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Investigating Security and Privacy by Design for Tele-operated Autonomous Vehicles

Researchers will evaluate the current security and privacy of tele-operated connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) through experimental and empirical approaches, using large-scale, physical testbeds.

Funded by the CCI Hub

Project Investigators
Rationale and Background

While CAVs have made significant progress, full autonomy remains elusive due to ongoing technical challenges and unforeseen driving conditions.

Commercial CAVs are limited to specific routes or areas. In unfamiliar settings, they can halt due to perception and decision-making challenges. Automotive companies offer tele-operation, with a human operator aiding the CAV. 

However, tele-operation adds to the complexity of a complex CAV supply chain, leading to novel security and privacy risks.

Methodology

Researchers will investigate security and privacy properties required in the design of CAVs, particularly remotely operated CAVs, from a compliance perspective. Areas of focus: 

  • Existing implementations of communication standards to defend against network-based attempts to fabricate tele-operation commands or feedback. 
  • System security architectures of CAVs, and how they protect against a malicious operator in- tending to take over the CAV,
  • Interfaces and sensor data exposed to operators, their  privacy implications, and current privacy controls.
Projected Outcomes

This investigation will lead to key advancements in the current state of security and privacy in tele-operated CAVs and the components (i.e., the supply chain) leading up to them.  

Researchers plan to uncover significant security and privacy gaps in tele-operated CAV deployments, leading to improvements in key components of the CAV supply chain. 

The tools and methods developed will promote further security and privacy analysis research in the emerging mobility space. Outcomes can be transplanted to other aerial, underwater, and terrestrial mobility scenarios, such as drones, aircraft, underwater vehicles, autonomous ships, agricultural vehicles, and security patrols.