• Automotive cybersecurity prioritizes safe driving in terms of protecting personal data from being stolen and preventing vehicle’s security systems from being accessed and compromised.

• The automotive industry has a complex supply chain, so automotive cybersecurity must be implemented throughout the system.

Automobiles in the future will be able to connect, collect, analyze and share more information from drivers than ever before. This raises concerns about driver’s privacy and safety. Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to the technologies related to automotive cybersecurity.

These days, most vehicles on the road have not been designed with cybersecurity in mind, so they do not have automotive cybersecurity features. Moreover, using outdated software could present vulnerability to cyberattack. For example, errors can happen during interactions between the drivers and passengers with the vehicle's systems, such as accidentally clicking on malicious links or downloading malware which inadvertently pose security risks. It is therefore very challenging to upgrade the security measures of these legacy systems.

Undoubtedly, automotive cybersecurity is very important, because it is the combination of the practices and technologies designed to protect the vehicles and the connected systems from cyberthreats. With the increasing connectivity and sophistication of modern vehicles, cybersecurity has become a primary concern for the automotive industry.

The worrying aspect is that in-vehicle connectivity still lacks the necessary security which is a standard feature in other smart devices. Lax vehicle systems could be hacked in just 15 seconds. Hence, it is obviously dangerous if hackers decide to gain remote access to any vehicle and delete various critical security-protection mechanisms from the system.

In addition, as the collection of personal data through automated systems and vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity becomes more intense, the risks to consumers’ personal data are also increasing, as their identities could be stolen, sold for malicious intent, or threaten their lives and properties.

Therefore, the essential question here is whether automakers should continue to invest heavily in security solutions related to vehicle technology, or should they put these advanced projects on hold until the transition to electric vehicles is fully complete.

Another challenge that has become more complicated is "supply chain security" because vehicles are composed of complex systems consisting of many components and software from different suppliers. Consequently, cybersecurity measures need to be implemented throughout the supply chain.

The global automotive cybersecurity market which was valued at US$2 billion in 2021 is expected to rise to US$5.34 billion in 2026, with Asia-Pacific holding the highest market share. According to McKinsey, approximately 95% of new cars sold worldwide will be connected by 2030, a 50% increase from the current figure. Unquestionably, automotive cybersecurity should be one of the standard safety features that manufacturers include in their vehicles from the R&D stage.

If you want to catch the latest movements and other interesting topics in the automotive industry, be sure to stay tuned to the future ME Blogs. Also, don’t forget to mark your calendar for “Automotive Manufacturing 2023” where every technology on auto part manufacturing including sheet metal fabrication, welding and measuring as well as subcontracting services from over 250 international brands and insightful knowledge from co-located seminars will be offered under one roof. See you during 21-24 June 2023 at BITEC, Bangkok!