Self-Driving Vehicles in the Era of Cybersecurity

Like social media connecting people, self-driving vehicles seek to connect cars using real-time data from multiple resources with smartphone operating system and telecommunication network operating standards to make decisions for smooth driving on the road. While this technology has the potential to revolutionize transportation and improve road safety, it also poses significant cybersecurity challenges, therefore necessitating the need for adaptive cybersecurity.

Have you ever thought about how amazing it would be to wake up in the morning and not have to stress about driving to work? Just picture yourself sitting back, relaxing, and letting your car drive for you. That’s the promise of autonomous vehicles, which are specifically designed to take over the task of driving and allow you to focus on other things. Imagine all the extra time you’d have to do other activities while on the road. This also means less traffic congestion, safe driving, smart driving, and more productivity.

Autonomous vehicles have been making waves in the transportation industry and are becoming increasingly popular in our cyber age. We’ll explore the exciting world of autonomous vehicles in this article, discuss their impact on society and the environment, and examine their challenges. Get ready to embark on a journey of discovery. Keep reading to learn more!

What are autonomous or self-driving vehicles?

Autonomous vehicle is the merging of the automotive industry and information technology industry. They use sensors, software, and machine learning algorithm to navigate roads and make decisions about speed, steering, and braking. One example of an autonomous vehicle is the Tesla Autopilot. It has an Autopilot feature that allows the car to steer, accelerate, and brake automatically, giving what we call partial automation. We have different levels of automation, from level 0 (no automation) to level 2 (partial automation) to level 3 (conditional automation) to level 4 (high automation) to level 5 (full automation). Only level 5 requires no human attention to the vehicle.

Pros and Cons of Autonomous Vehicles in the Era of Cybersecurity

Pros

Autonomous vehicles have a lot of potential benefits. Below are some of them:

1. Increased safety

One of the biggest advantages of autonomous vehicles is that they could significantly reduce the number of car accidents. Unlike humans, who can get distracted, tired, or make mistakes, autonomous vehicles are always in real-time data exchange with each other using dedicated short-range communication. It provides synchronous driving feedback on car health, weather information, anti-theft protection, and the capability to initiate calls to emergency services and security agents.

2. Improved traffic flow

Autonomous vehicles have the potential to improve traffic flow through vehicle-to-vehicle real-time communication without the need for conventional traffic management technology. For example, they could adjust their speed or route seamlessly to avoid congestion or coordinate with other vehicles to reduce the number of stops and starts.

3. Greater efficiency

With self-driving cars, insurance, car repairs, billing logistics, parking services, driving coaching, roadway reporting, and cost-efficiency analysis will be sorted out without your input. It can lead to greater productivity, reduced stress, and less wasted time.

4. Environmental benefits

Another benefit of autonomous vehicles is that they have the potential to eliminate emissions and improve air quality as it utilizes sustainable energy. They can drive more smoothly and avoid sudden acceleration and braking, avoid congested areas, and lower the demand for parking.

Cons

As much as autonomous vehicles can be exciting and innovative, there are also some downsides to consider. Here are four cons you should be aware of:

1. Security risks

With the rise of cyber-attacks and hacking, there’s always a risk that an autonomous vehicle could be targeted and compromised. If someone gains access to the car’s software, they could take control of the vehicle or access sensitive information about you or your passengers.

In 2015, two hackers, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek were able to remotely hack into a Jeep Cherokee and take control of the vehicle’s brakes and steering.

2. Job loss

While autonomous vehicles can increase efficiency and reduce the number of accidents caused by human error, they also have the potential to put many people out of work. Jobs like truck drivers, taxi drivers, and delivery drivers could become obsolete if autonomous vehicles become the norm. It is essential to pursue a career in cybersecurity

3. Ethical dilemmas

Autonomous vehicles are programmed to make decisions based on algorithms and data, but what happens when there’s a moral dilemma? For example, if a self-driving car has to choose between hitting a pedestrian or crashing into a wall, how will it make that decision? These ethical dilemmas can be tricky to solve and could potentially put passengers and bystanders at risk.

4. Reliance on technology

While it’s great to have technology that can do so much for us, there’s always a risk that we become too reliant on it. Autonomous vehicles are no exception. If something goes wrong with the car’s software or hardware, you could be left stranded or even in danger if you don’t know how to drive a traditional car.

Conclusion

With rapid technological advancements, it’s no surprise that self-driving cars have become a hot topic in recent years. While there are many benefits to autonomous vehicles, there are also some potential drawbacks that need to be considered.

Self-driving cars have the potential to reduce accidents caused by human error significantly. With advanced sensors and computer systems, these vehicles can make split-second decisions to avoid collisions and keep passengers safe. They can also be programmed to be more efficient, reducing traffic congestion and lowering emissions.

However, there are also concerns about cybersecurity risks associated with autonomous vehicles. If these systems are hacked such as Wi-Fi network or cloud infrastructure, it could have disastrous consequences, ranging from vehicle malfunctions to full-scale accidents. Additionally, there are ethical considerations to be made around the programming of these vehicles, such as how they should prioritize the safety of passengers versus pedestrians.

It’s essential to consider the system design architecture, threat model, countermeasures, incident response plan, and best practices before fully embracing this technology. What are your opinions on autonomous vehicles in a cyber age?