Fleet Maintenance - 16

constantly probing the system for weaknesses,
looking for ways to attack."
DG Technologies specializes in the design and
development of intelligent software and hardware
interfaces for the in-vehicle and controller area
network markets.
Hackers could take control of vehicle data or the
vehicle itself in a ransom situation, making data
inaccessible until demands are met.
Adding to that, if a hacker is able to access a
vehicle's systems through one of these avenues,
the consequences could be many. They could
take control of vehicle systems in a ransom situation, making the vehicle inoperable or, worse yet,
uncontrollable, until demands are met. If steering
or braking systems are accessed, it could lead to
catastrophic consequences for the driver and
others on the road.
Protecting connected vehicles
Fortunately, OEMs and service providers are
already taking steps to secure vehicles against
these types of attacks.
"Most vehicle manufacturers and component
suppliers are already upping their game by following industry best cybersecurity practices in their
new designs," Zachos says. "The adoption of standard security practices - such as SAE J3061 for
engineering processes - and incorporating secure
software upgrade procedures to patch newly
discovered vulnerabilities have already made
new equipment more secure."
Detroit Connect's Krajewski confirms that
DTNA employs multiple layers of security
measures to keep customer vehicle data secure. He
says the company is also constantly exploring data
security measures and frequently participates in
breach testing within its own fleet to ensure there
are no vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited.
There are also steps fleets should take to ensure
the security of their connected vehicles and associated data. Krajewski says one thing users can do
to protect themselves is to regularly review who
has access to their data and vehicles.
"As the fleet or vehicle owner, you should
partner with proven, reputable companies and
organizations you trust to properly manage the
devices on your trucks," Covington adds. "Ask
about their security processes and ensure they
align with your own company's [processes]. Device
and component manufacturers must ensure they
protect and limit access to the vehicle by applying technologies such as virtual private network
[VPN] tunneling, encrypted protocols, or additional methods that will mitigate the risks associated
with an open, easily accessible network."
Covington also notes that it's a good idea to
have an understanding of what components are
supposed to be on the vehicle and to train technicians to be vigilant if something seems odd.
"Use an in-shop diagnostic and repair solution
like JPRO Professional that automatically identifies all components on the vehicle and look for
components that do not belong on the truck," he
says. "Additionally, keep your software versioning
on ECUs up to date so you have any recent patches
released by the manufacturer."
Businesses today make great efforts to protect
their systems from cyberattacks. Fleets should
give as much thought and attention to how they

16 Fleet Maintenance | October 2019

» Noregon's TripVision Uptime product
can tell a fleet manager in real-time,
either in the portal or via email and text
notifications, when vehicles need attention
to reduce unexpected breakdowns.
Photo courtesy of Noregon

protect their vehicle and shop systems to minimize the risk of unauthorized access that could
lead to detrimental damage.
Phillips Industries' Mead offers three steps
fleets can take to protect their vehicles and
systems against hacking:
* Update your operating system (OS) and other
software frequently, if not automatically.
* Ensure you have up-to-date security programs.
* Password protect all of your devices.
Verizon Connect's Aries adds that fleets should
also learn to embrace encryption and multi-factor
authentication, and - as anyone should in today's
world - be leery of suspicious emails.
Through the firewall
One concern fleets and repair shops may have is
that having security measures in place on vehicles
will limit or restrict technician access to vehicle
systems for diagnosis and repair. While it does
restrict who can access vehicle systems, it's not
unreasonable. It won't prevent those who need
access from gaining it, and the industry seems to
be understanding of this necessity.
"You're going to have to go through the right
channels," Bendix's Molin says. "You will have to
certify that the tool you're trying to connect with
is a valid, certified tool. But I think anyone in the
industry wouldn't have an issue with that. We talk

a lot with technicians, with shops ... I think that
the industry understands that doing this properly
and making sure that it's not the 'Wild West' out
there is in everyone's interest."
Covington confirms it should not be a burden
for a technician to diagnose and repair a connected vehicle, but fleets should take steps to ensure
only the people who need access to the various
components on a vehicle are allowed access.
"This could require a call into a dealership
or OE to be granted permission, some form of
two-factor authentication to prove the technician
making modifications is authorized to do so, or
other security measures that are effective but
don't require much of the technician's time to
do so," he says.

Planning for the future

Connected vehicles offer a lot of potential
moving forward. While today's vehicles can
connect to GPS and the cloud, development
is underway for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and
vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication,
paving the way for vehicle-to-everything (V2X)
communication. These capabilities could help
bring about efficiencies such as platooning and
automated vehicles.
"As V2V and V2X communication develops,
additional vehicle and object awareness can
enhance and provide additional safety for drivers," Merchants Fleet's Keegan says.
Companies such as Bendix are already testing
V2V technologies in platooning pilots. Platooning
allows trucks to drive very close together, one
behind the other. The lead truck breaks the wind

Fleet Maintenance

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