The Connected Vehicle Security Act is about more than just security

The automobile is undergoing the most profound transformation since Henry Ford’s moving assembly line. The defining features of tomorrow’s vehicles are now found in the software that connects them to the digital world. 

Modern vehicles are continuously connected. They receive over-the-air software updates, collect vast quantities of operational data, communicate with emergency services after accidents and provide drivers with an ever-expanding suite of digital services. These innovations promise safer roads, more efficient transportation and entirely new forms of mobility. 

But every new connection also creates a new vulnerability. Connected vehicles continuously generate and transmit enormous amounts of data, including precise location information, driving behavior, sensor data and software diagnostics. As a result, they are more susceptible to cyber intrusion. 

That’s why Congress is debating the Connected Vehicle Security Act. The legislation seeks to reduce national security risks posed by connected vehicle hardware and software supplied by companies tied to foreign adversaries. 

The concern extends beyond privacy. Policymakers are increasingly asking whether foreign governments could gain access to sensitive mobility data, exploit software vulnerabilities or use connected vehicles as entry points into broader transportation and communications networks. As automobiles become more connected, they also become potential targets for espionage, cyberattack and strategic disruption. 

These are legitimate concerns. The U.S. would be making a serious mistake if it ignored the security implications of embedding foreign-controlled software into millions of vehicles operating on American roads. But it is equally important not to lose sight of the extraordinary benefits that connected technologies bring to consumers,........

© The Hill