Tag: autonomousvehicle

It is no secret that the era of the autonomous vehicle is already here. With Tesla premiering the beta mode of their Full-Self Driving mode, and other manufacturers following suit with developments in autonomous technology, the number of connected and autonomous vehicles on the road will only continue to increase. However, that means that it is only a matter of time before the autonomous capabilities move on from the road to other methods of transportation. In fact, autonomous ships may not be very far behind from self-driving vehicles.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) establishes the international standards when it comes to maritime traffic. The IMO defines ships that operate without human interaction as MASS, or Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships. They are also referred to as Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), meaning that they are vehicles that travel on water, or smart ships, in the sense that they have capabilities to be able to travel on their own.

Although MASS or USV may be unfamiliar acronyms, autonomous ships and autonomous vehicles have more in common than you would think. Here are some commonalities between USVs and AVs.

Level / Degree Up

Just like a car has an autonomous driving level, decided by the SAE (see our blog post on different levels here), autonomous ships are also classified by levels of autonomy. However, the IMO officially defines the four levels (called “degrees”) from Degree one, where the system aids the seafarer’s decisions and navigation, all the way to Degree four where fully autonomous navigation occurs without seafarer or remote control.

Industry Consortiums

As a new(er) technology, autonomous vehicles have several organizations and projects that prioritize regulations and international standard compliance for testing, safety and continued development of the technology. It should therefore not come as a surprise that autonomous ships also have consortiums and researchers dedicated to continuing to define and develop the technologies. In 2016, a largely industry-led group called the Maritime Unmanned Navigation through Intelligence in Networks (MUNIN) published a detailed report which summarized three years of key findings regarding MASS.

Security First

As autonomous driving technology continues to advance and the deadline for WP.29 regulations approaches, a trending topic in the industry is security. For a car to drive autonomously on the road, it must connect in real-time to other vehicles, traffic lights, roadside units, and devices. If there is a vulnerability or a breach in this connectivity, true autonomous driving is not possible as it endangers the driver, passenger, and everyone around the vehicle. There is no reason why the same issue would not arise out at sea.

While there may not be a vessel right behind or next to a ship, sea vessels have other complex issues to figure out like weather conditions, route of nearby vessels, fuel capabilities, and load capacities to maintain. If there is a breach, there is the risk of danger to passengers, crew, as well as the sensitive products that may be in the middle of being transported. Hackers do not discriminate and will take a chance to infiltrate anything that seems of financial value or notoriety.

Why Autonomous Ships?

As the world becomes more interconnected, transport of goods will only increase. To optimize transport and minimize risk, it makes sense to develop autonomous ships – USVs can significantly reduce ship management costs as manpower and fuel account for over 80% of operational costs. Having unmanned autonomous vehicles will not only reduce costs but free up space. Minimizing amenities like food, water, and allowing additional cargo or fuel to be loaded will be groundbreaking.

Companies around the world have been taking notice. In 2018, Rolls-Royce and Finferries, a Finnish shipping company (state-owned), demonstrated the world’s first fully autonomous ferry in Turku, Finland. In South Korea, SK Telecom and Samsung developed an autonomous test ship. The 3.3-meter-long ship was equipped with 5G-based LiDAR, cloud-based IoT platform, as well as a real-time video monitoring solution. Korea’s government is also on board as the peninsula’s location is prime for maritime trade. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy as well as the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries formed a working project for autonomous ships and is expected to invest over 160 billion won up to 2025.

However, as we have already seen with the rise of autonomous vehicles, another commonality is that new, trending technologies tend to become new and lucrative targets for hackers. Much like the WP.29 regulations by the UNECE, it may not be long before we begin to see similar regulations for other methods of transportation, and ship manufacturers and seafarers may need to begin preparation sooner rather than later. While technology continues to develop, roadmaps for regulatory reform and systems and standards for autonomous sailing personnel and cybersecurity.

It is essential to prioritize security from the beginning – that is one commonality of which we can be absolutely certain.

5G connects at speeds up to 100x faster than 4G, 100 gigabytes per second!

While there are many applications to 5G, autonomous vehicles (AVs) will most likely be a major part of how 5G is utilized because of its critical need for a low-latency, ultra-fast connection.

Here’s an overview of what 5G connections are and why AVs will make great use of this connection.
(Accessibility version below)

5G & Autonomous Vehicles

What exactly is 5G and how does it work for AVs?

