Method for automatically authenticating civil emergency vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for authenticating a vehicle, in particular an emergency vehicle, as well as to a control device for a vehicle and to a vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for authenticating a vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a control unit for a vehicle and to a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] US 2022 / 309918 A1 discloses a method for identifying a vehicle, in particular an emergency vehicle or a rescue vehicle, wherein a controller of the vehicle receives an identifier of another vehicle from the other vehicle via a wireless connection.

[0003] The ETSI EN 302 637-2 V1.4.1 standard discloses a method in which an emergency vehicle in a mission sends a cooperative awareness message (CAM) signed with a valid digital certificate via V2X. The digital certificate format for signing the CAM is specified in ETSI TS103 097 V1.3.1.

[0004] In contrast, for data transmission on the World Wide Web (WWW), digital Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates are used, which can be displayed in any Internet browser, as taught in the article “How to View SSL Certificate Details in Each Browser” written by Julie Olenski and published on globalsign.com on June 2, 2017.

[0005] The police regularly conduct traffic checks to ensure road traffic safety. During traffic checks, the police usually check data related to vehicles and vehicle drivers.

[0006] The vehicle-related data may be, for example, based on the vehicle identification number (VIN) and / or The driver-related data can be obtained by means of a so-called owner query based on the vehicle's official license plate and / or based on the driver's identification document (such as an identity card or a driver's license).

[0007] During a traffic check, the police usually stop the vehicle and talk to the vehicle driver to obtain the required data. However, the conversation at the driver's door of the vehicle is not clear and is risky for the police. Because the driver may use force to evade the inspection, for example.

[0008] In order to reduce the risks posed to police by traffic checks, US2018 / 0047122 A1 and US 2022 / 0014907A1 respectively disclose methods for inspecting vehicles and vehicle drivers, wherein the vehicle stores data related to the vehicle and the vehicle driver, receives an inspection request from an inspection device via a wireless connection, and transmits the stored data to the inspection device as a response to the inspection request.

[0009] The inspection device can be installed in a police vehicle or can be designed to be mobile and can be operated automatically during traffic checks or manually by the police.

[0010] Police often use civilian emergency vehicles to conduct traffic checks. Compared with emergency vehicles with conspicuous paint, civilian emergency vehicles have the advantage of anonymity, which also leads to higher traffic check efficiency.

[0011] Using civilian vehicles for traffic checks is risky for the driver of the vehicle being checked, as the occupants of the civilian vehicle may pretend to be police officers and actually stop and then assault the vehicle being checked.

[0012] In order to reduce the risk of unauthorized traffic checks, EP 0 950 230 B1 discloses a method for authenticating police officers, wherein the police officer wirelessly transmits the license plate of a stopped vehicle to a fixed database server by means of a first mobile terminal device, the fixed database server provides a wireless connection to a second mobile terminal device (the second mobile terminal device is assigned to the transmitted license plate and is arranged in the stopped vehicle), and transmits the police officer's authentication credentials to the second mobile terminal device via the provided wireless connection.

[0013] However, the latter method requires a complex fixed infrastructure and is difficult to operate, in particular for the driver of the stopped vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0014] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for authenticating a vehicle, which method makes traffic inspection easier and improves the safety of traffic inspection. Another object of the present invention is to provide a controller for a vehicle and a vehicle.

[0015] A subject of the invention is a method for authenticating a vehicle. The vehicle is, for example, a civilian emergency vehicle that performs a traffic check and simultaneously checks private vehicles. The civilian emergency vehicle authenticates the private vehicle being checked.

[0016] According to the present invention, a first controller of a first vehicle transmits a digital certificate to a second controller of a second vehicle by means of a V2X (Vehicle to Everything) message, the second controller receives the transmitted digital certificate, and a display device of the second vehicle displays the received digital certificate as an authentication of the first vehicle. In this way, the driver of the second vehicle can easily identify whether the first vehicle is authentic by looking at the display device. Especially when the first vehicle appears to be a civilian emergency vehicle and the second vehicle stops during a traffic check, the authenticity of the first vehicle is very important for the driver of the second vehicle. The digital certificate improves the safety of the driver of the second vehicle during traffic checks.

