The partnership between the University of Windsor-hosted group and the South Korean autonomous vehicle cybersecurity provider reflects industry’s growing priority in this sector

AUTOCRYPT and the University of Windsor’s SHIELD Automotive Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence yesterday announced a partnership aimed at “securing connected and autonomous vehicles.” The new international partnership is indicative of the growing recognition of the need to increase work on autonomous vehicle security in Canada.

Based in Seoul, AUTOCRYPT is expanding into North America, opening a Toronto office earlier this year and, now, putting down roots in Canada’s academic community. The company is responsible for securing “over 5,000 kilometres of smart highways and roadways throughout the [Korean] peninsula” and providing security solutions for clients around the world.

The SHIELD program is focused on R&D in the automotive cybersecurity space along with “education and training for students and corporations” regarding security concerns and solutions.

The goals of SHIELD and AUTOCRYPT align together exceptionally well,” said AUTOCRYPT’s director of business development, Sean HJ Cho, in a press release about the announcement. “This partnership will allow us to work more closely with the connected and autonomous vehicle security landscape in Canada.”

A changing landscape

Despite autonomous vehicles being a small slice of Canada’s driving market, many signs point to a rapidly growing industry.

From Canadian Tire’s middle-mile autonomous semi trucks to Loblaw’s autonomous delivery fleet to the City of Toronto’s autonomous commuter shuttle pilot, many businesses are taking exploratory steps into the arena.

The AUTOCRYPT and SHIELD partnership will prioritize protecting the technology on autonomous, connected and electrified vehicles from external threats by advancing Canadian understanding, awareness and research.

“Our existing technology and real-world use cases will allow us to contribute to the shift that needs to take place in the minds of both corporations and consumers,” said Cho. “[S]ecurity should not be taken for granted, and vehicles and mobility infrastructure need to be secured before drivers hit the road.”