Spotlight: AUTOCRYPT’s Journey to the Detroit Auto Show

This blog details AUTOCRYPT’s participation in the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (Detroit Auto Show), where our Chief Communications Officer Jaeson Yoo and Global IR Director Yohan Lepoetre introduced AUTOCRYPT and its latest technologies at AutoMobili-D – a two-day preview event for industry professionals and stakeholders, centering around automotive and mobility tech.

As the automotive capital of the United States, Detroit lies at the center of the Great Lakes supercluster – the largest automotive manufacturing region of North America, connecting the automotive supply chains of Michigan and Ontario. Yet, the city is also known for its rapid shrinkage over the recent decades, making it a symbol of a declining automotive manufacturing sector in North America. Its population, sitting at about 630,000, is now less than one-third of its peak days.

But the decline of the manufacturing sector does not signify the end of the North American automotive industry. In fact, it is only the beginning of a new era, an era where the automotive industry is pushing its boundaries upwards from the manufacturing sector to the high-tech sector. With the addition of electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and connected mobility infrastructure and services, the new North American mobility industry is now more vibrant than ever.

Detroit Is Back

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS, or the Detroit Auto Show) finally made its return this year after two consecutive cancelations from COVID-19. As one of the largest auto shows in the world, it is the primary go-to venue for automakers to unveil new products and concept cars, gathering OEMs, industry professionals, and car enthusiasts from across the globe. Each year, the event hosts up to 40,000 industry executives and 800,000 visitors.

The 2022 Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place

Since 2017, the NAIAS has incorporated a two-day preview event into the show, AutoMobili-D – an exhibition and symposium centered around automotive and mobility tech, with the goal of fostering innovations across the automotive supply chain by connecting mobility tech firms with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and venture capitalists.

The growing popularity of AutoMobili-D is a strong indication of a reviving automotive industry in North America. As the focus of automobiles shifts from hardware to software, creating new values through digitalization, electrification, and connectivity, AutoMobili-D has quickly expanded to include over a hundred exhibitors from different fields.

At this year’s event, U.S. President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to announce a newly approved federal funding for the first 35 states to build electric vehicle charging stations throughout their states, helping the nation achieve its short-term goal of 500,000 publicly accessible charge points. Biden expressed his optimism for a fully electrified American highway system, announcing that Detroit is making a comeback while hopping on an all-electric Corvette.

An EV-focused Detroit Auto Show

AUTOCRYPT Is Back

Guess who else is at AutoMobili-D this year? AUTOCRYPT’s Chief Communications Officer Jaeson Yoo and Global IR Director Yohan Lepoetre flew from Seoul to Detroit to present AUTOCRYPT at the exhibition, three months since AUTOCRYT’s last visit to the city during AutoTech: Detroit in June.

AUTOCRYPT was invited to AutoMobili-D by Plug and Play Detroit, after being selected as one of the 17 startups in Batch 3 of its startup accelerator program, among a wide pool of up to 1,000 startups sourced in the program. Exhibiting at the AutoMobili-D Startup Arena, AUTOCRYPT met hundreds of industry executives that came from a variety of backgrounds, including OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, transport ministries, and research institutions, speaking about the importance of cybersecurity for automobiles, electric vehicle charging stations, and connected roadside infrastructure. As expected, many visitors expressed interest in AUTOCRYPT’s V2X security solution.

“The biggest challenge in autonomous driving development today is that sensor and object recognition technologies have reached their bottleneck. Companies are struggling to bring fully autonomous vehicles forward and are continuously delaying their forecast for full autonomy,” said Yohan. “We believe real-time vehicle-infrastructure cooperation through V2X communications is the ultimate answer to the remaining problems in autonomous driving.”

AUTOCRYPT’s booth at AutoMobili-D Startup Arena

Besides V2X, electric vehicle charging is another hot topic at the event. Despite Biden’s optimism, many experts remained skeptical about the usability of public charging infrastructure. This is indeed a valid concern because the effectiveness of a public charging network is not only determined by the number of available chargers, but by whether charge point operators (CPOs) have the tools and capacity to manage and maintain these chargers over the long run – you don’t want to have 500,000 chargers if one-third of them don’t work.

Earlier this year, AUTOCRYPT introduced its Charging Station Management System (CSMS) to enable CPOs to easily monitor the real-time status and availability of every charger in their network, allowing for not only quick maintenance, but also a more seamless and secure charging experience for users.

To learn more about AUTOCRYPT’s V2X security and EV charging solutions, contact global@autocrypt.io.

To stay informed and updated on the latest news about AUTOCRYPT and mobility tech, subscribe to AUTOCRYPT’s quarterly newsletter.