5G refers to the fifth generation of wireless technology. 5G is expected to connect us to an ultra-fast, highly reliable network. With speeds of 100 Gbps, 100 times faster than its predecessor, 4G.

Where will we use 5G connections?

• Broadband and media
• Remote services
• IoT (Internet-of-things)
• Augmented reality (AR)
• and… autonomous driving

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) will be a major part of 5G application since low-latency, ultra-fast connections are crucial to safe operation of AVs. Self driving technology utilizes hundreds of sensors that will gather and exchange an enormous amount of data between multiple parties. This communication exchange is called V2X, Vehicle-to-Everything. V2X can refer to V2G (grid), V2I (infrastructure), V2P (pedestrian), V2D (device), V2V (vehicle), and also V2N (network).

Benefits of 5G-V2X or C-V2X can allow for:

• More precise automated driving, with response times as fast as, or possibly even quicker than, human behavior
• Better traffic control, less congestion
• High throughput for exchanging and processing raw data
• Support for larger numbers of simultaneous connections with low latency.

However, there are still challenges with deployment. Vehicle manufacturers want to see nationwide deployment before committing, but nationwide 5G coverage is still limited, which means vehicles cannot yet fully rely on the network. Service providers want to see more demand for 5G before providing deployment.

The future of 5G and C-V2X will depend on nationwide / global deployment and standardization across manufacturers, service providers and regulations.

• Building a stable 5G operator network with the solid reliability that autonomous vehicles require will likely take a few more years.
• 5GAA, a cross-industry organization for automotive tech, is working to define common standards to ensure that 5G for C-V2X meets the requirements for autonomous driving
• As carriers begin to roll out more 5G network support, manufacturers and service providers will likely begin to equip more vehicles with C-V2X.
• Cybersecurity providers will work to ensure that they can provide sophisticated end-to-end security to ensure that AVs with C-V2X will keep the safety of its drivers and passengers.

AUTOCRYPT is a member of 5GAA and provides end-to-end V2X and C-V2X security. Learn more about automotive cybersecurity on our webpage.

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Up until a few years ago, autonomous driving faced quite a bit of skepticism and was perceived by the public as a radical technology, far ahead of the times.

However, all of a sudden, cars actually started steering themselves. Public views quickly changed in 2017 when Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot introduced mind-blowing features like traffic-aware cruise control, autosteer on divided highways, along with semi-autonomous navigation on certain roads.

Along with Tesla, many automakers started applying similar technologies to their vehicles. The speed of the rollout of new autonomous features quickly accelerated. As of 2020, most newly manufactured vehicles contain at least one autonomous feature, and industry experts expect autonomous vehicles to be available for mass consumption by the mid-2020s.

Therefore, over the next decade, we are likely going to see an increasing number of autonomous vehicles sharing our roads, though with a wide range in terms of the level of autonomy. This is because, despite how it may seem to the public, just because a vehicle may be manufactured with one or two autonomous features, does not mean that it is a fully autonomous vehicle. Depending on the level of autonomy, regulations on how the driver becomes  a part of the driving process may differ.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) utilizes a scale that defines six levels of vehicle autonomy, ranging from Level 0 (fully manual) to Level 5 (fully automated). This scale has been officially adopted by the US Department of Transportation, and is currently used universally by regulators and manufacturers worldwide as the de facto standard for autonomous vehicle grading. Here are the six levels of autonomous driving and where we are at currently.

Level 0 – No Automation

Today, around half of the vehicles (depending on where you live) on the road still belong to this category because most vehicles manufactured prior to the mid-2010s likely had no autonomous features.

Level 1 – Driver Assistance (2014~)

Key Aspects: Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) with Power Control or Steering

The two basic inputs that control a car’s movement are power and direction. Power is controlled by the accelerator and brake pedal, while direction is controlled by the steering wheel.

At the lowest Level of autonomy, Level 1, an autonomous vehicle is able to assist the driver in either power control or steering, but not both. Even if both systems exist, they work independently and do not communicate with each other.

This includes vehicles with adaptive cruise control (maintaining a safe distance from the car ahead) as well as lane keep assist and automatic lane centering. Still, such features are not meant to be relied on fully, as they are designed only to assist the driver, allowing them to use less force when steering or stepping on the brake or accelerator.

