The new cyber landscape in vehicles requires increased awareness and expertise

At RISE's Department of Vehicles and Automation in Borås, Research and Business Development Officer Tomas Bodeklint works, coordinating cybersecurity expertise in the automotive field.

—Society has become increasingly digitalized. To survive in this new world, we are forced to share more and more personal data. We have had to lower our guard over the years, in the past we didn’t share personal information, but today you often must accept conditions to get the services you want. This of course creates a greater vulnerability to cyber security attacks" says Tomas.

From data you can read patterns, which can be used for business purposes, which means that personal data has become a commodity. You share your data when you shop, when you use your phone and even when you drive a car or other vehicles.

Today, vehicles are full of electronics, like a complex computer. To understand the breadth of this cyber landscape, Tomas gives an example.

—A vehicle consists of about 100-150 million lines of software code. That gives some perspective on how much software a car needs today, to make us feel comfortable. The buyer wants cruise control, air conditioning, maps, charging station information, music, phone connectivity, etc.

When you connect the whole world to your car, the vulnerabilities increase. That's why the automotive industry is working to protect our vehicles. In addition, in July 2024, legal requirements will be tightened - then vehicle manufacturers will be required to have their cybersecurity in good order to sell their vehicles. This is a direct result of the need for society to become more resilient to the threats we are facing in the future. The governing framework is called UN ECE Regulation 155.

In addition to awareness at an individual level, support is available. Within RISE, there are several clusters working on cybersecurity. The competencies include visualizations and simulations of cyberattacks, encryption, expertise and research in embedded systems such as electronic devices and components, penetration testing, and vehicle and system test environments. These are examples of what RISE can help you with:

• Cybersecurity simulations and testing in the RISE Cyber Range
• Cybersecurity testing on modules, systems, and complete vehicles, in our vehicle test beds
• Cybersecurity research
• Cybersecurity training and courses
• Cybersecurity expertise