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Automotive Security

Automotive security in spotlight on growing EV market

Cooperation between car makers and security companies to expand

By Sep 14, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)

3 Min read

The cockpit of Hyundai Motor's all-electric IONIQ 5
The cockpit of Hyundai Motor's all-electric IONIQ 5

The automotive security technology for automotive electronics is in the spotlight as the global electric vehicle market is growing. The information technology industry sees a new growth engine in the sector since EVs use more of electronics components than internal combustion engine cars. Authorities in the globe such as the European Union are also preparing regulations on the automotive security, accelerating growth in the market.

IONIQ 5 TO BE EQUIPPED WITH SECURITY MODULES

A South Korean security company Ciot Co. signed a supply deal with part makers for Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. for hardware security modules, according to the IT industry sources on Sept. 13. Ciot has been testing equipment, a solution applied to an acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS), since July. It will be implemented in the form of the over-the-air (OTA), a technology that updates software through wireless communication after installing a physical module. Hyundai Motor Group is set to install the equipment in its key EV models including the IONIQ 5 in the first quarter of 2023 after testing in 2022.

The AVAS system generates sound for nearly silent EVs to improve the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and children. The AVAS is a state-of-the-art equipment that combines sound electronic chips and software technologies related to sound generation. The EU required the system from 2019, while the United States and South Korea joined the move in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

That prompted cooperation between automakers and security companies to develop a new security system for new components.

Hyundai Motor Group aims to develop technology to prevent long-distance communication hacking by March 2022. Hyundai AutoEver, its affiliate with capability of developing security solutions, is making the platform for Hyundai Motor Co.’s connected car service technology Bluelink.

The group is also operating a task force with white hat hackers, security professionals who follow ethical and legal behavior, to work on the OTA hacking security in a move to reinforce security performance for its EVs including the GV60, its first electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) to be launched later this year.

INCREASING TARGETS FOR HACKERS

Automotive electronics are getting more important for the global automakers, especially as the EV market is quickly growing. Costs for mechanical parts are expected to account for 65% of total material expenses for an internal combustion engine vehicle in 2025, down from 84% in 2019, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). On the other hand, costs for electronic components are predicted to increase to 35% from 16%.

“In the longer term, automotive electronics will be able to replace up to 70% of parts,” the KOTRA said.

That will increase targets for hackers. Everything such as battery systems, charging parts, expanded infotainment solutions and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) could be their goals. Last year, hackers shocked the industry, by taking control of the Tesla Model X in two and a half minutes.
The Tesla Model X
The Tesla Model X

COOPERATION TO GROW

Global auto-part makers are also developing their own technologies to deal with such problems.

Samsung Electronics Co.’s Harman, a US electronics system maker for automobiles acquired Israel’s TowerSec, a global automotive cyber security company specializing in network protection for connected vehicles.

German Bosch that took over Escrypt, a provide of IT security solutions, is introducing a country’s standard of Vehicle to Everything (V2X), a communication system that supports the transfer of information from a vehicle to moving parts of the traffic system that may affect the vehicle.

“A future EV is like a mobile computer,” said Sangjin Lee, President of School of Cybersecurity at Korea University.

“Automakers and security companies will cooperate more as related regulations are increasing with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) plan to start regulations on tougher automotive security,” Lee predicted.

The global automotive security market is expected to grow $7.3 billion in 2030 from $1.2 billion in 2019, according to ResearchAndMarkets.com.

Write to See-eun Lee at see@hankyung.com
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.
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