AUTOCRYPT Signs MOU for ITF Corporate Partnership Board Membership at Second ITF CPB Week

PARIS, September 12, 2022 — AUTOCRYPT, a global leader in automotive cybersecurity and smart mobility solutions, announced its membership renewal for the International Transport Forum (ITF)’s Corporate Partnership Board (CPB) during the second ITF CPB Week held at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, France.

The CPB highlights companies who are committed to being a part of future transport policies through sharing their perspectives and expertise. Its members consist of more than 30 companies across the fields of automotive, transport, and mobility, among them are Bosch, Siemens, NXP, and Toyota. As a longstanding CPB member, AUTOCRYPT is actively involved in the making of cybersecurity-related policies.

CPB Week, an annual meeting hosted by the Secretary General of the ITF, gathers the CPB members to facilitate closer cooperation in policymaking for sustainable and inclusive transport.

After taking part in the inaugural ITF CPB Week in 2021, AUTOCRYPT’s Chairman Seokwoo Lee returned for this year’s discussions and shared the company’s latest developments and plans on making transport inclusive and sustainable through secured connections, while sharing ideas on potential policies. During the meeting, the ITF hosted an MOU ceremony for AUTOCRYPT to renew its CPB membership, extending the relationship for three more years.

AUTOCRYPT’s Chairman Seokwoo Lee (right) signs MOU with ITF Secretary General (left)

“Being a member of the CPB enables us to share our vision and contribute our expertise in Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) to policymaking, enhancing government-industry cooperation for a smart, automated, and secure transport environment,” said Seokwoo Lee. “We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the ITF and CPB members in making transportation better for everyone and the planet.”

A pioneer in securing vehicle connections for the V2X environment, AUTOCRYPT is also attending the upcoming ITS World Congress in Los Angeles from September 18 to 22, where it will reveal its new IMS dashboard, an integrated V2X-PKI management system that enables users to manage all regional SCMS on a central dashboard.

To find out more about AUTOCRYPT’s secure mobility solutions, contact global@autocrypt.io.

Why Digital Car Keys Are Safer Than You Think

The vehicle locking system has gone through a century-long evolution. Despite being a subtle component, tremendous efforts have been put into making more secure locks and more convenient keys, with increasingly sophisticated technology and features built into them. Clearly, the car keys we use today show no resemblance of what they were like decades ago. In fact, the combined door and ignition key was only invented in the 1960s. Prior to that, vehicle owners needed to carry different sets of keys for the door locks and the ignition lock. Then in the 1980s, the remote keyless system (RKS) was adopted, commonly referred to as keyless entry, allowing drivers to remotely control the door locks with the press of a button on their key fob. This continued to evolve into the smart key fob, which by using RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, automatically unlocks a vehicle within proximity, enabling hands-free passive keyless entry. Today, many automotive manufacturers are taking one step further to eliminate the need for any physical form of key, by adopting the digital car key – a virtual smart key that combines wireless communication technologies with authentication software, readily installable onto smartphones.

Despite the convenience the digital car key offers, many remain skeptical of the idea of virtually “logging in” to a vehicle via a smartphone app, with security being the primary concern. Indeed, having a tangible key fob at hand does feel more psychologically secure than a virtual key on the smartphone. However, evidence suggests otherwise – digital car keys are much safer than we might think.

Worldwide Standardization for Digital Car Keys: CCC Digital Key

Unlike other software application services, the architecture of the digital car key is strictly standardized by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which publishes a detailed release for all manufacturers and software developers to follow, ensuring security and worldwide interoperability.

Since its establishment, the CCC Digital Key standard has received two major updates to incorporate more advanced technologies for added security and convenience. Besides adopting robust PKI-based authentication measures that exceed the security standards of the financial industry, the Digital Key also uses cutting-edge communication technologies to prevent man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks that attempt to intercept messages. The latest standard, CCC Digital Key 3.0, was introduced in 2021, adopting two new wireless communication technologies – UWB (ultra-wideband) and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). These technologies are comparably more secure compared to the RFID technology used in smart key fobs.

Reducing the Risk of Relay Attacks

Although the smart key fob might appear safer than the Digital Key given that the owner has complete physical control of the key, it is in fact highly vulnerable to MITM attacks, particularly relay attacks. Since the smart key fob communicates with the vehicle via RFID signals, attackers can attempt to intercept the signals and use it for their advantage, mostly for stealing vehicles.

A relay attack is surprisingly simple and easy to implement, requiring no technical knowledge. All it needs is two people and two RFID transmitters. One person needs to stand within a certain range of the key fob (usually near the house of the car owner), carrying a transmitter device that picks up RFID signals from the key fob. The device then relays that signal to the second person, who stands beside the targeted vehicle holding a receiver device that picks up the relayed signal, hence unlocking the vehicle. These devices can be easily found and purchased online at affordable prices, with some of them being able to pick up signals from 100 meters away.

