As our automobiles get smarter and smarter the need for automotive cybersecurity solutions increases dramatically, though (as of yet) automotive cybersecurity options aren’t yet quite where we need them to be.
Some of this is simply because of the fact that our vehicles are smarter and faster than we expected.
Technology, like car telematics, has transformed the way we look at our automobiles. When you combine cloud-based automotive cybersecurity in our connected cars with this type of communication technology, the security threat potential drops exponentially.
Here’s a quick look at how the future of automotive cybersecurity looks like.
Recently Proposed Automotive Cyber Security Regulations
While each individual country around the world is responsible for finding ways to secure cybersecurity threats within their borders, the United Nations has also been pushing forward with new initiatives designed to curb these kinds of issues.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in specific is rolling out a brand-new array of regulations aimed at automotive cybersecurity and what they see as the “next frontier” of cybercrime.
Their proposals are specifically intended to help better manage cyber risks in automobiles, to encourage manufacturers to mitigate risks as much as possible with proactive approaches, to come up with new solutions to help detect and respond to security issues (especially across fleet vehicles), and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The United States, Canada, and Japan have also been moving forward with new automotive cybersecurity-minded rules, regulations, and initiatives.
There’s a Big Focus on Risk Assessment
Unsurprisingly, organizations are most heavily focused on a better understanding of the risks that cybercrime poses when it comes to the automotive world.
We are looking at a brand-new frontier of technology here, one that sort of bubbled up out of nowhere – but one that is going to be just as important and as influential as any of our more traditional internet-enabled devices have become.
The most pressing issue right now is finding ways to secure the communication between our mobile devices (our phones and our tablets) and our connected cars.
These communication points are filled with vulnerabilities that can be exploited by unethical actors, opening up new security flaws in both our vehicles and our mobile devices that didn’t exist previously.
On top of that, a decent amount of the new rules and regulations rolling out regarding automotive cybercrime have to do with patching holes and vulnerabilities in the safety systems in our smarter vehicles.
The last thing anyone wants to worry about is a hacker gaining access to a vehicle, shutting down the braking systems or messing with the throttle, and putting lives at risk – all from a remote location, maybe halfway around the world.
Looking to the Future of Automotive Cybersecurity
Technological changes in the automotive world are happening pretty quickly, and the odds are good that any new rules and regulations are going to be a little outdated and a little antiquated by the time they rollout.
It’s incumbent on the automotive world to really take the bull by the horns here, to get out ahead of these issues, and to secure the future of our internet-enabled “connected cars” without having to be forced to do so with rules and regulations that are always going to be rearward looking rather than future-forward.