Market Situation. Around 2014, major manufacturers began adding features to their luxury models that would qualify them as Level 1 autonomous vehicles. Over the next few years, these features were gradually applied downwards to the economy models. Most cars made in 2020 are at least Level 1 on the scale of autonomy.

Level 2: Partial Automation (2017~)

Key Aspects: Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) with Power Control and Steering

Level 1 and Level 2 autonomy do not differ much in terms of technology. The only difference is that Level 2 vehicles have a more complete ADAS, enabling power control and autosteer simultaneously. Additionally, these systems can communicate with each other to ensure a smoother driving experience. For example, a car can slow itself down when the lane curves ahead.

Although a Level 2 autonomous vehicle can adaptively cruise on the road while keeping itself in lane, it cannot make lane changes or turns (unless the turn is guided by visible lanes on the ground). In theory, the driver could take their hands off the wheel and expect the car to drive without issues on highways. However, the car still requires the driver to keep their hands on the wheel and pay full attention to the road in case of unmanageable situations. Depending on the manufacturer, these cars sound alarms and disengage the autonomous features if the driver keeps their hands off the steering wheel for too long (usually between 10 to 20 seconds).

Market Situation. Tesla is one of the first manufacturers to bring Level 2 autonomous driving to the market. Starting in 2017, Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot was slowly integrated into all their models. As of 2019, all Tesla models are equipped with Enhanced Autopilot. Other technologies competing with Tesla include Mercedes-Benz’s Drive Pilot, Cadillac’s Super Cruise, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist.

Level 3: Conditional Automation (2020~)

Key Aspects: Automated Driving System (ADS) with Environmental Detection

The jump from Level 2 to Level 3 is considered a significant breakthrough. So far, up to Level 2, the human driver takes primary control while the system provides secondary assistance. Starting at Level 3, the system acts as the primary driver while the human is only expected to override when it asks for assistance.

Level 3 autonomous vehicles are equipped with highly sophisticated sensors that are aware of complex traffic situations and environmental hazards, and the system is also able to respond to most situations. The vehicles use GPS mapping to self-navigate the road, and analyze the speed and distance of vehicles in neighboring lanes to safely make lane changes. Nevertheless, human override is still required in highly complex situations, such as congested traffic during rush hour.

Market Situation. In late 2018, Audi introduced the world’s first Level 3 autonomous car – the 2019 Audi A8, featuring Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. Unfortunately, due to the current lack of cybersecurity standards for autonomous vehicles, US regulators demanded Audi to remove the Level 3 software components, downgrading it to a Level 2 vehicle for the US market. Apart from Audi, Tesla’s Autopilot also claims to have reached Level 3, along with the 2020 Mercedes-Benz S Class, followed by the 2021 BMW iNEXT.

Where We Are Now. The technology needed for Level 3 is indeed ready, but regulations and standards are lagging behind. Due to regulatory issues, we are currently stuck somewhere near Level 2.5.

As expected, when computer systems start to gain primary control of vehicles, cybersecurity concerns must be addressed. This is why AUTOCRYPT has been working closely with other members of the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) in developing a set of international standards on automotive cybersecurity.

The good news is that the industry is very close to solving the problem. After the Road Vehicle Functional Safety Standard (ISO 26262) was established in 2018, the Road Vehicle Cybersecurity Engineering Standard (ISO 21434) is expected to be finalized by the end of 2020.

Japan and South Korea are some of the big markets that have recently approved the sale of Level 3 autonomous vehicles. South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are also finalizing their Level 3 technologies. By 2021, the market could expect a new wave of Level 3 vehicles.

Level 4 – High Automation (2023~)

Key Aspects: Automated Driving System (ADS) with Environmental Detection and Monitoring

Although we are somewhat stuck in terms of leveling-up, once Level 3 is deployed, Level 4 autonomy is not far from reality. Apart from enhanced sensors and environmental monitoring, these vehicles are supported by countless 5G connections that allow them to communicate in real-time with other vehicles on the road, with traffic lights, pedestrians, and so on – exactly why the V2X network is key to a highly automated road system. AUTOCRYPT, with its encryption and authentication technologies, provides a comprehensive solution to secure these connections, ensuring that drivers and vehicles are safe from hacking and data leaks.

Being highly autonomous means the vehicles are programmed to make logical decisions. Thus, Level 4 autonomous vehicles cannot perform acts considered to be dangerous driving, such as speeding or running traffic lights. If a driver wants to do these things , they would need to disengage the system in order to do so. Level 4 vehicles also require manual override under extreme weather and terrain, such as when there is low or no visibility, or when a driver wants to go offroad. However, these situations should be very rare.

