UK government sets out tougher guidelines to protect smart cars from hackers

CGTN

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The British government issued new guidelines on Sunday

requiring manufacturers of Internet-connected vehicles to put in place

tougher cyber protections to ensure they are better shielded against

hackers.

The government said it was concerned that

smart vehicles, which allow drivers to do things such as access maps and

travel information, could be targeted by hackers to access personal

data, steal cars that use keyless entry systems, or take control of

technology for malicious reasons.

The new guidelines

will also ensure that engineers seek to design out cyber security

threats as they develop new vehicles, the government said.

(The

British government issued new guidelines requiring manufacturers of

Internet-connected vehicles to put in place tougher cyber protections.

/Reuters Photo)

"Whether we're turning vehicles

into WiFi-connected hotspots or equipping them with millions of lines of

code to become fully automated, it is important that they are protected

against cyber-attacks," Martin Callanan, a minister in the Department

for Transport, said in a statement.

"Our key

principles give advice on what organizations should do, from the board

level down, as well as technical design and development considerations."

The

new guidelines include making the systems able to withstand receiving

corrupt, invalid or malicious data or commands, and allowing users to

delete personally identifiable data held on a vehicle's systems.

(Traffic flows along the M56 motorway as the sun sets near Manchester, northern England. /Reuters Photo)

Manufacturers

must make plans for how to maintain and support security over the

lifetime of the vehicle, the government said, and personal

accountability for product security should be held at board level.

Alongside this, the government said it was also planning new legislation governing insurance for self-driving cars.

The

introduction of self-driving cars has been hampered by legal hurdles in

several countries as insurers and legislators try to establish who

would ultimately be responsible in the event of an accident.

"Measures

to be put before parliament mean that insuring modern vehicles will

provide protection for consumers if technologies fail," it said.