Author: AUTOCRYPT

5 July, 2022 . 8 mins read

Trends in the E-Mobility Industry 2022

As climate change accelerates across the globe, facilitating a fast and smooth transition into electric vehicles (EV) and electric mobility (e-mobility) is now at the top of the agenda for governments, transport ministries, and the automotive and mobility industries. With tremendous investment and efforts pouring into the transition over the past several years, we have seen significant improvements in the quality, usability, and performance of EVs and their supply equipment (EVSE).

AUTOCRYPT considers contributing to the transition to e-mobility of utmost importance. That’s why we exhibited at this year’s EVS35 (Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition) in Oslo, Norway to showcase our latest e-mobility solution EVIQ and propose our proprietary security framework for Plug&Charge (PnC). Being at the event also helped us gain insights into the latest trends in the fast-evolving e-mobility industry.

2022: The Tipping Point of EV Adoption

Although it can take quite some time before all vehicles on the road become electric, EVs are dominating new car sales in many countries. Norway, the leading country in EV adoption, showed a record-high annual EV market share of 86% over the year 2021, followed by another monthly record of 92% in March 2022. At this point, about 23% of all vehicles in use in Norway are EVs. Other leading EV adopters include Sweden, with an annual market share of 45% in 2021, followed by the Netherlands at 30%, Germany at 26%, Britain at 19%, France at 18%, and China at 15%.

Although Norway is currently the only country with an EV market share above 50%, there is little doubt that other countries will quickly catch up. Looking at Norway’s EV adoption pattern, it took about an equal amount of time for the market share to grow from zero to 20% and from 20% to 90%. This 20% mark can be seen as a tipping point, where adoption begins to accelerate.

EV Market Share in Norway (% of New Car Sales)

This pattern can be explained by two reasons. The first is peer influence. Whenever a new technology is introduced to replace an existing one, a great majority of people try to wait until the early adopters have fully tested the technology before making a purchase. This effect is especially salient when making a high-involvement purchase like a car. Once one in five people (20%) start to purchase the new technology, the worries dissipate, and the general population begins their adoption. When reaching a stage where two in five people (40%) go for the new technology, people begin to feel peer pressure and refrain from purchasing the older technology due to fear of being left behind and loss of resale value.

The second reason is of course the growth in EV technology itself.

Based on this pattern, we can estimate that the EV market share in the EU (currently at 20%) will likely reach 80% in five years, and China (currently at 15%) will reach 80% in six years. These estimates do not take into consideration the accelerating growth of e-mobility technology and infrastructure so; by taking that into account, the EV market share in both EU and China could potentially reach 80% in as soon as four years.

Even in slower markets like North America, 2022 is on track to becoming a promising year. Canada’s EV market share grew from 3.8% in 2020 to 5.6% in 2021, showing great potential of reaching the 10% mark within 2022.

Widespread Commercialization of Plug&Charge and V2G Technology

The V2G (vehicle-to-grid) communication interface defined by ISO 15118 is a protocol designed for bidirectional charging/discharging between EVs and chargers. Within the standard is a feature called Plug&Charge (PnC), which enables an EV to automatically prove its identity to the charger on behalf of the driver, then exchange its digital certificate with the certificate of the charger to allow for automated payment. To enable PnC, both the vehicle and the charging station must be PnC-compatible.

The initial years after PnC’s release showed slow progress. After the Plug&Charge section was first added to ISO 15118 in 2014, not a single OEM had a functional implementation until 2018. A few OEMs began demo testing between 2019 and 2020. Eventually, some exciting results were shown in 2021. Several vehicle models – including Hyundai IONIQ 5, 2021 Porsche Taycan, 2021 Lucid Air, and 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E – are now fully compatible with PnC. The same goes for charging stations. In 2021, both Electrify America and Electrify Canada deployed PnC to their charging networks in North America. Ionity also announced in late 2021 that all their charging stations across Europe are PnC-compatible.

Although it still seems like very few OEMs and charge point operators (CPOs) are implementing the technology, it is great news that PnC is now widely available for commercial use with mass adoption underway, and AUTOCRYPT is fully prepared to implement its AutoCrypt PnC secure charging framework to protect the personal and financial data of the driver during the PnC process, as cybersecurity has become a requirement in ISO 15118-20.