Relay attacks are by far the most common cause of vehicle thefts today. According to vehicle theft recovery firm Tracker, 93% of all vehicles it recovered were stolen by relay attacks. Of course, these attacks can be easily prevented by storing the key fob in a metal box or carrying it in a dedicated RFID blocking case. However, having to remove the key fob from a case prior to every use undermines the whole purpose of having a smart key fob in the first place – seamless entry.

Since the Digital Key uses more advanced communication technologies such as UWB and BLE, all of which aren’t vulnerable to MITM attacks, the Digital Key provides much stronger protection against vehicle thefts. In fact, evidence shows that there has not been a single successful case of Digital Key compromise. Although there have been a few cases of hackers who claimed to be able intercept the signals of a digital key through a relay attack, no vehicle theft has been reported as a result.

Chances of Remote Hacking?

Since the Digital Key depends on software-based authentication, many are concerned about the potentials of vehicle hacking. Precisely speaking, every connected system is prone to hacking, but the possibility of a hacker successfully bypassing PKI-based authentication and gaining access to the key is extremely low. Pwn2Own, one of the most popular cybersecurity contests, offered a $100,000 reward to anyone who could hack the digital key of a Tesla Model 3 through code execution, but nobody managed to compromise the key during the contest.

Many users also worry about losing their smartphone, hence losing access to their car. With the Digital Key, users can easily terminate or suspend their key by logging into their account from another device, preventing unauthorized usage of the lost or stolen key.

Additionally, unlike smart key fobs, which have limited buttons and features, the Digital Key provides much more versatile functionalities. For instance, the app can be used to set up a variety of configurations and commands, such as opening and closing the trunk, controlling the A/C, and even sharing the key with friends and family.

Secure Car Sharing

When using a physical key fob, vehicle sharing isn’t easy. Since only two pairs of key fobs are given when purchasing a new car, sharing the car with multiple family members or friends can be a hassle. Moreover, once the key is passed onto the shared user, the owner has no control of the car whatsoever, leading to security and safety concerns.

With the Digital Key, the car sharing process is made much more easy and secure. The owner simply needs to send an invitation link to the shared user to grant them access to the vehicle. Additionally, the owner retains partial control of the vehicle via the app, which allows them to configure the duration of shared usage, the maximum speed, the number of unlocks, and many more.

The vehicle sharing feature of the Digital Key is also beneficial for corporate cars and ridesharing service platforms. Since these publicly accessible vehicles tend to be used carelessly, incorporating the Digital Key offers great potential in enhancing both safety and convenience.


AUTOCRYPT’s Digital Key

As the first mobility security company in Asia to join the Car Connectivity Consortium, AUTOCRYPT’s Digital Key solution is a custom digital key development solution in compliance with the CCC standards, based on AUTOCRYPT’s proprietary PKI-based authentication system, issuing certificates that are embedded to the module during application development.

To stay informed and updated on the latest news about AUTOCRYPT and mobility tech, subscribe to AUTOCRYPT’s quarterly newsletter.

AUTOCRYPT’s Smart-Billing EV Charger “Q Charger” Receives OCPP 1.6 Certification

SEOUL, KOREA, July 27, 2022 — Automotive cybersecurity and mobility solutions provider AUTOCRYPT announced that its smart-billing EV charger “Q Charger” has received the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) 1.6 certification issued by the Open Charge Alliance.

At a charging speed of 3.3 kW, AUTOCRYPT’s Q Charger (model: ACO-100 BTW) is a Level 1 EV charger equipped with a 110-240 V standard charging cable compatible with all electric vehicles, and easily installable onto any wall outlet.

The Q Charger is a charger designed for shared usage, and users can scan the unique QR code located on each charger via AUTOCRYPT’s charger information app, after which payment will be processed within the app using the registered payment card. The charger’s built-in authentication module securely verifies the user’s identity and payment status before approval for charging. All payments will then be received by the charge point operator (CPO) or the owner of the charger, who is responsible for the electricity bill. 

“Our goal is twofold: Make chargers more available and make the charging experience more enjoyable for EV owners. For the millions of residents here in Korea who live in apartments, a lack of chargers has been a critical barrier to EV adoption. Deploying our smart-billing chargers in apartment and office buildings is a fast and efficient way to bring reliable EV charging to those who need it,” said Daniel ES Kim, CEO of AUTOCRYPT. “Furthermore, the OCPP 1.6 certification validates the safety, security, and durability of our chargers. We look forward to enhancing charging availability in shared parking spaces across the globe.” 

