Vehicle Control Authorization Using Route Frequency and Location Checks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles are vulnerable to being compromised by nefarious actors who can send false instructions or take control of the control system, leading to unauthorized navigation of vehicles, which can affect the entire fleet.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where the control system determines the vehicle's location by comparing sensor data with map data and determining if the difference exceeds a threshold, and using an authorization system to analyze frequency data of routes to identify suspicious requests, thereby determining if the control system is compromised.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the autonomous vehicle relies on control system instructions for navigation, then the vehicle can operate autonomously along designated routes, but the vehicle becomes vulnerable to spoofed data and unauthorized control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the autonomous vehicle periodically reports its location and status back to the control system. The control system verifies this reported location against the expected location based on previously sent instructions. This closed-loop feedback allows the system to detect when a vehicle has been compromised or is following unauthorized routes, resolving the contradiction by maintaining automation while adding reliability through verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the control system send not only navigation instructions but also expected location data in advance. Before a potential security issue arises, the system establishes a baseline of authorized routes and locations. This preparatory measure enables rapid detection and response to spoofing attempts, allowing the vehicle to operate autonomously while pre-established verification criteria ensure reliability.
2Productivity
If the control system sends instructions to multiple vehicles, then fleet-wide coordination is achieved, but a compromised control system can affect the entire fleet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fleet management system so that each vehicle independently verifies the authorization of control system instructions against its own stored expected location data. Rather than relying on a centralized control system that could be compromised, each vehicle operates as an independent verification unit. This segmentation contains potential security breaches to individual vehicles rather than allowing fleet-wide compromise, while maintaining coordinated operation through shared verification protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification layer between the control system and individual vehicles. Each vehicle acts as an intermediary that independently validates whether received instructions match expected authorized routes. This intermediary verification mechanism prevents unauthorized control system commands from affecting the fleet, while still allowing efficient coordinated operation through the shared validation protocol.
3Measurement precision
If the vehicle uses sensor data for location determination, then location accuracy can be verified, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses sensor data to create a copy or representation of the vehicle's actual location, which is then compared against the expected location data received from the control system. Rather than implementing complex cryptographic verification or multiple redundant systems, the patent creates a simple comparative check between the sensor-determined location copy and the authorized location data. This copying approach provides verification accuracy while minimizing added system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques and methods for securing vehicle systems. For instance, an authorization system may store data representing frequencies at which destination locations are associated pick-up locations for a fleet of autonomous vehicles. The authorization system may then receive a request for an autonomous vehicle to pick up a passenger at a first location and drop off the passenger at a second location. Based on the first location and the second location, the authorization system may determine a frequency for the request. The authorization system may then determine whether a control system for the fleet of autonomous vehicles is compromised based on whether the frequency is less than or equal to a threshold frequency. If the authorization system determines that the control system is compromised, the authorization system may perform a remedial action, such as notifying a teleoperator.