[0017] Preferably, the second controller transmits the authentication request to the first controller by means of a V2X message, and the first controller transmits the digital certificate as a response to the authentication request. The second controller causes the first controller to transmit the digital certificate by means of the authentication request. For example, when the first vehicle is traveling in front of the second vehicle and requires the second vehicle to follow by means of a display that can be visually and / or audibly perceived by the driver of the second vehicle, the driver of the second vehicle can manually initiate the transmission of the authentication request.

[0018] Advantageously, the second controller recognizes the first vehicle as an official emergency vehicle by means of a sensor or by receiving a V2X message, after which the second controller transmits an authentication request. If the second vehicle recognizes the first vehicle as a civilian emergency vehicle, the second vehicle automatically initiates the transmission of an authentication request, thereby further simplifying the authentication of the first vehicle. The sensor recognition may comprise visually acquiring an image of the first vehicle by means of a camera of the second vehicle. For example, the second vehicle may recognize in the acquired image the message “please follow” displayed in a visually perceptible manner by the first vehicle.

[0019] The second controller can receive a Basic Safety Message (BSM) from the first controller, identify the V2X capability of the first vehicle and transmit an authentication request after identification. On the one hand, the reception of the BSM confirms the V2X capability of the first vehicle. On the other hand, the second controller can determine the relative position of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle based on the BSM and confirm the rationality of the determined relative position, thereby further improving the safety of traffic inspection.

[0020] Ideally, if the transmitted authentication request is correctly signed and the signature indicates the authority that authorized the first vehicle, the second controller displays the received digital certificate. The first controller signs the received authentication request with this digital certificate. The second controller checks the correctness of the received digital certificate. In addition, the second controller checks whether the signature was issued and / or verified by a trusted authority, that is, the authority that authorized the vehicle. In this way, the security of the traffic check is further increased.

[0021] The digital certificate can be transmitted during the travel of the second vehicle. Thus, the authenticity of the first vehicle is already determined before the second vehicle follows and / or stops, which also leads to further improved traffic inspection security. For example, if the first vehicle is not actually a civilian emergency vehicle, the second vehicle does not need to follow the first vehicle to an unknown location.

[0022] In one embodiment, the digital certificate is transmitted via a V2X connection or a 5G-V2X connection. The V2X connection between the first vehicle and the second vehicle is provided directly by the corresponding communication unit and does not require a fixed infrastructure. If the first vehicle and / or the second vehicle cannot provide a direct V2X connection, but can provide a mobile communication connection, the V2X message is transmitted by means of a 5G mobile communication network instead.

[0023] The digital certificate is preferably transmitted via a secure connection. The secure connection is encrypted. Other vehicles not involved are excluded from the authentication of identifying the first vehicle. In this way, the anonymity of the first vehicle, for example a civilian emergency vehicle, is ensured.

[0024] The display device informs the driver of the second vehicle whether the first vehicle has V2X capability and, if so, whether the first vehicle is authentic, for example, whether it is a civilian emergency vehicle.

[0025] Another subject of the present invention is a controller for a vehicle. The controller can be functionally connected to a bus system of the vehicle. The controller can be designed as a module, in particular a software module, and integrated into another controller of the vehicle.

[0026] According to the invention, the controller is designed to participate in the method according to an embodiment of the invention as a first controller or as a second controller. The controller enables a simple and reliable authentication of the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

[0027] Another subject of the present invention is a vehicle. The vehicle can be designed as a civilian emergency vehicle or a private vehicle.

[0028] According to the present invention, the vehicle includes a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. If both the emergency vehicle and the private vehicle include a corresponding controller, the first vehicle can be automatically authenticated to the second vehicle as a civilian emergency vehicle. In this way, the two vehicles make traffic inspection simpler and improve the safety of traffic inspection.

