Fog-Based Authentication and Key Agreement Protocol for Internet of Autonomous Vehicle

The Internet of Autonomous Vehicles (IoAV) faces growing challenges in user privacy and communication security, stemming from dynamic network topologies induced by high-speed vehicle mobility, resource-constrained onboard devices, and the inherent tension between identity anonymity and traceability in latency-critical applications. Given the distributed architecture of fog computing and the limited storage and computational capabilities of vehicles, conventional anonymous authentication and centralized key negotiation mechanisms prove insufficient in addressing these issues. In response, We propose a distributed authentication and key negotiation protocol that combines multifactor biometrics, zero-knowledge proof (ZKP), and physical unclonable function (PUF) without relying on a trusted third party. Specifically, we design an efficient ZKP algorithm based on Chebyshev polynomials with low overhead and strong anonymity. Our key innovation is the implementation of independent key negotiation of three untrusted entities in a single protocol cycle, enabling 23 security features and functions. The performance analysis shows that the scheme takes only 17 ms to complete the protocol flow, and it reduces vehicle memory usage by 33%–83%, service latency by 61%–83%, and communication overhead by 12%–50% compared to existing schemes.