As the industry pushes towards the software-defined car, type approval regulations have been evolving. Regardless of where they are sold or made, all vehicles must be certified according to specific regulations as fit for sale and use on the road. This approval process, referred to as type approval, varies by market but is uniformly underpinned by a set of numerous rules laid out by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Most recently, the type approval regulations received a significant update with the UN R155 and UN R156 regulations adopted by the UNECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (UNECE WP.29). These are designed to provide a framework for vehicle cyber security and over-the-air (OTA) updates in many parts of the world. Specifically, UN R155 requires a certified cyber security management system (CSMS), while UN R156 requires a software update management system (SUMS) as a future condition of type approval.
While these developments could raise the bar for cyber security, navigating the approval process may also prove a staffing challenge requiring thousands of highly trained engineers who are already in high demand. Software management expert Aurora Labs believes it has the necessary tools to hand. Executive Vice President of Marketing, Roger Ordman, outlines one route to a more agile implementation of these pivotal regulations.