[0029] A significant advantage of the method according to the invention is that it makes traffic inspection easier and increases the safety of traffic inspection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention is schematically shown in the drawings according to embodiments and is further described with reference to the drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 Two vehicles are shown in a functional diagram, each according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Figure 1 Two vehicles 1, 2, each according to an embodiment of the present invention, are shown in a functional diagram. Vehicle 1 includes a control unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Vehicle 2 includes a control unit 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a display device 21. The second vehicle may also include a sensor 22. The control units 10, 20 are designed to participate as a first control unit 10 or as a second control unit 20 in the method for authenticating a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention described below.

[0033] The second controller 20 may receive a Basic Safety Message (BSM) 7 from the first controller 10 and identify the V2X capability of the first vehicle 1 based on the received BSM 7. Alternatively or additionally, the second controller 20 may identify the first vehicle 1 as an official emergency vehicle by means of a sensor 22 (e.g., a camera) or by receiving a V2X message. After identification, the second controller 20 may transmit an authentication request 6 to the first controller 10 of the first vehicle 1.

[0034] In particular, the second controller 20 may transmit the authentication request 6 to the first controller 10 by means of a V2X message.

[0035] The first control unit 10 of the first vehicle 1 transmits the digital certificate 3 by means of a V2X message to the second control unit 20 of the second vehicle 2. In particular, the first control unit 10 can transmit the digital certificate 3 as a response to the authentication request 6.

[0036] The digital certificate 3 can be transmitted during the travel of the second vehicle 2, for example, via a V2X connection 5 or a 5G-V2X connection 4. The 5G-V2X connection 4 is provided by a base station 40. Preferably, the digital certificate 3 is transmitted via a secure connection 4, 5.

[0037] The second controller 20 receives the transmitted digital certificate 3, and the display device 21 of the second vehicle 2 displays the received digital certificate 3 as an authentication of the first vehicle 1. Advantageously, if the transmitted authentication request 6 is correctly signed and the signature 8 indicates the authority 80 that authorized the first vehicle 1, the second controller 20 displays the received digital certificate 3.

[0038] Reference numerals list

[0039] 1 First vehicle

[0040] 10 First Controller

[0041] 2 Second vehicle

[0042] 20 Second Controller

[0043] 21 Display device

[0044] 22 Sensors

[0045] 3 Digital Certificates

[0046] 4 5G-V2X Connectivity

[0047] 40 Base Stations

[0048] 5 V2X connectivity

[0049] 6 Authentication Request

[0050] 7 BSM

[0051] 8 Signature

[0052] 80 Authorized competent authorities

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a vehicle (1), wherein: - a first controller (10) of the first vehicle (1) transmits the digital certificate (3) to a second controller (20) of the second vehicle (2) by means of a V2X message; - The second controller (20) receives the transmitted digital certificate (3), and the display device (21) of the second vehicle (2) displays the received digital certificate (3) as an authentication of the first vehicle (1).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The second controller (20) transmits an authentication request (6) to the first controller (10) by means of a V2X message, and the first controller (10) transmits a digital certificate (3) as a response to the authentication request (6).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The second controller (20) identifies the first vehicle (1) as an official emergency vehicle by means of a sensor (22) or by receiving a V2X message and transmits an authentication request (6) after the identification.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The second controller (20) receives a basic safety message BSM (7) from the first controller (10), identifies the V2X capability of the first vehicle (1) and transmits an authentication request (6) after the identification.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: If the transmitted authentication request (6) is correctly signed and the signature (8) indicates an authority (80) authorizing the first vehicle (1), the second controller (20) displays the received digital certificate (3).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The digital certificate (3) is transmitted during travel of the second vehicle (2).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The digital certificate (3) is transmitted via the V2X connection (5) or the 5G-V2X connection (4).

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The digital certificate (3) is transmitted via a secure connection (4, 5).

9. A control unit (10, 20) for a vehicle (1, 2), the control unit being designed to participate in the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 as a first control unit (10) or as a second control unit (20).

10. A vehicle (1, 2) comprising a controller (10, 20) according to claim 9.

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