Skip to main content

Ricardo and Roke Manor to collaborate on next-generation vehicle cyber security

International technology company Ricardo is to join forces with cyber security specialist Roke Manor Research to develop solutions that will make autonomous and connected transport robust against cyber attack. Many of today’s new vehicles are already connected over the air for telematics and maintenance, for safety systems such as eCall, by consumers using insurance-based monitoring technology, and by the many smartphone apps available to vehicle owners.
September 7, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

International technology company 5606 Ricardo is to join forces with cyber security specialist 496 Roke Manor Research to develop solutions that will make autonomous and connected transport robust against cyber attack.

Many of today’s new vehicles are already connected over the air for 6224 telematics and maintenance, for safety systems such as eCall, by consumers using insurance-based monitoring technology, and by the many smartphone apps available to vehicle owners. With the increasing CAV content being included within new vehicles, including aspects of vehicle control through driver assistance systems, and ultimately, fully autonomous vehicle technologies, the potential vulnerabilities to cyber threats will increase significantly.

According to David Cole, managing director of Roke, a new approach to CAV technology design and implementation is essential.  From infotainment, maintenance and navigation, to vehicle to vehicle systems for fully autonomous driving, all provide a potential opportunity for malicious hacking attack.

“The key is to design the security into the product, right from the start. This avoids having to ‘plug gaps’ later.  Our partnership with Ricardo means that we can rapidly develop news tools, processes and assurance schemes which will allow consumers to have confidence in their new, smarter vehicles,” he says.

The two companies are already partners on the UK 5StarS project which aims to develop a 5-star type consumer rating framework for automotive cyber security, similar to existing EuroNCAP type ratings for vehicle safety. Under the terms of the MoU announced today, Ricardo and Roke will contribute additional resources in parallel to their efforts under the 5StarS project, to develop joint product and service opportunities, building upon the synergies of their combined capabilities.

Related Content

  • December 7, 2012
    Europe to become the fastest growing market for ADAS
    The latest report from independent technical consultancy SBD finds that, despite their huge potential to save lives, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have so far failed to contribute significantly to the drop in road fatalities, due primarily to stubbornly low penetration rates over the last decade. However, this is poised to change, as costs begin to fall, consumer interest continues to grow, and most importantly, independent vehicle safety assessor EuroNCAP includes some ADAS applications within
  • October 23, 2015
    TRL to contribute to new autonomous vehicle research programme
    The UK’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) the, has announced it is part of a new US$17 million five-year research programme to develop fully autonomous cars. The programme, jointly funded by Jaguar Land Rover and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), will look at some key technologies and questions that need to be addressed before driverless cars can be allowed on the roads without jeopardising the safety of other road users, including cyclists and pedestrians. TRL is the on
  • April 16, 2018
    MaaS is at the ‘baby steps’ stage – but needs to get up and running soon
    Data sharing between organisations remains a potential problem for Mobility as a Service projects, attendees at February's MaaS Market conference in London were told. Alan Dron listens in on the presentations.
  • December 3, 2018
    Panasonic in Colorado: Rocky mountain way
    Panasonic is at the heart of a C-V2X project which began last year in Colorado. The company’s smart mobility boss Chris Armstrong tells Adam Hill how it is working out Colorado needs traffic and transport solutions – and fast. The US state’s population has grown 50% in the last 20 years and another 50% hike is predicted in the next 20. It also spends more than $13 billion in roadway crash costs each year. In 2015, 546 people died in traffic-related crashes, and more than 3,000 were seriously injured.