Market Situation. Level 4 autonomous vehicles are expected to go on the road between the early and mid-2020s. However, rollout is more likely to begin with taxis and ride-sharing services, as it is likely to take a few more years for the mass consumer market to adapt to the change.

Level 5 – Full Automation (2025~)

Key Aspects: Automated Driving System (ADS) with No Human Driver

These are the very vehicles seen in Sci-Fi movies that many associate with autonomous vehicles: no steering wheels, operating fully on their own, and no driver – just passengers.

Market Situation. Level 5 autonomous vehicles are expected to be ready by the mid-2020s. Since there is no override option, a Level 5 vehicle cannot be a stand-alone product in itself. Similar to how a smartphone cannot be used without a cellular network, a constant 5G internet connection along with an intelligent transportation system is mandatory for Level 5 vehicles to function properly and safely. Therefore, these vehicles are expected to start out in restricted areas with smart infrastructures in place. For example, they are very likely to be deployed in certain areas for public transportation and ride-sharing, replacing taxis and buses.

Level 5 vehicles are unlikely to replace our personal cars because most people will still want the freedom to drive manually from time to time. Therefore, a Level 4 vehicle would be much more appealing to the mass market. At the end of the day, public roads will most likely host a mix of Level 4 and Level 5 vehicles.

AUTOCRYPT’s Role in Autonomous Driving

In the traditional IT industry, while it is necessary to implement security measures for network safety, it is not a prerequisite, meaning security software is not pre-embedded into the products. However, in the automotive industry, cybersecurity is absolutely a prerequisite because the negative consequences of a cyberattack could directly lead to the loss of lives.

This is why as we move into the era of Level 3 autonomy, we can expect an increased number of laws and regulations on automotive cybersecurity, ensuring that manufacturers have cybersecurity measures built into the vehicles.

AUTOCRYPT is currently working with a number of manufacturers and leaders in the automotive industry to not only provide a comprehensive automotive security solution, but also draft and implement global regulations and policies that will ensure that security is in place to keep all parties safe on the road.

To learn more about AUTOCRYPT’s security solutions, click here.

The global automotive industry is facing three irresistible trends: electrification, automation, and connectivity. All these trends move towards the ultimate goal – full autonomous driving. Believe it or not, we have long begun and are now in the midst of a revolutionary transition from manual driving to autonomous driving.

Car enthusiasts either like it or hate it. Some tech lovers can’t wait to ride in a computer on wheels, while others constantly complain about the fake exhaust pipes, fake diffusers, and fake engine sounds.

For the majority of people who see cars as nothing more than a means of transportation, automation is generally preferred. These consumers are the driving force for this change.

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)

Indeed, full autonomous driving does not happen overnight, and the transformation is likely going to take another decade or more. During this transition period, automated functionalities are slowly being trialed and adopted by automotive manufacturers. These functions, generally referred to as advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, make our driving experience safe and comfortable.

Some of the earliest ADAS functions include blindspot detectors and reversing cameras, which have now become the standard for nearly all new vehicles.

In this article, we will introduce some of the newest ADAS functions that are beginning to prevail in the market. Before doing so, we will give a brief explanation of how ADAS functions work.

5 components of ADAS: camera, sensor, software, processor, actuator

ADAS functions are very intuitive to use, but what’s behind the scene is extremely sophisticated. Let’s go through the five components of ADAS to see how it works.

Camera.It all starts with cameras. Most new cars have at least two cameras, one at the front and another at the back. Premium cars now have six to eight surrounding cameras capable of depicting a 360-degree view of the surrounding environment. These cameras are crucial in providing spatial information to the car.

Sensor. Cameras are not complete without sensors. Sensors are used for a wide range of purposes, including identifying both stationary and moving objects, movement speed, light, and temperature. These sensors complement the cameras by providing sensory information to the car.

Software.If the engine is the heart of the car, software is the blood. Hardware cannot operate without support from the software. Software technologies such as cloud, mobility, deep learning, and artificial intelligence are the foundation of ADAS. This is why AUTOCRYPT is important. By providing security software to vehicles, it prevents automated systems such as the ADAS from being hacked and manipulated, making it a crucial prerequisite for autonomous vehicles.

