Improving car safety in preparation for the EV revolution
Following Labour’s victory at the recent 2024 general election, the party has recommitted to bringing forward the deadline for phasing out new petrol and diesel cars to 2030.
Under the UK government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in the UK must be zero-emission by 2030. This figure is set to rise to 100% by 2035.
However, the UK will miss its current electric vehicle (EV) sales targets for both 2030 and 2035 by a significant margin. Volatile sales figures and an overall decline in UK sales highlight that there is still much work to be done to meet Labour’s deadline.
This coming EV revolution also brings with it a wide range of cybersecurity concerns, including their reliance on local power grids and the growing interconnectedness of vehicles worldwide. With all new cars sold being connected by 2026, protecting drivers and repairers will be key to fostering the growth needed.
One way to prepare the industry for the introduction of electric vehicles and other innovations is to provide clear and secure access to information about security repairs and maintenance.
Not only does this ensure manufacturers’ sensitive repair information is protected, it also allows garages to streamline their processes to meet the demand and diversity of vehicles on our roads.
Chief Technology Officer and founder of Digidentity.
The crucial role of secure information exchange in the automotive sector
Secure information exchange is essential to maintaining the integrity and reliability of vehicle systems in our highly interconnected and digital automotive environment.
The importance of such security measures has been underscored by a number of data breaches, most notably the 2022 Arnold Clarke ransomware attack, in which an unauthorized third party gained access to the personal data—including contact information, banking details, social security numbers, vehicle information and more—of more than 10,000 of the car dealership’s customers. In the weeks and months that followed, numerous victims reported evidence of attempted identity theft, as well as instances of successful fraud, leading to legal action that is believed to have cost the dealership millions in damages.
The incident illustrates how digital vulnerabilities can not only result in significant financial losses, but can also quickly bring business operations to a standstill, hamper customer service, and increase data security concerns, ultimately leading to a loss of trust between drivers and dealers.
Safety measures in the automotive industry are becoming increasingly important as car connectivity increases, due to the rise of advanced driver assistance systems, driver monitoring systems, e-commerce, pay-per-car parking, digital key systems and more. These innovations require increased regulation to navigate the growth in connectivity, vehicle makes and models, as well as vehicle types.
How SERMI streamlines information sharing
Previously, data sharing between independent operators (IOs), third-party service providers (RSSs) and vehicle manufacturers was not straightforward.
Each vehicle manufacturer required independent certifications, making it a cumbersome and time-consuming system for them to communicate with others in the vehicle lifecycle.
SERMI, the Accreditation, Approval and Authorisation Scheme for Access to Security-Related Repair and Maintenance Information, is a standardised, single point of access for everyone in the industry. It is a framework for accreditation, approval and authorisation – ensuring secure access to critical vehicle data. This enables faster, more accurate repairs, reducing customer wait times.
The SERMI programme has already been introduced in 29 countries in Europe and will be rolled out in the UK later this year, giving independent repair shops access to the same repair information as dealers. Before SERMI, independent workshops were at a disadvantage due to the asymmetry of information between dealers and independent garages. Consumers often perceived dealers as having a higher level of expertise due to their exclusive access to manufacturer information.
This scheme is not just about accessibility, but also about maintaining security. Digital identity companies play a crucial role in enabling a smoother experience for all stakeholders involved, safe from malicious actors and compromise.
Importance of a Trust Centre
The Trust Centre within the SERMI scheme plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity, security and reliability of the scheme. The Trust Centre acts as a certification authority and issues digital certificates to authorised IO and RSS personnel. These certificates verify the identity of the operators’ personnel and enable secure access to the vehicle manufacturer’s security-related repair and maintenance information.
This prevents unauthorized access and possible misuse of sensitive vehicle information.
Digidentity, the Trust Centre for SERMI, has developed a secure virtual token stored as a digital SERMI certificate in the Digidentity Wallet on the user’s mobile phone, allowing IOs and RSSs to access security-related repair and maintenance information on any vehicle manufacturer’s website. This not only simplifies access but also enhances security by eliminating the need to store or manage multiple credentials.
Not only does it eliminate the need for multiple logins and passwords, it also streamlines the process of retrieving information and ensures that sensitive information of both parties remains secure.
Securing automaker information is essential to prevent unauthorized access to diagnostic data, ensure accurate and safe vehicle repairs, and protect intellectual property. If left vulnerable to breaches, it could lead to faulty repairs, vehicle hijacking, and overall loss of consumer confidence.
Boosting safety in the automotive sector is becoming increasingly important as efforts to meet Labour’s deadline will accelerate sales of electric cars over the next decade.
A Trust Centre plays a crucial role in this. It ensures that both technicians and drivers of these vehicles can ensure trust and safety, while also supporting the growth of the sector in line with the greater goal of achieving a successful transition to a zero-emissions future.
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