Why Automakers Should Seek New Forms of Intelligence at Electronica Munich

With nearly two decades of experience providing key intelligence and insights to automakers, Supplyframe is excited to be hosting a booth at Electronica Munich to share our latest solutions, powered by Design-to-Source Intelligence. 

It’s no secret that the last several years have introduced significant challenges to automotive supply chains. From component shortages, to shifting demand, to the continued pursuit of new technologies, the industry has been forced to accelerate its digital transformation out of sheer necessity. 

Despite this, innovation continues, and with new forms of intelligence to inform better decision making, automakers are forging ahead with exciting new features for the consumers of today and tomorrow. As an organization that works with both the buy and sell side of the global electronics value chain, Supplyframe has been providing key intelligence and predictive analysis for the automotive industry for nearly two decades now. We will be demonstrating our latest insights and solutions, powered by Design-to-Source Intelligence, at Electronica Munich 2022.

In recent years, automakers have incorporated exciting new technologies into vehicles that have the potential to transform driver safety and streamline the overall user experience. For instance, some vehicles in the near future may include biometric technology to enable keyless entry with just the scan of a finger. 

In addition, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are being deployed to cars to improve safety and reduce accidents. Driver monitoring systems use AI to identify and respond to signs of driver health, distraction, and fatigue. This feature is particularly useful when paired with self-driving technology, ensuring that a vehicle is always operated by alert and able drivers. 

Yet these new innovations also make vehicles increasingly susceptible to security risks. Biometric data is highly valuable, raising privacy concerns and making vehicles that track and collect this information a target for hackers. In addition, self-driving cars are especially at risk because if they were compromised and someone took control of the vehicle, the consequences would be widespread and could affect all the other drivers on the road. 

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular, they bring with them new hazards—the entire network, from the vehicles themselves to the charging stations and the entire energy grid, could be infiltrated and disrupted. 

In response to these emerging threats, automakers must ensure that their vehicles and systems are secure. In particular, businesses must take a cohesive, end-to-end approach to safeguarding from risk. Today, many of these new technologies are manufactured by third-party companies, and thus the security process is siloed and individualized to each component. Such outside equipment and technology must be held to more stringent quality and security standards, and greater communication and visibility between parts of the process must be implemented. This will allow automotive leaders to strive to protect their entire vehicle ecosystems. 

Moreover, security measures must be introduced as early as research and development, rather than merely being integrated during later stages of design. The fundamental building blocks of vehicle technology, the SoCs (systems on a chip) and ECUs (electronic control units)—need to have security mechanisms built in. 

The automotive sector has also been notable for its adherence to industry-wide standards to promote other areas of consumer safety. It might be time to update those specifications to address the unique cybersecurity and privacy risks posed by modern technologies.

One of the most pressing issues facing automakers today is the need to strike a balance between cutting-edge innovations and promoting security. Experience and learn about the most important trends, challenges, and solutions in the field of automotive electronics from Supplyframe at Electronica Munich, 2022.

Visit us at booth 320, hall C2 to learn more about Supplyframe solutions for the automotive industry.