Trusted 5G Vehicular Networks: Blockchains and Content-Centric Networking

Vehicular communications, though a reality, must continue to evolve to support higher throughput and, above all, ultralow latency to accommodate new use cases, such as the fully autonomous vehicle. Cybersecurity must be assured since the risk of losing control of vehicles if a country were to come under attack is a matter of national security. This article presents the technological enablers that ensure security requirements are met. Under the umbrella of a dedicated network slice, this article proposes the use of content-centric networking (CCN), instead of conventional transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) routing and permissioned blockchains that allow for the dynamic control of the source reliability, and the integrity and validity of the information exchanged.