As for the bidirectional charging and energy distribution aspects of V2G, there are very few market implementations today, but the industry is making great progress. Many providers are beta testing V2G chargers capable of selling electricity back to the grid, with hope to bring bidirectional home chargers to the market in the next two years.

Elevated Environmental and Regulatory Pressure

Over the past decade, governments around the world have been using the incentive approach to encourage EV ownership. By subsidizing the costs of vehicle acquisition and e-mobility infrastructure development, EVs have now become affordable for most middle-income families. The availability of charging stations has also greatly improved.

With more climate disasters occurring across the globe, governments are now pushing forward a disincentive approach by putting regulations in place to “punish” carbon emitters. In 2020, the European Union’s Regulation (EU) 2019/631 entered into force, setting specific emission targets for OEMs. For every year between 2020 and 2024, the average CO2 emission for an OEM’s entire fleet registered in the year must be kept below 95 g/km for cars and 147 g/km for vans. If the average emission figure exceeds the target, the OEM must pay an excess emissions premium (EEP) at 95 euros per every g/km exceeded, multiplied by the total number of its newly registered vehicles in the EU in that year. To further incentivize EV production, the regulation also adds a super-credits system for low-emission vehicles with less than 50 g/km, by loosening the targets for OEMs that sell more of these vehicles.

As a simplified example, a 2.5 L gasoline-engine 2022 Hyundai Sonata has an emission rate of 182 g/km, which exceeds the 95 g/km target. If Hyundai wants to avoid paying the EEP, it must sell a lot of IONIQ 5s in that same year to both loosen the target figure (to above 95 g/km) and pull its total average figure down.

Starting in 2025, the target emission standards will become stricter and set out on a per OEM basis as a percentage reduction from their 2020 starting points, encouraging continuous progress.

Adoption of eMobility in Fleets

Electric vehicles are not only becoming popular among consumers, but many companies have started adopting EVs for commercial use. Mobility service operators were among the first to adopt all-electric fleets, because EVs today are easily capable of ranges above 350 km, well above the daily needs of most MaaS and taxi drivers. Additionally, since gasoline prices around the world nearly doubled over the past two years, the electrification of commercial vehicles has become a necessary cost-saving measure for many businesses.

A more exciting trend is the electrification of heavy-duty commercial vehicles like delivery vans, semi-trailer trucks, and buses. Only a couple of years ago, all-electric heavy-duty vehicles were considered barely viable due to technological limitations in batteries and motors. Thanks to accelerating technological growth and decreasing battery prices, heavy-duty EVs have become widely available, with over 100 models of heavy-duty electric trucks and buses in the market today.

Of course, infrastructure must also be upgraded to match the needs of heavy-duty EVs. Charge point operators are expanding their networks of high-speed DC chargers with charging speeds above 250 kW, which can charge a semi-truck in about two hours. Since time is crucial for logistics companies, charger manufacturers have also been working on Mega chargers specifically designed for trucks, namely the Megawatts Charging System (MCS). These charging systems are capable of charging speeds in the megawatts range, capable of filling a semi-truck in minutes.

Lastly, investing in an all-electric fleet also gives the fleet operator the potential of participating in V2G bidirectional charging when it becomes more available in the coming years, allowing the operator to make profits from their unused fleets.

AUTOCRYPT’s Work Towards Connected eMobility

As an automotive cybersecurity and mobility solutions provider, AUTOCRYPT plays a range of roles in bringing convenience and security to e-mobility. Starting from AutoCrypt PnC, a PKI-based security module that secures the PnC charging framework, AUTOCRYPT expanded its offerings by launching its e-mobility solution, EVIQ, an all-in-one EV information and charging platform that provides a Charging Station Management System for CPOs as well as charger locator maps for EV drivers.

To learn more about AUTOCRYPT’s e-mobility 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.

28 June, 2022 . 2 mins read

AUTOCRYPT Joins MobilityXlab, Mobility Technology Collaboration Hub to Accelerate Innovative Global Expansion

MUNICH, GERMANY, June 28, 2022 — Leading mobility and V2X security provider AUTOCRYPT has been selected as one of MobilityXlab‘s newest startups to co-create mobility solutions with industry accelerators and enable projects between partner companies. Led by industry giants CEVT, Ericsson, Polestar, Veoneer, Volvo Cars, Volvo Group, and Zenseact, MobilityXlab facilitates partnerships between startups in the industry and aims to bring future mobility closer together. AUTOCRYPT will participate in MobilityXlab for at least six months to co-create solutions for the rapidly changing mobility landscape. 

