Following Labour’s victory in the recent 2024 general election, they have recommitted to bringing forward the deadline for phasing out new gas and diesel cars back to 2030.

The UK Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in the UK to be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035.

However, the UK is set to significantly miss current targets for electric vehicle (EV) sales by both 2030 and 2035. Fluctuating sales data and an overall decline of sales in the UK emphasizes that there is work to be done to meet Labour’s deadline.

This upcoming EV revolution also brings a breadth of cybersecurity concerns, some being their reliance on local power grids and the growing interconnectedness of vehicles worldwide. As all new cars sold will be connected by 2026, protecting drivers and repairers will be a core to nurturing the growth needed.

One way of supporting the industry’s preparedness for the introduction of EVs and other innovations is through clear and secure access to security related repair and maintenance information.

Not only does this assure protection for manufacturers sensitive repair information but it also ensures garages can streamline their processes to meet the demand and diversity of vehicles on our roads.

The critical role of secure information sharing in automotive

Secure information sharing is central to maintaining the integrity and reliability of vehicle systems in our highly interconnected and digital automotive environment.

The importance of such security measures is underpinned by a number of data breaches, notably the 2022 Arnold Clarke ransomware attack, during which an unauthorized third party accessed the personal data, including contact details, bank details, national insurance numbers, vehicle information, and more, of over 10,000 customers of the car dealership. In the following weeks and months, numerous victims reported evidence of identity theft attempts, as well as instances of successful fraud, leading to legal action which is suggested to have cost the dealership millions in damages.

The incident highlights how digital vulnerabilities can, beyond significant financial losses, quickly halt business operations, impede customer service, and increase concerns over data security, ultimately eroding trust between drivers and dealerships.

Security measures in automotive are increasingly critical as the connective nature of cars increases, due to the onset of advanced driver-assistance systems, driver monitoring systems, e-commerce, pay-by-car parking, digital key systems, and more. These innovations require greater regulation to navigate the growth in connectivity, brands, and models of vehicles, as well as vehicle types.

How SERMI streamlines information sharing

Previously, sharing data amongst independent operators (IOs), remote service suppliers (RSSs) and vehicle manufacturers was disjointed.

Each vehicle manufacturer required independent certifications, creating a cumbersome and time-consuming system for them to talk to others in the vehicle life cycle.

SERMI, the scheme for accreditation, approval and authorization to access security-related repair and maintenance information, is a standardized and single access point for everyone across the sector. It’s a framework for accreditation, approval, and authorization – ensuring secure access to critical vehicle data. This enables quicker, more accurate repairs, reducing wait times for customers.

The SERMI scheme has already been introduced in Europe across 29 countries and is set to be rolled out in the UK later this year, giving independent repair shops access to the same repair information as dealerships. Prior to SERMI, the information asymmetry between dealerships and independent garages placed independent shops at a disadvantage. Consumers often perceived dealerships to have a higher level of expertise due to their exclusive access to manufacturer information.

Not only is this scheme about accessibility, but also about maintaining security. Digital identity companies play a crucial role in enabling a smoother experience for all stakeholders involved safe from bad actors and compromise.

Importance of a Trust Centre

The Trust Centre within the SERMI scheme plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity, security, and trustworthiness of the scheme. The Trust Centre acts as a certification authority, issuing digital certificates to authorized IO and RSS employees. These certificates authenticate the identity of the operators’ employees and enable secure access to the vehicle manufacturer’s security-related repair and maintenance information.

This helps prevent unauthorized access and potential misuse of sensitive vehicle information.

Digidentity, the Trust Centre for SERMI, have developed a secure virtual token that is stored as a digital SERMI certificate in the Digidentity Wallet on the users’ mobile phone, granting IOs and RSSs access to security related repair and maintenance information on every vehicle manufacturer’s website. This not only simplifies access but also enhances security by eliminating the need for storing or managing multiple credentials.

In addition to eliminating the need for multiple logins and passwords, and streamlining the information retrieval process, it also ensures that sensitive information from both parties remains secure.

Securing car manufacturers’ information is vital to preventing unauthorized access to diagnostic data, ensure accurate and safe vehicle repairs, and protect intellectual property. If left vulnerable to breaches, it could lead to faulty repairs, vehicle hijacking, and overall loss of consumer trust.

Strengthening this automotive security is increasingly important as the push to meet Labour’s deadline accelerates EV sales over the coming decade.

A Trust Centre plays a critical role in this, ensuring that both technicians and drivers of these vehicles can maintain trust and safety, while still supporting industry growth in line with the greater goal of achieving a successful transition to a zero-emission future.

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