Cybersecurity For Future Connected Mobility

Most cars made after 2010 have some elements of connectivity in the vehicle. However, as the amount of software content increases in a vehicle and we move towards increased levels of connectivity, it becomes imperative to explore the security aspects of such connectivity.

- Prashanth Doreswamy

The automotive industry is bracing revolutionary transformation, heading towards a future where fully autonomous vehicles will be a reality. The specific point where this would be true is still not well defined because, apart from the advancements in the vehicle itself, a fully autonomous vehicle would require several changes in the surrounding ecosystem as well.

There are several issues that require to be addressed before we push autonomous vehicles onto the road, one of them being the scope, strength, and security of the connectivity infrastructure. The internet has been in cars since the late 1990s. It began as a simple emergency services device that could send out notifications in case of an accident. Eventually, this technology progressed to sharing the specific location of the vehicle in an emergency, sharing vehicle diagnostics, help navigate and more.

Most cars made after 2010 have some elements of connectivity in the vehicle. However, as the amount of software content increases in a vehicle and we move towards increased levels of connectivity, it becomes imperative to explore the security aspects of such connectivity.

FUTURE LEVELS OF CONNECTIVITY

Today connectivity comes in the form of either allowing the driver to connect their mobile phones to the car and access it through the dashboard or directly through an inbuilt system. Advanced features like navigation, remote diagnostics that help in vehicle maintenance and multimedia streaming are being integrated into vehicles. While the focus should now lead to increasing the safety quotient of a vehicle by providing warnings at the right time