Autonomous Vehicle Self-Authentication for Secure Area Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional systems for autonomous vehicles lack the ability for vehicles to authenticate themselves to users or traffic objects, relying solely on user authentication, which is unreliable and vulnerable to false identification.

Innovation Solution

Equipping autonomous vehicles with a communication interface, memory for authentication information, and a control unit that generates and outputs authentication information using unique vehicle identifiers and cryptographic methods, allowing for self-authentication and authorization within specific geographical regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user authentication is used to verify vehicle identity, then the system is easy to operate, but the authentication reliability is insufficient and vulnerable to false identification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle performs self-authentication by automatically generating and transmitting its own authentication information through the control unit and communication interface, eliminating the need for manual user verification and enabling the vehicle to prove its identity autonomously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Authentication information serves as an intermediary element that mediates between the vehicle and external systems, enabling reliable identity verification without requiring direct user intervention or trust in visual identification alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the vehicle outputs authentication information automatically, then the authentication reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle authentication reliabilityVSAvoidvehicle system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit and communication interface, which are already essential for autonomous vehicle operation, are extended to also handle authentication information generation and transmission, allowing these components to serve multiple functions without adding dedicated authentication hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication system is merged with the existing vehicle control and communication architecture, combining identity verification functions with the vehicle's operational control systems to minimize overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Speed

If authentication information is transmitted via communication interface, then the authentication speed is improved, but the security risk increases due to potential interception

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication speedVSAvoidsecurity vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication information undergoes cryptographic transformation through generation and transmission processes that alter its form and properties, making it resistant to interception and ensuring secure communication without reducing authentication speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11277741B2Authentication system for an at least partly autonomous vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

AI summary

An at least partly autonomous vehicle includes a communication interface configured for vehicle-external communication, a memory configured to store at least one piece of authentication information, and a control unit configured to control the communication interface and to output the authentication information from the memory via the communication interface when the control unit receives an instruction for outputting the authentication information.