Methodology
Understand how the Automotive Security Trend Radar is created and how to understand its insights.
The vehicle security trend radar aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most relevant trends to vehicle security, while being based on clear scientific methods and expert evaluations. Trends are identified through a structured process combining literature review, expert interviews, and analysis of industry reports. Each trend is assessed based on relevance, impact, and maturity. The process ensures objectivity by involving multiple experts and iterative validation steps, resulting in a robust and transparent trend selection for the radar. A detailed description of the applied method can be found in our official initial paper. The paper is also available for download here.
Although we stick to our original method for future releases of the trend radar, we believe in the power of the community and therefore are opening the trend radar up to contributions by the automotive security community. Contributions can be made by either submitting trends for evaluation via trendsuggestion@automotivesecuritytrends.com or as part of the expert committee. If interested, write an email to committee@automotivesecuritytrends.com.
Trends are classified into four different time horizons, guiding the industry on how to deal with the trend at the current point in time:
- Long / Watch - Trends likely to be relevant in the long run.
- Medium / Prepare - Trend that should be picked up and prepared for. Build competencies and prepare strategic decisions.
- Short / Act - Act on the trend in series projects.
- Today / Widely Adopted - Widely adopted trends. Listed on own subpage but not part of the radar.
The trends are divided into four categories representing different technology domains:
- Cryptography - Trends related to developments in the cryptography domain, such as secure computing technologies, automotive-specific concepts, and quantum-safe algorithms.
- Advanced Computing - Trends associated with future computing technologies, ranging from various forms and stages of artificial intelligence, to related technologies such as federated learning, to possible future concepts, such as vehicle computing.
- Communication - Trends associated with communicating within vehicles, with other vehicles, infrastructure, and other devices.
- System Design - Trends affecting the general system such as new functionalities, shifts in the E/E architectures, and security concepts.
Trends are categorized by their potential impact on automotive security:
- High Impact - Trend is likely to have a critical/high impact on vehicle security.
- Medium Impact - Trend is likely to have a moderate impact on vehicle security.
- Low Impact - Trend is likely to have a limited impact on vehicle security.
Trends are classified based on whether they represent a security enhancement, a security challenge, or both:
- PositiveTrends that potentially help to enhance vehicle security.
- NegativeTrends that either increase the attack surface or pose a threat themselves.