As one of the few mobility security providers in MobilityXlab, the company looks forward to integrating PKI in real-world use cases, turning proof-of-concept into reality when it comes to secure vehicular environments. Autocrypt’s tri-standard compliant Secure Credential Management System for V2X ensures vulnerability-free environments, preventing unwanted interference in connected and autonomous driving. 

“We are elated to be invited and chosen as one of eleven startups amongst 108 applicants this year. We expect this collaboration to expedite strategic partnerships here in Europe, giving us an avenue to directly collaborate and discuss how to enhance emerging technologies across mobility and connectivity tech sectors,” said Daniel ES Kim, CEO of Autocrypt Technologies GmbH. “AUTOCRYPT also plans to drive forward cybersecurity testing and engineering technology development to seize the initiative in Europe and worldwide.”

Along with its secure V2X solutions, AUTOCRYPT’s latest suite of secure EV-related offerings, EVIQ, focuses on secure V2G communications. The offerings suite aims to provide seamless charging experiences to all users, including Plug&Charge with an ISO-15118 compliant communication interface, and a customized Charging Station Management System. The company unveiled EVIQ at the 35th Electric Vehicle Symposium, EVS35, where it also presented its security testing framework for charging environments.

About MobilityXlab

MobilityXlab is a collaboration hub founded in 2017 by global companies to create and develop new innovations within future mobility – with each other and with startups. Our seven partners are CEVT, Ericsson, Polestar, Veoneer, Volvo Cars, Volvo Group, and Zenseact. Lindholmen Science Parks is the host organization. MobilityXlab is also supported by Region Västra Götaland and Vinnova, Sweden’s Innovation Agency. Over the first five years, MobilityXlab has seen startups applying from 50 countries. The collaboration platform has resulted in 75 proof of concepts and 12 accelerations, in the form of commercial contracts or partnerships. 

26 May, 2022 . 2 mins read

AUTOCRYPT Closes Series B With $25.5 Million to Expand V2X and In-Vehicle Systems Security for Intelligent Transport

SEOUL, KOREA, May 26, 2022 — AUTOCRYPT, a leading secure mobility and V2X communications company, has raised a $25.5 million Series B round, with post-money valuation of $120 million. Leading backers included Korea Asset Investment Securities, Ulmus Investment, BSK Investment, Shinhan Venture Investments, JB Asset Management, STIC Ventures, Pathfinder H, and Hyundai Venture Investment. 

In 2020, the company closed its Series A round with $15 million and began its Series B round in late 2021 with the goal to expand its V2X offerings globally. Establishing subsidiaries in Toronto, Canada and Munich, Germany, AUTOCRYPT is quickly growing its foothold in Europe and North America, with plans to open its Singapore office later this year.

CEO and co-Founder Daniel ES Kim said in a statement regarding the funding round, “We’re proud of AUTOCRYPT’s progressive growth, and believe the investments are a reflection of the tremendous amounts of effort we have put into cultivating relationships in this rapidly changing industry of connected mobility.”

Kim continued regarding AUTOCRYPT’s plans for the next year, remarking, “We believe secure V2X will be the key to wider adoption of autonomous driving – this means implementing secure V2X connectivity in not just vehicles, but roads, infrastructure, but also pedestrian devices.” Kim refers to AutoCrypt SCMS, a tri-standard compliant PKI for message verification across all types of end-entities in the V2X environment.

AUTOCRYPT is currently in talks with several public agencies across the globe to implement its V2X security and SCMS for C-ITS projects. AUTOCRYPT already manages security and PKI for all C-ITS projects on the Korean peninsula. 

Besides its advancements in V2X security, AUTOCRYPT has also added Security Analyzer™ and Security Fuzzer™ to its in-vehicle systems security solution. Security Analyzer is an SBOM-based software vulnerability analysis platform, protecting vehicle software throughout its entire lifecycle, while Security Fuzzer effectively detects software flaws through smart fuzzing. Both tools are essential for today’s increasingly software-oriented E/E architecture. The company also plans to showcase its newest Plug&Charge (PnC) and EV-related offerings in Oslo at the 2022 International Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exhibition (EVS35).

