House of Lords Heeds RazorSecure Warning On Future of Self-Drive Cars

The Committee recognised that “Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) could be susceptible to hacking and used for malicious purposes” and cited a recent case where a team of ethical hackers – i.e. they were not looking to do damage – were able to take control of a number of the electronic systems of a Tesla Model S car, from over ten miles away.

Numerous witnesses testified to the need for the Government to perform a strong coordinating role with regard to Cybersecurity and that partnerships with the right stakeholders and industry experts will be key to keeping CAVs safe from attack.

One such expert who gave evidence to the committee was Alex Cowan, CEO of transport Cybersecurity firm, RazorSecure. Alex noted that “hardware and software manufacturers and operators should be required to put in place a multi-layered approach featuring techniques such as firewall, encryption, intrusion detection and active response even when not connected.”

Alex was a key player in the development of RazorSecure Delta, a product that recognises the limitations of traditional firewalls and understands that once breached, hackers can have free reign within vital transport systems. Through the automatic recognition of unusual behaviour and with the ability to make the best decision in the protection of the network, this multi-layered approach to Cybersecurity is the future of protecting CAVs.

The report’s conclusion supported this need for multiple defences when it noted that “An international effort is necessary to tackle the risks associated with cybersecurity, which are likely to rise—especially on a global scale—as the use of CAV increases. The Government could lead on this, in order to facilitate the establishment of global standards.”