AUTOCRYPT’s Q Charger project is a sub-component of its comprehensive EV information and charging platform EVIQ, an integrated digital platform that connects EV owners and CPOs through big data, enhancing the experience of both EV charging and charging station management. 

To find out more about AUTOCRYPT’s Q Charger and EVIQ, contact global@autocrypt.io

The Evolution of Tolling and the Potentials of V2X-Based Tolling

The way road tolls are collected has gone through quite an evolution. From manual tollbooths where drivers must come to a full stop to make payments — to the open road tolling (ORT) systems seen on many highways, tunnels, and bridges today, tolling has become increasingly convenient and seamless.

Speaking of a seamless driving experience, another technology that comes to mind is V2X (vehicle-to-everything), the wireless communications technology used for smart transportation. As the foundation for autonomous driving, V2X facilitates all kinds of real-time message transmissions between vehicles, infrastructure, and pedestrians. Today, as more and more vehicles and roadside infrastructure are equipped with V2X connectivity units (onboard units and roadside units), the idea of integrating tolling into the V2X ecosystem has become a hot topic.

The infographic below demonstrates how tollgates have evolved in the past, and how the path toward V2X-based tolling was paved.

The Potentials of V2X-Based Tolling

In terms of the user experience, V2X-based tolling isn’t much different from existing open road tolling systems. Then why is it worth adopting? The main reason is cost efficiency. Both ETC and ORT systems depend on radio transmission, which requires the installation of RFID readers on tollgates and radio transponders on vehicles. These devices, however, are solely made and used for tolling. On the other hand, V2X-based tolling operates on real-time communications between the onboard units (OBU) embedded in vehicles and the roadside units (RSU) embedded in road infrastructure. These devices are used for all types of communications for Vehicle-Infrastructure Cooperated Autonomous Driving (VICAD). In fact, many vehicles and smart road infrastructures today already contain OBUs and RSUs. Strictly speaking, the technology for V2X-based tolling isn’t an innovation in and of itself, but rather a readily available “byproduct” of autonomous driving development. Just like how the functionalities of MP3 players were naturally integrated into smartphones, tolling will eventually be integrated into the V2X ecosystem.


AUTOCRYPT’s Role in Securing V2X Connectivity

Since V2X communications serve a range of security-critical purposes including autonomous driving and tolling, cybersecurity systems must be pre-integrated into the communication process. With decades of experience specializing in encryption and authentication technologies, AUTOCRYPT plays a crucial role in securing V2X messages and participants, preventing unauthorized vehicle access and sensitive data exposure.

AutoCrypt® V2X is a security software package for V2X connectivity units, consisting of a software development kit (SDK) ready to be integrated into OBUs/RSUs, and a PKI-based authentication system for the secure verification of all end-entities.

To learn more about AUTOCRYPT’s V2X security offerings, contact global@autocrypt.io.

To stay informed and updated on the latest news about AUTOCRYPT and mobility tech, subscribe to AUTOCRYPT’s quarterly newsletter.

AUTOCRYPT Integrates Its Authentication System Into Hyundai Motor’s EV Charging Platform ‘E-pit’ to Streamline Secure Charging Experience

SEOUL, KOREA, July 19, 2022 — EV and charging security solutions provider AUTOCRYPT announced that it integrated its PnC (Plug&Charge) authentication system into Hyundai Motor’s charging platform E-CSP (E-pit Charging Service Platform) as a part of its E-pit charging infrastructure expansion. 

E-pit is Hyundai Motor’s ultra-rapid EV charging infrastructure and its charging service platform E-CSP utilizes PnC technology to enhance both security and convenience. A technology defined by ISO-15118, PnC allows users to simply connect their vehicle to the charge point and automatically identify itself to the network. Moreover, to tackle the authentication and payment security concerns that may arise during the charging process, the PnC protocol requires a verified PKI (public key infrastructure) system that is encrypted end-to-end, which AUTOCRYPT provides. Major OEMs and charge point operators (CPO) across the globe have begun integrating PnC into their vehicles and chargers for a seamless charging ecosystem. 

“Challenges in larger EV adoption can only be resolved by bringing new concepts forward,” said CEO and co-Founder, Daniel ES Kim. “We consider the advancement of secure EV charging services as a major need in this new industry. Building a larger network of charging stations will assist in addressing range anxiety throughout vehicle charging deserts, and we hope to contribute to the expansion of charging infrastructure with Hyundai Motors with our secure PnC solution.”  

AUTOCRYPT’s EV and charging solution also covers the establishment of mobility ecosystem for CSMS (charging station management system) and aims to derive greater comfort and benefits from the transition. For partnership inquiries, please contact global@autocrypt.io.