16 May, 2022 . 6 mins read

Managing Automotive Software Security With the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)

The automotive industry is evolving at an incredible pace, characterized by changes in vehicle architecture, automotive software, and user experience. No longer are automobiles a mere transportation tool, but consumers are now expecting their car to function as their smart mobile device on the road, capable of not just (autonomous) driving, but also personal computing tasks from music and video streaming to in-car payment and cloud-based functionalities. Today, drivers and passengers want their interactions with the car to be personalized, synchronized, and most importantly, effortless.

A smart mobile device relies heavily on software applications. Just like smartphones and tablets, the modern vehicle operates on hundreds of software applications with millions of lines of source code, powered by up to a hundred application processors in the forms of MCUs (microcontrollers) and ECUs (electronic control units)—and in some cases, a couple of centralized CPUs. Whereas conventional vehicles are largely evaluated by their hardware, software is playing an increasingly important role in defining today’s vehicles. We are in an age where two vehicles with the exact same engine and technical specs can drive and feel entirely different depending on the underlying software.

The Role of Automotive Software

In a modern vehicle, a surprising number of features that consumers take for granted are enabled by software. To consumers, the most familiar type of automotive software is the user applications installed in the head unit (i.e., dashboard and infotainment system), which make up the human-machine interface (HMI). Yet, beneath the surface, there are hundreds of software applications embedded throughout the in-vehicle system, underpinning the smart features that are seamlessly integrated into the driving experience. For instance, software is embedded in every camera to process the captured imagery and transmit the visual information to the computing unit, enabling advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

Looking deeper within the vehicle, all ECUs contain pieces of embedded software that act as communication modules, allowing them to communicate with one another throughout the CAN buses, the head unit, the telematics control unit (TCU), and externally to the telecommunications network and the clouds. These communication interfaces lay the groundwork for V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communications and vehicle-infrastructure cooperated autonomous driving (VICAD). Lastly, information collected from the in-vehicle system is likely recorded and transmitted to the OEM cloud, allowing for the vehicle security operations center (vSOC) to detect anomalies and respond to any potential cybersecurity threats. All these software-enabled features run seamlessly without the need for any manual intervention.

Who Develops Automotive Software?

Unlike hardware parts, most of the software components used in automobiles are not directly developed by OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers. Instead, they come from a diverse range of software vendors and providers, including HMI providers, middleware providers, operation systems providers, telematics providers, ADAS software providers, telecommunications providers, cloud providers, security providers, and many more. Some of these software components are installed directly on top of the infotainment system, while others are embedded within the wide array of in-vehicle systems prior to the assembly phase. Oftentimes, software vendors need to work with hardware suppliers and chipmakers during the production process to ensure cross-industry interoperability. As software becomes an integral part of production, the automotive supply chain is looking less like a vertical deliver-and-assemble process but more like a horizontal network of partnerships and co-developments.

The Components of Automotive Software

A vehicle’s software environment is much more complex than that of other computing devices like smartphones and PCs. Smartphones and PCs operate on a single OS, where all software applications are developed for the specific platform. In the vehicular software environment, however, vehicles do not run on a single OS nor a proprietary platform (even though OEMs are moving in that direction—topic for another time). This means that every software component is essentially independent, only to be stitched together by the rules set out by standardized communication protocols and interfaces.

Since automotive software components are developed by individual parties, a large portion of them contain open-source code and licenses. This isn’t surprising given that more than 70% of all the world’s software source code is open source—the most popular mobile OS Android was built on the grounds of the open-source Linux kernel, while over two-thirds of all web servers in the world run on the open-source Unix OS and its variants. Of course, these popular open-source distributions are often developed and managed by large corporations, ensuring that vulnerabilities are monitored, detected, and patched immediately. But this isn’t the case for automotive software, which comes from hundreds of vendors and developers across the world. Since open-source code is widely copied and modified during the development of applications, even developers can lose track of which components or licenses were used, or whether one component could form codependency with another. This makes it much more challenging to manage software updates and ensure that patches get to the right vehicles on time.

Fortunately, there is a promising solution that makes it easy for automotive OEMs to continuously manage their in-vehicle software throughout all stages of the software development lifecycle (SDLC)—the software bill of materials.

