Industry’s First Automotive Security Development Kit Can Now Keep In-Vehicle Networks Safe From Hackers

The present day automotive world is overwhelmed with adoption of better convenience on a mass level. The range of these new luxury features range from Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to infotainment systems and other similar things. Needless to say, these have pulled up the overall travel experience to a complete new level. But these new systems have also increased our vulnerability. Hackers can now more easily enter into our lives, our systems and exploit us to a great level. This higher exposure has resulted into numerous recalls, losses, and has damaged the reputation of several brands in this field. The need of the hour is to establish best security practically without an expensive complete design overhaul.

Fig .1: Representational Image Showing Hacked Car Infotainment System

(Image Source: Microchip)

Microchip Technology Inc. recently introduced advanced CryptoAutomotive™ IVN (In-Vehicle Network) TrustAnchor/Border Security Device (TA/BSD) development kit. This new kit would allow Tier-1 and OEMs suppliers to bring-in security to inter and intra connected vehicle systems that start from priority areas. These promise protection of highest level without causing any kind of disruption anywhere else. CryptoAutomotive TA/BSD development kit is one of its kind and first in industry emulates a very safe node for conforming to multiple specifications as well as industry benchmarks. The tool comes with secure key storage, hardware-based crypto accelerators, ECU (Electronic Control Unit) and several other cryptographic elements. If you use it with a host microcontroller, it would allow designers to embed functions like CAN (Controller Area Network) message authentication, secure boot along with conversion of CAN 2.0 messages to the CAN Flexible Data rate along with MAC (Message Authentication Codes) when appropriate.

Nuri Dagdeviren, the vice president of Microchip’s Secure Products Group, adds, “With great advances in AI, rapidly increasing levels of automation and autonomous vehicles on the horizon, securing automotive networks is a clear and urgent necessity the industry is now widely acknowledging. With its flexible add-on approach, Microchip’s automotive development kit gives OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers the tools needed to start implementing security measures into existing vehicle networks immediately.”