The importance of cybersecurity in intelligent transport innovation: Michael L. Sena (INTERVIEW)

ITU spoke to Michael L. Sena, Editor of The Dispatcher, at last week’s ITU-UNECE Symposium on the Future Networked Car where he shared some valuable insights on cybersecurity in vehicles.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, legislation and policy remain important topics of discussion for the future of connected cars, but cybersecurity and secure communications are vital to keeping drivers, passengers and other road users safe.

“If we’re not secure in our communications from the vehicles, if we don’t allow the information that’s necessary to be used for the further automation of our driving, we’re not going to use it. We’re not going to feel safe; we’re not going to feel secure – the fact is, we won’t be,” Michael L. Sena, Editor of The Dispatcher, told ITU. 

Cybersecurity is becoming more important for today’s connected cars, many of which rely on over-the-air software updates.

“ITU was almost alone in developing the standards,” he said. “WP.29 [The UNECE World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations] and SG17 [ITU-T Study Group 17 (Security)], these groups are doing an enormous amount of work and now the standards are published – it’s fantastic.”

When it comes to the future of driving, Sena stressed the importance of providing mobility for all, not just those living in cities and easy-to-reach places. But he pointed out that for car companies, self-driving vehicles are no longer the top priority. 

“It is not the highest priority anymore because it’s gotten too hard, they’ve realized that it’s not going to happen tomorrow. And we’re not going sell cars because of it… because it doesn’t work yet.”

Watch the full interview below.

The 2020 ITU-UNECE Symposium on the Future Networked Car was kindly supported by Gold sponsor DEKRA, Silver sponsor Qualcomm and Bronze sponsor RoadDB.