Self-driving vehicles are no longer a thing of the future. In fact, they’re here and ready to hit the road. However, experts say that the most likely place for this technology to become commonplace is not in the everyday SUV, but in heavy trucking.
It was recently reported by Pitchbook that in the first half of 2021, $5.6 billion has been invested into Autonomous Trucking (AT). There are a number of reasons autonomous technology makes sense for the trucking industry, including the massive labor shortage it’s been facing for decades. This unique technology has the potential to transform the industry. The majority of autonomous driving is via the highway, where a truck is maintaining speed for many miles making the occasional pass or highway stop. However, the technology will reach a level of maturity where even complex maneuvering won’t be an issue for an AT system, and it’s expected to reach approximately 50 percent of vehicle population on the road.
With the increased reliance on complex networks of embedded systems, buses, software and protocols, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and freight manufacturers need to remain vigilant for the potential threat their systems face to cyber-attacks and adopt a proactive approach to security. Here are a few steps OEMs can take today to ensure their AT systems are ready for the commercial market:
Undergo a Design and Security Architecture Review
Before you finalize a vehicle’s system, ensure it’s designed with today’s – and tomorrow’s – emerging threats in mind. This will not only give you peace of mind, but will strengthen your brand’s reputation for safety.
Evaluate Your System’s Functionality
It’s important that your system meets defined requirements that ensure standard or malicious inputs are considered.
Every dependency, interaction and subcomponent within your system should be evaluated by a third party in order to identify all possible means in which it could be compromised.
Take action. Learn more about what AIS can do to ensure your products’ embedded systems remain secure. AIS is a leading cybersecurity partner for several OEMs and other large companies throughout the transportation sector with capabilities that extend from secure system design to testing and implementation. See our expertise in action here.
