New cyber-security standard for self-driving car technology is released

The UK’s position as a leader in the development of self-driving vehicles has been enhanced by a new cyber-security standard, published by the British Standards Institute.

Working with academics and experts from businesses in the car industry – including Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Bentley – as well as the National Cyber Security Centre, with funds from the Department for Transport, the British Standards Institute developed the guidance to set a marker for those developing self-driving car technology.

The UK market for connected and automated vehicles is forecasted to be worth up to £52 billion by 2035.

Jesse Norman, Future of Mobility Minister, said: “As vehicles get smarter, major opportunities for the future of mobility increase. But so too do the challenges posed by data theft and hacking. This cyber-security standard should help to improve the resilience and readiness of the industry, and help keep the UK at the forefront of advancing transport technology.”

This follows the government’s publication in 2017 which set out key principles of cyber-security for automated vehicles, such as the expectation that systems should be designed to be resilient to attacks and respond appropriately when defences fail.