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As the development of connected cars and autonomous technologies continues to progress , vehicles are becoming more complex and , unfortunately , increasingly susceptible to malicious activity . The more complex code , in turn , requires more sophisticated software solutions to ensure each line of code is secure , with the compromise of even a single control unit in a vehicle acting as a significant enough vulnerability for hackers to exploit . To put this into context , the number of electronic control units ( ECUs ) in a modern vehicle is typically between 100 and 150 , and a car can now quite comfortably feature 150 million lines of code .
Keeping customers safe
Automotive cyber-attacks have increased by 225 percent in the last three years , highlighting the necessity for the development and deployment of robust cyber security solutions , as the industry continues to deliver major advances in software technologies .
Another area of particularly rapid development within the industry is software over-the-air ( SOTA ), which enables manufacturers to rollout upgrades to a system – such as the infotainment and navigation – remotely and on a routine basis , typically via cellular connection or Wi-Fi network . Aside from significantly improving the user ’ s in-car experience , one of the key advantages of SOTA is that the capability saves manufacturers money and resources , and their customers time , by removing the need to issue updates in-person .
While SOTA introduces further potential vulnerabilities for hackers to exploit if a vehicle ’ s security is compromised , it also enables OEMs to issue cyber security fixes when a vulnerability has been identified , contributing to the overall enhancement of automotive cyber security .
GKN Automotive has developed a set of features to cover all cyber-security needs including the use of secure boot , reprogramming , onboard communication , diagnostic , logging , storage , manipulation protection and life cycle management . These all meet the UN ’ s regulations 155 ( cyber security ) and 156 ( software updates ) to ensure the vehicle is and stays compliant with vehicle type approval .
As the industry undergoes great technological change , with an increasing reliance on software and connectivity , the challenge facing manufacturers will be to ensure that their investment in cyber security measures keeps pace with advances in automotive technology capabilities .
The establishment of GKN Automotive ’ s security team has a dual focus , protecting against threat actors today while simultaneously driving forward the conceptual work of cyber-security risk management in the future .
A key goal for the team is to participate in international committees to influence future standardization initiatives . The goal here is to use our expertise to help guide the future guidelines , keeping customers safe .
While the rise of autonomous technology has the potential to leave users more susceptible to malicious activity and hacks , it also presents opportunities for improvements in the safety and reliability of these same technologies , as well as major advances in convenience , experiences , and functionality . ■
For a list of the sources used in this article , please contact the editor .
Gundolf Schmidt www . gknautomotive . com
Gundolf Schmidt is Senior Global Manager of System Safety at GKN Automotive , a world-leading global automotive technology company at the forefront of innovation . Its origins date back to 1759 and for the last 70 years it has been putting key technologies into series production . It is the trusted partner for most of the world ’ s automotive companies , specializing in developing , building , and supplying market-leading drive systems and advanced ePowertrain technologies .
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