Skip to main content

AVs could be ‘terrorist threat’, says security firm Advent IM

Terrorists who have hijacked vans and trucks to drive into crowds – causing death and injury to pedestrians – could use autonomous vehicles (AVs) to achieve a similar result with no risk to themselves. That was the warning from Mike Gillespie, MD of security firm Advent IM. Speaking this week at the IFSEC International 2019 security conference in London, he said: “Imagine that you don’t have to get in the vehicle, you don’t have to be in the same city – or even the same country.” They would still be a
June 19, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Terrorists who have hijacked vans and trucks to drive into crowds – causing death and injury to pedestrians – could use autonomous vehicles (AVs) to achieve a similar result with no risk to themselves.

That was the warning from Mike Gillespie, MD of security firm 504 Advent IM. Speaking this week at the IFSEC International 2019 security conference in London, he said: “Imagine that you don’t have to get in the vehicle, you don’t have to be in the same city – or even the same country.”

They would still be able to cause the ‘same mayhem’, he suggested, adding that automakers have not addressed the issue sufficiently. “The car manufacturing community is very much behind the curve in cybersecurity,” he said. Car manufacturers themselves would dispute his assessment.

While warning that driverless cars were ‘potential weapons’, Gillespie conceded that there are “huge potential benefits of AVs”.

He also suggested that advances in artificial intelligence such as facial recognition could be used to ensure only recognised drivers were able to drive conventional vehicles, thus reducing the risk of theft.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: a solution or another problem?
    November 27, 2013
    Do Advanced Driver Assistance Systems represent a positive step forward for safety, or something of a safety risk? Jason Barnes discusses the issue with leading industry figures. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are already common. Anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control are well understood and are either fitted as standard or frequently requested by new vehicle buyers. More advanced ADAS features are appearing on many top-end vehicles and the trickle-down has already started. Adaptive
  • Europe’s road safety record suffers as austerity bites hard, traffic police chiefs are told at TISPOL 2017
    March 7, 2018
    Europe’s leading traffic police chiefs are struggling with the challenge of how best to manage the region’s road network in an era of austerity. Things are changing fast, and not for the better, reports Geoff Hadwick. Europe’s road safety record is under threat. Police budgets are being slashed, staff numbers are falling and a long-term trend towards ever-fewer road deaths has ground to a halt. The line on the graph has flat-lined. Does Europe’s road network face a far more dangerous future? Lower and
  • UK ITS professionals doubt driverless car timescales
    February 6, 2018
    Only one member of ITS (UK) thinks that level five driverless cars will be on the country’s roads by 2021, as suggested by chancellor Philip Hammond in the autumn budget. The results showed a near 50/50 split between those who expect fully driverless cars to be available within 15 years and those who think it will take longer to become widespread.
  • Need for best practice enforcement standards
    February 3, 2012
    Leading systems suppliers discuss how recent events in Italy have affected the automated enforcement sector and how the situation might be remediated