Thursday 13 July 2023

(This event was previously titled ‘Security and Resilience for Connected Autonomous Vehicles’.)

The future of transportation encompasses an ecosystem of interconnected industries across many sectors, covering all forms of transport (road, rail, maritime and air) and a range of associated infrastructures, including smart cities and integrated supply chains. While Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) are a part of this novel and evolving technology, this connected network is so much more than just driverless cars. It will be ‘driven’ by major disruptive technologies such as data analytics, IoT, and artificial intelligence.

The challenges of adoption will be many and varied, from the integration of CAVs into our existing transport systems to the implementation of efficient, robust and resilient logistics systems. As is the case with all new technology, the opportunity for bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities, both known and unseen, is likely to be significant, with implications for the very fabric of our society.

It is a given that CAVs will require a strong, multi-layered security and resilience architecture that leverages existing safety and security frameworks. New regulations and frameworks must be adopted, and CAVs will also present new security challenges for us to mitigate. This will not come cheap – and employing new technologies, such as AI, cloud technologies, and smart robotics, wisely will contribute to improving security, safety and reliability, and reducing fraud. The data generated by CAVs will however present a juicy target for criminals and, for state actors, the attack surface to our critical infrastructure is likely to expand. What are the implications and how should we prepare?

This topic has huge implications for us and the many industries we depend on. It will not just transform the way we travel but will influence our environment, our climate, and our future prosperity.