Advancing Automotive Connectivity: New Technologies and Security Considerations

The automotive industry is changing from mechanical engineering towards the software-defined vehicle. A modern vehicle contains more software than a common aircraft to implement Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, ADAS. These systems provide road users with advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control, brake, lane and steer assistant and pave the way toward autonomous vehicles. To realize these functionalities, several connectivity services must be included within a modern vehicle – from backend connectivity, navigation, emergency calls (eCall), traffic assistance, Over-theAir (OTA) updates, all the way to streaming services and Wi-Fi hotspots for passengers. A permanent internet connection must be guaranteed and other communication strategies such as Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I), Vehicle-to-Cloud (V2C), Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technologies need to be considered. RF technologies within the ISM and other RF bands are used, and a variety of antennas need to be integrated to provide best possible signal coverage in any driving situation. This paper features a brief description of new automotive technologies, connectivity considerations by antenna simulations and the resultant cyber security concerns that arise from the large number of connections.