Cybersecurity validation platform incorporates LiFi technology

The framework was demonstrated at NIWeek 2018 in Austin.

The demonstration addresses the universal automotive principles of Functional Safety violations resulting from Cyber Security compromises.

The demonstration leverages the existing technology available in today’s market, introduces LiFi as a viable V2X communication option, and addresses the specific automotive Functional Safety risks in a Cyber Security realm.

As vehicles are advancing to include autonomy and connectivity, the number of electronic control units and overall complexity is increasing. Thus, on-vehicle Cyber Security violations are becoming a more challenging threat for engineers.

Today, a new vehicle can include over 100 million lines of code to monitor everything from ADAS, infotainment systems, blind spot detection, collision avoidance, and vehicle management. The increased complexity poses a greater Cyber Security threat that needs to be addressed immediately. The US National Highway Traffic Saety Administration defines Cyber Security within the context of road vehicles as “the protection of automotive electronic systems, communication networks, control algorithms, software, users, and underlying data from malicious attacks, damage, unauthorised access, or manipulation.”

In terms of today’s motorists, manipulation can come in the form of a hacker disabling vehicle communications, disrupting navigation, or interfering with powertrain controls.

The demonstration at NIWeek featured how to validate automotive platforms against Functional Safety and Cyber Security issues during design, prototyping, and R&D, introduce Cyber Security capability assertion into early platform validation process and enhanced detection of Functional Safety issues resulting from Cyber Security threats.

Visitors also saw how LHP leveraged the power of NI CompactRIO for diagnostics and reporting Functional Safety and Cyber Security compliance.

Most interesting is the implementation of LiFi-based augmented Reality UI for fast and accurate visualisation of Functional Safety and Cyber Security violations and LiFi-based V2X wireless communication system transmitting real-time brake, steering, Functional Safety and Cyber Security data.

Li-Fi is a technology for wireless communication between devices using light to transmit data.

The Cyber Security platform leverages NI’s CompactRIO to validate assurance scenarios for Cyber Security within the vehicle, stage and orchestrate Cyber Security threat and vulnerability compromises in the vehicle and measure and detect Functional Safety violations as a side-effect of Cyber Security incidents.

It also leverages NI’s LabVIEW software to design, orchestrate and monitor the vehicle platform

Heads-up and augmented reality visualisation, driven by the CompactRIO, to automotive testing process is powered by AASA incorporated and PTC ThingWorx.

The Braking, Steering, Functional Safety, and Cyber Security information from the CompactRIO is sent to the Visible Light Communication (VLC) driver of the car headlight. The driver modulates the light to transmit data, which is then received by the mobile device. The augmented reality app on the device displays the received information from different light sources simultaneously.

Transmission of data must avoid unwanted sources of light (disturbance) and unauthenticated sources (based on resource access control).

Managing Cyber Security risk within vehicles is an ongoing effort for OEM’s and technology leaders as the embedded controls of the vehicle continue to advance in complexity.  As a member of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), LHP plays an active role in the acceleration of development, adoption, and widespread use of interconnected machines and devices through intelligent analytics. LHP’s goal is to drive and develop the framework necessary for a more connected and safer autonomous future.