Vehicle Sensor Authentication Using Cross-Sensor Measurement Data

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle sensor communication systems are vulnerable to manipulation, particularly in the automotive sector, where tuners can alter sensor behavior for performance enhancement, and existing security methods like rolling codes and cryptographic message authentication codes are inadequate due to reliance on stored values that can be exploited by attackers.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize additional measurement data from multiple vehicle sensors, combined with cryptographic algorithms and unpredictable parameters, to generate and verify authentication information, enhancing the security of unidirectional communication between vehicle sensors and control units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standard SENT communication is used for unidirectional data transmission from vehicle sensor to control unit, then communication simplicity is maintained, but communication security is insufficient and vulnerable to replay attacks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidcommunication protocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-sharing secret keys and deterministic algorithms between the vehicle sensor and control unit before communication occurs. These authentication components are configured in advance, allowing the system to generate and verify authentication codes without real-time complex computations, thus enhancing security while maintaining communication simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication code (MAC) that mediates between the measurement data and the control unit. This authentication code acts as a intermediary element that verifies the authenticity of transmitted data without requiring complex bidirectional communication protocols, thereby improving security while keeping the communication protocol relatively simple

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If cryptographic message authentication codes are used to protect sensor data, then data integrity is improved, but computational overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by using deterministic algorithms that are already present in both the vehicle sensor and control unit. The authentication code is generated automatically using pre-configured secret keys and deterministic computations based on measurement data, eliminating the need for complex real-time cryptographic operations or external authentication services, thus maintaining data integrity while minimizing processing time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of authentication from complex cryptographic operations to deterministic algorithm computations with pre-shared keys. By transforming the authentication mechanism into one that uses simple deterministic functions with pre-configured parameters, the system achieves data integrity protection without significant computational overhead or processing time delays

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3941018B1Method and devices for providing and receiving measurement data and method and device for communication between a vehicle sensor of a vehicle and a controller of the vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3941018B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3941018B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for providing measurement data (112) from a vehicle sensor (110) of a vehicle (100) to a control unit (120) of the vehicle (100). The method comprises a step of determining sender-side authentication information (135) for authenticating the measurement data (112) of the vehicle sensor (110) to be transmitted to the control unit (120). The sender-side authentication information (135) is determined using a determination rule (133) and further measurement data (115) from at least one further vehicle sensor (114, 116) of the vehicle (100) that is accessible to both the vehicle sensor (110) and the control unit (120). The method also comprises a step of generating a message (137) for output to the control unit (120) using the measurement data (112) and the sender-side authentication information (135).