Gabriel Lim warns that the widespread adoption of over-the-air technology in the automotive industry presents a significant national security concern.
Gabriel Lim, a senior analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, warns that the increasing use of over-the-air (OTA) technology in vehicles creates a unique national security risk. While OTA technology allows manufacturers to deliver software updates and bug fixes wirelessly, it also expands the surface area for potential cyberattacks. The technology, popularized by Tesla, allows for cost-effective maintenance by replacing traditional dealership visits with remote updates. However, experts like Siraj Ahmed Shaikh note that this connectivity means a foreign actor could potentially sabotage the controls of a moving vehicle. Recent tests by the Norwegian bus company Ruter revealed that a bus could be rendered inoperable remotely via a mobile network. To mitigate these risks, the American Enterprise Institute suggested that the US should implement stricter security reviews and limit certain foreign-made hardware. As OTA technology spreads to rail, maritime, and aerospace sectors, analysts argue that governments must hold entities accountable for the security of the code running in everyday machines.