Securely Manage Automotive Software With the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)

To counter the security risks that arise alongside the growing popularity of open-source software (OSS), the software bill of materials (SBOM) has become a popular tool to manage OSS vulnerabilities across many industries. An SBOM, as its name suggests, is a machine-derived list that contains a detailed breakdown of all open-source ingredients—including code and licenses—found within a piece of software. In 2021, a US Executive Order on enhancing OSS security made SBOM mandatory for certain sensitive industries. A detailed guideline was later published by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the US Department of Commerce.

Like many other industries, the SBOM is the most effective way for OEMs to manage automotive software. Not only does it help establish a vulnerability-free software environment in the first place, but it also allows OEMs to keep track of vulnerabilities in their OSS and licenses during the aftermarket stage and have them patched via OTA (over-the-air) updates to all impacted vehicles.

AUTOCRYPT’s newly launched AutoCrypt® Security Analyzer (SA) is an SBOM-based software analysis and management tool that accurately detects and categorizes software components, enabling OEMs to continuously manage their automotive software during all stages of the vehicle’s lifecycle.

To learn more about AutoCrypt® Security Analyzer and AUTOCRYPT’s mobility service 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.

25 April, 2022 . 3 mins read

AUTOCRYPT Demonstrates PKI Interoperability and Implementations at the 3rd ETSI C-V2X Plugtests Event

MUNICH, GERMANY, April 25, 2022 — AUTOCRYPT, a leading V2X communications cybersecurity company, was the only Asian PKI provider to participate in the 3rd C-V2X Plugtests ™ interoperability testing event organized by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Insititute) in partnership with 5GAA at the DEKRA technology center for automobiles located in Klettwitz, Germany. The event enabled different vendors, specializing in on-board units, roadside units, and public key infrastructure, to run test sessions and assess the level of interoperability based on the latest C-ITS communications and security standards, all under the watchful eye of highway operators, automobile manufacturers, and government bodies. 

AutoCrypt V2X-PKI, a core component of the C-ITS security suite that is compliant with the standards of the US SCMS, European-based SCMS, and Chinese-based SCMS, has successfully demonstrated interoperability through various state-of-the-art safety use cases, including road hazard signaling, road works warning, time to green, in-vehicle signage, traffic jam warning, longitudinal collision risk warning, and intersection collision risk warning.  

All the tests run by AUTOCRYPT were based on ETSI’s TS sector standards, including V2X communication security and SCMS for C-ITS. The tests showed that AUTOCRYPT’s solutions accomplished high levels of interoperability with other companies that are actively engaging in the development of C-V2X for the automotive industry. Through this inspection and supplementation, AUTOCRYPT expects to develop pilot projects led by the European governments and equipment companies within the year. 

Daniel ES Kim, CEO of Autocrypt Technologies GmbH, said: “It was an honor for AUTOCRYPT to be one of the selected companies at the 3rd C-V2X Plugtests ™. As V2X communications usage in the automotive industry continues to increase and PKI plays a central role in its secure development, it is critical that we continue to strengthen our SCMS management capabilities through various interoperability tests across the globe. The successful demonstration of our PKI solutions means that we are continuing to lead the industry and ensure a safer, more reliable environment to support our users.” 

AUTOCRYPT will continue to raise the standards in the PKI sector and will be demonstrating its new V2X capabilities at the highly anticipated ITF 2022 Summit this coming May. This year’s International Transport Forum will convene various experts across industries and governments to share insights on enabling social inclusion through utilizing innovative technologies in transport while promoting sustainable economic growth.  

As the deployment of applications using PKI continues to increase, AUTOCRYPT looks forward to bringing new fully customizable products and solutions to market for the benefit and safety of the industry, passengers, and the public.

15 April, 2022 . 5 mins read

Protecting Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) With V2P Technology

Vulnerable road user (VRU) is a term used to describe any road user who is not inside a motor vehicle. This can mean a pedestrian, a cyclist (or motorcyclist), a scooterist, or someone in a wheelchair. Compared to motorists, VRUs are much more likely to suffer from severe injuries or death in a traffic accident due to their lack of external protection. Although vehicle-pedestrian crashes are much less common than vehicle-vehicle crashes, these accidents still contribute to a significant number of road fatalities. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), pedestrian fatalities account for 17% of all casualties from traffic accidents, while cyclist fatalities account for another 2%.

Why Are VRU Fatalities Increasing?

