. Under ZDI rules, vendors have a strict 90-day window to release security patches for these disclosed vulnerabilities before the details are made public. This puts massive pressure on engineering teams at Tesla, Sony, Alpine, and charger manufacturers to develop and deploy over-the-air (OTA) updates rapidly.

For consumers, this serves as a stark reminder that modern vehicles are essentially data centers on wheels. As VicOne and other security partners noted during the event, the complexity of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) expands the attack surface exponentially. The vulnerabilities exposed in Tokyo—ranging from stack-based buffer overflows to hardcoded credentials—are identical to those plaguing the IT world, but with much higher physical stakes.

What’s Next for Automotive Cybersecurity?

As we move further into 2026, the lessons from Tokyo are clear: security cannot be an afterthought. The finding that a simple USB connection or a standard charging cable could serve as an entry point for a cyberattack is a call to action for the entire supply chain. The "Master of Pwn" winner, Fuzzware.io, walked away with $215,000, but the real value lies in the 76 backdoors that have now been bolted shut before criminals could pry them open.