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The Rising Importance Of Cybersecurity In Vehicles - Does It Really Matter?
Picture a concept that a manufacturer has been diligently working on for a long time, and it operates perfectly without any problems. Now, a tech company, with the manufacturer's approval, takes charge of it in-a-way that even the OEM cannot regain control of the vehicle within their own environment.
And that's how automotive technology companies specialising in cybersecurity are actively striving to persuade, demonstrate, and raise awareness among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) about the dangers posed by cyber threats and the potential harm they can cause.
Prashanth Doreswamy, CEO, Continental India, said, "The electronics architecture of the modern generation of vehicles is undergoing a profound transformation, moving away from the many individual electronic control units (ECUs) of current cars, which are about 80 to 100 ECUs, towards a small number of high-performance computers."
According to a McKinsey report called 'Cybersecurity in automotive - Mastering the challenge,' the risk of cyber threats in modern vehicles grows as the number of software codes increases. These complex codes have accumulated over the past and the abundance of codes provides ample opportunities for cyberattacks.
It's crucial to understand that cyberattacks can infiltrate not only the vehicle's systems but also reach the backend and third-party servers. These attacks are not limited to just the vehicle itself, but can extend to various interconnected components and systems in the automotive ecosystem.
Ransomware attacks can target various parts of the vehicle, such as the steering, braking, and car infotainment systems, as well as domestic EV charging. The introduction of keyless control systems has made hacking a common example of cyberattacks on vehicles.
Satish Sundaresan, MD, Elektrobit India, warns that EVs are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to their reliance on electronics and battery-management-systems. For example, when EVs are connected to a public charger, there is not only an exchange of energy but also software making it easier for hackers to infiltrate.
For used cars, experts say that the data is stored either in the car itself or on the cloud. Often, OEMs or third-party servers have access to this data. Nowadays, manufacturers are making sure to remove the digital traces of previous users before selling the vehicles in the market again.
In the future, there may be a need to establish guidelines for selling second-hand cars, and this could pose a commercial challenge as to who should bear the cost of implementing these guidelines - the customer, the dealership, or the carmaker.
Carmakers need to make sure that the vehicle's electronics system is robust and take necessary steps to address cybersecurity concerns at every stage of the vehicle's life. They should implement comprehensive cyber-risk management throughout the entire process.
The automotive industry will face the task of balancing software costs while investing in connectivity features. To address this challenge, collaboration is required among industry stakeholders, government entities, and private players.
Thoughts On Cybersecurity In Vehicles
As the automobile market grows, cybersecurity will become essential and unavoidable in the future. This will open up opportunities for collaboration and new business offerings among different players. Although cost-effectiveness may be a concern, software solution providers could develop affordable solutions.
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