Automotive Case-Study

Cars, and the Automotive industry in general, are going through a big transformation. There are multiple revolutions happening at the same time: Powertrains are being electrified, automobiles are becoming connected, part of the Internet of Things, and the predictable electromechanical components are been replaced by computers of different providers running diverse software, including embedded ECUs and Android and other OSs, on what are known as ‘computers on wheels’. All this has an impact on the core competencies of OEM Car Makers and their supply chain, including challenges from the cyber security perspective. Moreover, customers want perfect integration with their lifestyle. This means that all the Apps the user has become accustomed to interact with in their daily life have to be supported, from navigation to music streaming in the car environment. The next frontier was using the mobile phone as the key to open and start the engine, even remotely. This, combined with the possibility to support car-sharing and fleet use-cases, made a car-maker wonder: What is the best way to have a secure solution to support all that and at the same time cover the entire customer base?