As 2018 comes to a close, the editors of Driverless Report asked industry veterans to give their thoughts on the year’s technology and business trends—and what’s ahead in 2019.
Scott Frank, Airbiquity vice president of marketing.
DR: What was the biggest trend you saw in 2018 for OTA/autonomous/connected vehicles? Are things changing for 2019?
Frank: “In 2018, security became a leading priority due to the higher degree of security required to protect connected vehicles and passengers from external cybersecurity threats. Through the use of well-designed embedded OTA solutions automakers can detect security intrusions as they happen, and quickly deliver software updates to mitigate threats and minimizing response times.
“As we head into 2019, we expect security will remain high on the priority list along with an increased focus on OTA enabled data collection, analytics, and management. As vehicles continue evolving into ‘computers on wheels’ there will be a continual need to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to keep data flowing securely between the vehicle and the cloud. All of this becomes even more important as automakers continue to develop and deploy future SAE level 4/5 autonomous vehicle systems and platforms and work towards ensuring data protection and privacy for consumers.”
Mike Jellen, Velodyne LiDAR president.
DR: What was the biggest LiDAR trend you saw in 2018? What’s the future for Velodyne in2019?
Jellen: “The industry first movers are preparing for vehicle mass production. Lidar-based ADAS safety and comfort for every car and truck.”
Neil Schloss, Karamba Security independent director (former Ford Mobility vice president and CFO).
DR: Do you see any challenges for auto security in 2019?
Schloss: “The key in 2019 and beyond is getting vehicles connected — once connected, they need protection. The industry will need to adopt a number of solutions into both today’s products and future product programs. AV requirements steps up the need even further. I believe there are a lot of challenges for the industry as it relates to auto security –Karamba provides part of the solution that companies will need to consider.”
DR: What were the biggest autonomous vehicle milestones you saw in 2018? How about auto cyber security?
Schloss: “There were a number of autonomous vehicle milestones this past year. A few specific ones that come to mind are the continued development of the technology and vehicles as well as the business models that will monetize these products. There also continues to be a significant amount of capital coming into AV’s — from existing OEM’s, established suppliers, technology companies and start-ups. No shortage of capital or interest.”
