"How to Keep Automated Electric Vehicles Safe"

Researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) have identified weaknesses that pose a threat to the safety and efficiency of automated electric vehicles. In a new paper published in the IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, the UGA-led team presented the first comprehensive study that explores the cyber-physical security of powertrain systems in connected and automated electric vehicles (CAEVs). According to the lead author Jin Ye, results from the study will provide guidelines that manufacturers could use to develop better technologies against cyberattacks. Manufacturers are encouraged to consider potential cybersecurity weaknesses when designing vehicles. In this study, the researchers looked at vulnerabilities and cyberattacks targeting energy efficiency, safety, and more. Then they provided an architecture for the next generation of power electronics systems. Previous studies on internal combustion engine vehicles do not address powertrain systems in CAEVs. These systems are made up of multiple complex and integrated cyber-physical systems that require control and monitoring to ensure safety and support high efficiency. The growing connectivity between CAEVs, smart grids and charging stations also leaves CAEVs to cyber threats. Ye wrote a series of articles on cyber-physical security in electric vehicles that can help carmakers and engineers develop a first-stage cybersecurity system. Some of the basic mitigation techniques suggested for defending modern vehicles against cyberattacks include using better firewalls, conducting code reviews, performing penetration testing, and implementing reliable hardware. Ye also suggests developing a cybersecurity monitoring system capable of detecting, locating, diagnosing, and mitigating cyberattacks. This article continues to discuss the UGA study on cybersecurity weaknesses that threaten CAEVs and the development of guidance for vehicle cybersecurity. 

The University of Georgia reports "How to Keep Automated Electric Vehicles Safe"