Vehicle ECU Replacement Authentication Using Blockchain Records
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to ensure the safe management of replacement parts in vehicles, particularly in ensuring that non-genuine parts do not compromise the safety of the vehicle during use, as existing systems lack a reliable method to verify the authenticity of replaced components in automotive onboard networks.
Innovation Solution
A management system that includes vehicles and authentication servers, equipped with communication circuits, detection circuits to identify replaced ECUs, and transaction data generation and verification mechanisms, utilizing blockchain technology to record and verify the authenticity of replaced parts, ensuring that only genuine parts are used.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If replacement parts are allowed without verification, then ease of repair is improved, but vehicle safety and reliability deteriorate due to potential use of non-genuine parts
Solution Approach 1:
An authentication server acts as an intermediary between the vehicle's detection circuit and the replacement part verification process. The detection circuit detects replaced ECUs and generates transaction data, which is then verified by the authentication server before recording in the blockchain. This intermediary mechanism enables automated verification without complicating the physical repair process, maintaining ease of repair while ensuring vehicle safety through cryptographic validation of part authenticity.
2Reliability
If authentication verification system is implemented, then reliability and safety are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional communication circuits and blockchain infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication server performs multiple functions: verifying transaction data from vehicles, managing blockchain operations, storing authentication records, and providing verification results. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional server, the system achieves comprehensive authentication capability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity. The server handles verification, storage, and management tasks that would otherwise require separate dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses cryptographic copies (hash values and digital signatures) of ECU identification data instead of physically verifying parts through complex mechanical or electrical means. The detection circuit generates transaction data containing cryptographic representations of ECU identifiers, which are then verified by comparing against blockchain-stored copies. This copying approach simplifies verification compared to physical part authentication while maintaining high reliability through cryptographic security.
3Loss of information
If blockchain technology is used to record transaction data, then data integrity and traceability are improved, but loss of time increases due to verification and recording processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing ECU identification data and authentication information in the blockchain before actual replacement occurs. When an ECU is replaced, the verification process simply compares the new transaction data against these pre-stored records rather than performing complex real-time analysis. This preliminary preparation of authentication data in the blockchain enables rapid verification while maintaining data integrity, reducing the time penalty of blockchain operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an information processing method of one authentication server in a management system including one or more vehicles and one or more authentication servers. The method includes receiving, from one vehicle of the one or more vehicles, first transaction data which includes a first identifier that uniquely identifies each of one or more electronic control units that have been replaced out of a plurality of electronic control units connected to a network in the one vehicle, and indicates that the one or more electronic control units have been replaced among the plurality of electronic control units. The method further includes verifying validity of the first transaction data, and transmitting a duplicate of the first transaction data to one or more of other authentication servers when the validity of the first transaction data is verified in the verifying.