Autonomous Vehicle Mission Authentication With Multi-Member Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles are vulnerable to malicious attacks due to their high connectivity, which can lead to the execution of erroneous missions, compromising safety and security.
Innovation Solution
A method using cryptographic functions shared among a group of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system to authenticate transport missions by signing and verifying information, ensuring that only authentic missions are executed by ensuring the sender's identity and integrity of the mission data through a multi-member verification process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous vehicles are highly connected to infrastructure and off-board systems to enable autonomous operation, then the functionality and autonomy of the vehicles are improved, but the vulnerability to malicious attacks and security compromises increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by implementing cryptographic signing and multi-member verification mechanisms before the autonomous vehicle executes any transport mission. The off-board system signs mission information with a cryptographic function, and multiple members (including the vehicle and other trusted entities) verify the signature before authorization. This pre-emptive security measure counteracts potential malicious attacks by ensuring mission authenticity is established beforehand, preventing hijacking or execution of erroneous missions.
2Reliability
If cryptographic authentication with multiple members is implemented to verify mission authenticity, then the security and reliability of transport missions are improved, but the complexity of the authentication process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary approach by using a standardized cryptographic verification process that mediates between the off-board system and autonomous vehicles. The cryptographic function acts as a trusted intermediary that both parties can rely on, simplifying the interaction. Instead of complex direct verification between multiple entities, the signed information serves as a trusted intermediary artifact that streamlines the authentication flow while maintaining high reliability through multi-member verification.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for enabling authentication of transport missions, performed in a control device of a member of a group comprising a plurality of autonomous vehicles and an off-board system. Each member in the group comprises a cryptographic function known by all other members. The method comprises signing, using the cryptographic function, information defining at least one transport mission to be performed by at least one of the autonomous vehicles in the group; and sending the signed information to a plurality of the other members of the group, in order to request them to authenticate the transport mission. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for authenticating transport missions, to control devices implementing the methods, to computer programs, to computer-readable storage mediums, and to autonomous vehicles.