BSI releases cyber security standard for self-driving vehicles

The British Standards Institute has published a new cyber security standard, designed to set a marker for those developing self-driving car technology.

The standard has been written 'to help all parties involved in the vehicle lifecycle and ecosystem understand better how to improve and maintain vehicle security and the security of associated intelligent transport systems'.

BSI worked with academics and experts from leading businesses in the car industry including Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Bentley, as well as the National Cyber Security Centre on the standard. The project was funded by the Department for Transport.

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 last year of a set of 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 its defences fail.

Car manufacturers will be able to use the new standard to demonstrate that they are following these principles.

The Government estimates that the UK market for connected and automated vehicles is forecast to be worth up to £52bn by 2035.