During the past decade, we have seen significant improvements in Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), including features like pedestrian detection and warning. This gives us an intuition that VRU safety must have been improving. Shockingly, a completely opposite trend was observed. Pedestrian fatalities have in fact increased by 51% over the past ten years, most of which occurred in urban areas.

Given all the technological advancements, why isn’t the pedestrian fatality rate falling? One possible explanation is the growing popularity of SUVs, which are taller than sedans and more likely to hit the pedestrian’s upper body in crashes. Another likely cause is that both drivers and pedestrians today face constant smartphone distraction, making them less focused and attentive on the road.

The Struggles to Keep VRUs Safe

Over the past few years, urban planners and policymakers have been implementing progressive approaches to improve VRU safety by either eliminating roadways in crowded urban centers or reducing the speed limit to less than 30 km/h in city streets. However, these countermeasures are only effective in cities with a well-established public transit system that can handle a drastic increase in passengers. For many cities that rely heavily on personal vehicles, implementing such measures can be quite disruptive and inefficient for daily commuters.

Protecting VRUs isn’t about sacrificing one group for the other. It is essentially about protecting everyone, as every driver technically becomes a VRU the moment they exit the car. Hence, finding a balanced solution that benefits both motorists and VRUs is crucial. In this regard, V2P technology shows great potential. V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian) technology is a sub-type of V2X (vehicle-to-everything) communications technology that allows vehicles to communicate with pedestrians in real-time wirelessly. With V2P, vehicles and pedestrians will be able to cooperate seamlessly on the road to prevent accidents.

How Does V2P Differ From V2V and V2I?

V2P operates under the same mechanism as other types of V2X communications like V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) and V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure). However, there are some unique aspects of V2P that make its deployment and application somewhat different from the other two.

Installation

To enable any V2X communication, a V2X connectivity unit must be installed on every end entity of the ecosystem. An end entity can be a vehicle, a traffic signal, a roadside camera, and many more. The V2X connectivity units can either be embedded within the end entities during the manufacturing process or externally connected to existing vehicles and infrastructure that do not have embedded units.

However, we cannot simply install V2X connectivity units on unpowered V2P entities like bicycles, scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, and of course, the human body. In this case, smartphones can act as end entities. A compact and lightweight portable V2X device can be plugged into the mobile devices of VRUs so that they can easily participate in V2P communications. These portable V2X devices are extremely versatile and can be plugged anytime into all kinds of smart devices such as phones, tablets, and vehicle head units via common ports like USB-C.

Another potential deployment method relies on a specific type of V2X mode—the C-V2X Uu interface. Different from the PC5 interface—which enables end entities to communicate directly with each other without going through any medium—the Uu interface sends all messages through the mobile broadband spectrum, connecting all entities to the cellular network. Under this mode, all smart devices with cellular connectivity become readily available V2X connectivity units with no need for external hardware.

Application

Whereas V2V and V2I communications are used to serve the purpose of vehicle-infrastructure cooperated autonomous driving (VICAD), V2P adds VRU cooperation to the mix, taking autonomous driving to the next level. By doing so, it further enhances the safety of autonomous driving in urban areas by complementing conventional ADAS and pedestrian warning systems. In application, vehicles receive the real-time location, speed, and direction of every VRU in their surroundings, allowing them to respond immediately to all kinds of unexpected behaviours.

On the other hand, V2P can also be used to issue warning messages to pedestrians. Many observational studies have pointed out the severity of pedestrian smartphone distraction. One study in Melbourne found that 20% of all walkers were on their smartphones while crossing the road. These “smartphone zombies” are at a significantly higher risk of traffic accidents. With V2P-enabled smartphones, these walkers can be alarmed at traffic signals and pedestrian crossings.

Better Autonomous Driving Starts from Road User Cooperation

Even though most developments in autonomous driving have been focusing on V2V and V2I applications, we should not forget that vehicles are not the only road users. To make autonomous driving smarter and safer, more participants should be invited to join the ecosystem. Adding VRUs to the cooperated autonomous driving mix has the potential to greatly reduce vehicle-VRU accidents and improve road safety and efficiency in urban areas.

AUTOCRYPT is actively working on developing technologies that accelerate V2P deployment. To stay informed and updated on the latest news about AUTOCRYPT and mobility tech, subscribe to AUTOCRYPT’s quarterly newsletter.

To learn more about AUTOCRYPT’s mobility service solutions, contact global@autocrypt.io.