Expleo launches automotive cyber security solution

With today’s vehicles running on 100 million lines of code, with several wireless connections, software-reliant modes of transport must be secure, with a high level of cybersecurity for increased vehicle and passenger safety.

Cybersecurity threats include RFID being used to access and start vehicles via electronic key fobs, GPS being tricked to hide stolen vehicles, vehicle sensors being compromised and potentially putting a driver or passenger at risk, or a wireless connection being hacked, enabling personal data to be taken or malicious firmware to be uploaded to a vehicle.

Expleo’s physical cyber-resilience testing platform-in-a-box was developed as part of an innovation project and combines the ExpleoSmeeta Operating System (based on a Linux open-source distribution) and a hardware toolkit with Expleo proprietary scripts and tools.

As a result, Expleo’s engineers can carry out in-depth cybersecurity tests on vehicles wherever they are, supporting and enabling OEMs and Tier 1s to check and verify proprietary solutions, integrate cybersecurity by design into product development and anticipate future risks.

“Cars are becoming more sophisticated thanks to digital technologies, enabling electrification, autonomous driving systems, advanced in-vehicle infotainment, connected vehicles and shared mobility,” said Helmi Rais, group cybersecurity practice leader at Expleo. “But with the new opportunities offered by digital come new risks in the form of heightened cyber risk.

“The automotive industry must be able to respond to an ever-changing set of threats. That’s why we developed ExpleoSmeeta to help combine the knowledge of the cyber community with Expleo’s automotive and digital expertise so that OEM and Tier 1 auto makers can test, secure and protect their products, making them more resilient and sustainable and, most importantly, safer for consumers.”