The impact of vehicle security on service operations Vehicles fresh off the assembly lines may present data access challenges; shops must be prepared to minimize road blocks while performing repairs. By Scott Brown, Technical Editor W ith the proliferation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) among the fleet, the hardening of the vehicle networks and modules is front and center for many vehicle manufacturers. Today, technicians are already facing challenges when interfacing late-model vehicle systems. This article will help you prepare for these security-laden vehicles, which will help smooth out future service and repair operations for you and your shop. As we entered the 21st century, the automobile was becoming more complex due to the implementation of additional micro-controllers. Near the end of that first decade, the automobile was beginning to experience a technology shift with the addition of driver assistance features. At that time, we were beginning to see vehicles running on approximately 50 million lines of code. Today, it is not uncommon to see vehicles running on more than 150 million lines of code. What's driving all this technology? There are three primary drivers: 1. Safety 2. Emissions/fuel economy 3. Driver convenience As manufacturers continued to develop and refine systems to enhance the vehicle, the focus on various facets of vehicle security wasn't given high priority. Today's vehicles contain numerous attack vectors that are rarely discussed. 48 PTEN MAY 2021 www.VehicleServicePros.com Figure 1 - FCA Secure Gatewayhttp://www.VehicleServicePros.com