Automotive Security Requirements

Automotive Security Requirements are a set of specific, verifiable technical and process specifications designed to protect a vehicle's Electrical/Electronic (E/E) systems, components, software, and external connectivity from cyber threats. Their foundation lies in regulations like UNECE R155 and the international standard ISO/SAE 21434, "Road vehicles — Cybersecurity engineering." According to ISO/SAE 21434, these requirements must be systematically derived from a Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment (TARA). This process involves defining high-level Cybersecurity Goals, which are then refined into actionable Cybersecurity Requirements. These requirements cover not only product design (e.g., secure boot, encrypted communication) but also the entire vehicle lifecycle, including development, testing, production, and operations. They translate abstract risk management concepts into concrete engineering tasks, forming the cornerstone of vehicle cybersecurity compliance and resilience.

In enterprise risk management, applying Automotive Security Requirements follows a structured process. Step 1 is Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment (TARA), per ISO/SAE 21434 Clause 15, to identify threats, attack paths, and impacts for a specific vehicle item. Step 2 is Defining Cybersecurity Goals and Concept, setting high-level objectives for medium-to-high risks identified in the TARA. Step 3 is Deriving and Allocating Requirements, where goals are broken down into specific, measurable, and testable technical requirements (e.g., "Diagnostic communication must use challenge-response authentication") and assigned to hardware/software teams. For example, an ECU supplier must perform a TARA and translate OEM requirements into firmware-level implementations like secure boot and code signing. This process can reduce compliance costs by up to 30% and ensures 100% market access to regions mandating UNECE R155.

Taiwanese enterprises face three main challenges. First, Supply Chain Collaboration Gaps: As suppliers, they often receive inconsistent or ambiguous requirements from OEMs, leading to misinterpretation. Second, Interdisciplinary Talent Shortage: Experts possessing knowledge across automotive engineering, embedded systems, and cybersecurity are scarce. Third, Insufficient Testing & Verification Capabilities: Establishing compliant security testing labs (e.g., for penetration testing) is cost-prohibitive for many SMEs. To overcome these, enterprises should adopt standardized requirement exchange formats (e.g., ReqIF), partner with external experts like Winners Consulting for training and guidance to build an internal team within 6 months, and leverage Testing-as-a-Service (TaaS) or digital twin technology to reduce initial investment in verification.

Winners Consulting specializes in Automotive Security Requirements for Taiwan enterprises, delivering compliant management systems within 90 days. Free consultation: https://winners.com.tw/contact