Processor. Cameras and sensors provide visual and sensory information, after which the processors use that information for calculation and tell the car how to respond to real-time environmental situations with the appropriate behaviors and adequate safety measures.

Actuator.After the processors have finished the calculations and decided on what actions to perform, the actuator communicates this information to the mechanical components so that they can execute the tasks, from power steering to acceleration and braking.

5 impressive ADAS functions of today’s cars

1. Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Avoidance

Adaptive cruise control, sometimes called autonomous cruise control, refers to cruise control systems that use cameras, radars, and sensors to assist the driver in keeping a safe distance with the car in front, and to automatically engage the brake when necessary to avoid forward collisions.

Vehicles with adaptive cruise control are categorized as level 1 on the vehicle autonomy scale defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)¹.

As of 2020, almost all premium cars, as well as the higher trims of midsize sedans and SUVs, come with adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance capabilities.

¹ The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed a scale that defines 6 levels of vehicle autonomy, ranging from level 0 (fully manual) to level 5 (fully automated). It has been officially adopted by the US Department of Transportation. To learn more about the scale, click here.

2. Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and Automatic Lane Centering

A car with any of these features has at least one front-facing camera, often located at the upper center of the windshield, right behind the rear-view mirror. The camera is equipped with sophisticated software designed to read, identify, and track the lanes on the road.

These three features sound very similar and are often misused interchangeably, but their meanings are quite different.

A lane departure warning system sounds the alarm to warn the driver when the car is about to depart from the lane, but the driver needs to manually turn the steering wheel to get the vehicle back in lane.

A lane keep assist system does more than just sounding the alarm. It automatically engages the steering wheel when the vehicle is about to depart the lane to keep the vehicle within the lane.

A lane centering system is the most advanced of these three. It constantly powers the steering wheel and adjusts it automatically to keep the vehicle exactly at the center of the lane.

All three systems would automatically disengage when the driver turns on the indicators, so that no warning would be raised when the driver intentionally changes lanes.

Some car sellers play with words to make a lane keep assist system sound like a lane centering system. This is why consumers should be well-informed about their differences and always double-check to make sure they are actually getting the feature they want.

3. Self-Parking

Self-parking requires the same hardware as other ADAS systems: cameras, radars, and sensors. A self-parking system uses multiple cameras around the vehicle to depict a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s surrounding environment, then calculates the most efficient route and maneuvers to get into the space. Due to calculation time, self-parking tends to be slower than manual parking in most vertical parking situations. However, the feature is extremely useful for horizontal parallel parking, where even the most experienced drivers have a hard time fitting their cars into tight spaces.

Most self-parking features in the market are not fully autonomous. For example, Volvo XC60 only takes charge of the steering wheel during self-parking and instructs the driver on when to shift gears and when to release and press the brake pedal (no need to press accelerator as idle speed is enough for parking).

4. Driver Drowsiness Detection

About 20% of all traffic accidents are caused by sleep-deprived driving. In the United States alone, between 100,000 and 328,000 crashes are caused by drowsiness, leading to an estimated 5,000 deaths (National Safety Council).

Driver drowsiness detection, commonly equipped on mid-range to premium vehicles today, utilizes a built-in AI camera embedded on the dashboard to observe the driver’s facial expressions and eye movements. Whenever it detects drowsiness that is significant enough to impair driving, it would inform the driver by showing warning symbols or sounding voice notifications.

In the extreme case of the driver actually nodding off, some premium cars would try to wake the driver up by hitting the brakes suddenly (when it’s safe) to shake the vehicle. If the driver completely falls asleep, they would automatically take control of the vehicle and slowly pull over to the road shoulder.

5. Glare-Free High Beams

Drivers refrain from using high beams at night because they could temporarily impair the vision of other drivers, potentially causing accidents. Some countries even ban the use of high beams in cities and highways. However, with cameras and sensors, this is no longer an issue. Initially developed by Ford in 2016, glare-free high beams are now equipped in vehicles of other automakers as well, including the 2020 Renault Talisman (also known as Renault Samsung SM6).

How does it work? The front camera of the car is equipped with a light detection sensor that can pick up headlights and taillights of other vehicles up to 800 meters away. If another car is detected in front, it would track the front car’s position and block a small portion of the headlights that is directed at it. This way, all the angles to the left and right of the front car would still be lit up, yet the front car itself would not be hit with any of your high beams.

To learn more about ADAS and the underlying software security components in them, click here to contact AUTOCRYPT.