Cooperation project with DXC Technology and Excelfore for secure software in connected vehicles

Cybersecurity expert asvin will showcase “Usecase FlexCar,” a security concept for connected cars in the automotive industry, at this year’s Startup Autobahn EXPO2022 event. The collaborative project was launched together with global IT services company DXC Technology and Excelfore and will be presented on site. Under the motto “Driving Open Innovation on the Autobahn,” the event launched by Startup Autobahn powered by Plug and Play on July 7 in Stuttgart will offer a discussion platform with presentations, networking opportunities, and an overview of successful pilot projects between program startups and the business units of corporate partners in the field of mobility.

Digitization is advancing in leaps and bounds and encompassing more and more areas of everyday life. Connected vehicles are no longer a dream of the future. However, networked devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) always offer attack surfaces for cybercriminals and hackers. Especially when different software stacks come together and no uniform language is used, it is difficult to comprehensively close security gaps. As a result, the door is wide open for attackers. This is exactly where the cooperation project of the cybersecurity expert asvin, in collaboration with DXC Technology and Excelfore, comes in and focuses on software supply chain tracking and provenance in the automotive industry.

Comprehensive safety concepts for connected vehicles

Connected vehicles require a complete life cycle assessment that ensures cybersecurity on the one hand, but also complies with regulatory requirements. Due to the increasing complexity and dependencies within the software supply chain, especially for OEMs and suppliers, new processes such as DevOps are being introduced to extend software development cycles and manage continuous software delivery through OTA updates. The result is targeted cyberattacks that exploit vulnerabilities in systems or processes. Therefore, a new approach is needed that simplifies the complex operations within the supply chain and creates integrity within the software space used. Developed by asvin, DXC Technology and Excelfore, “Usecase FlexCar” is a decentralized security platform used to secure OTA updates and their documentation for vehicle type approval. The aim is to minimize the security risks associated with digitized vehicles across all stages of the software supply chain. In this way, (meta) information from the suppliers’ different software stacks can be standardized and cybersecurity security systems implemented more easily and effectively.  

The ideal platform: Startup Autobahn powered by Plug and Play

Startup Autobahn powered by Plug and Play is an open platform that forms an interface between innovative technology companies and industry-leading companies in Stuttgart. Members thus have the opportunity to benefit from both the know-how of the members and the network. The common goal is not only to develop new ideas within the framework of the cooperation, but also to drive innovations forward and thus the mobility of the future. The network is supported by the Plug and Play Tech Center, a US software platform from Silicon Valley.

“The collaboration with Startup Autobahn is another important step for us to further protect connected vehicles and to make an important contribution to future mobility concepts,” says Mirko Ross, CEO of asvin. “In addition, we are very proud to have found a solution for more cybersecurity in connected vehicles together with our partners from DXC Technology and Excelfore and to be able to meaningfully contribute our expertise to Startup Autobahn’s comprehensive network.”

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About DXC Technology

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global enterprises run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and providing security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The world’s largest enterprises and public sector organizations rely on DXC to deploy services across the enterprise technology stack to set new benchmarks in performance, competitiveness and customer experience. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com.

About Excelfore

Excelfore, based in Silicon Valley, unlocks vehicle data through innovative platforms for connected cars, electric and autonomous vehicles.  Excelfore’s products include protocol stacks for in-vehicle connectivity and a full implementation of the eSync™ bidirectional pipeline for OTA updates and data collection.  Excelfore is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, USA, and has offices in China, Germany, Japan and India. www.excelfore.com

About asvin

asvin offers solutions to ensure the security and provenance of software throughout its lifecycle. This includes services and analytics that monitor data and software supply chains, support secure roll-out of over-the-air software updates, and generate Software Bill of Materials (SBOM).

Learn more at www.asvin.io, on Twitter and LinkedIn.