As the automotive industry leans further into digital transformation—embracing connected systems, software-defined vehicles (SDVs), AI, and over-the-air (OTA) capabilities—the imperative for robust cybersecurity has never been more urgent.
In RSM's broader 2025 automotive trends report, the rise of CASE technologies (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric) is acknowledged not just for its potential, but also for the new vectors of vulnerability it introduces.
According to the report, "Threats like supply chain attacks, data breaches, ransomware, and state-sponsored intrusions are on the rise.… The strong focus on technological advancements in the automotive sphere has also meant that cybersecurity is becoming a larger concern in a historically unconcerned industry."
The data is stark: organizations faced an average of 1,636 cyberattacks per week, a 30% year-over-year increase, with manufacturing targeted in 29% of global ransomware incidents—an alarming 56% rise over the prior year. Financial repercussions followed: ransomware costs for the sector soared from $74.7 million to $209.6 million in just the first half of 2023. Total system downtime rose from $1.3 billion to $1.99 billion.
In a more focused cybersecurity review, RSM highlights how technologies like SDVs and AI are reshaping the threat landscape:
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SDVs are rapidly becoming central to the automotive ecosystem, projected to grow from $213.5 billion in 2024 to $1.23 trillion by 2030 (CAGR ≈ 34%).
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As Grand Lui remarks in an RSM blog post, "You can't separate SDVs from the broader digital ecosystem anymore.… This means new opportunities… however, we also cannot afford to ignore... cybersecurity considerations."
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SDVs consolidate functionality in software, increasing attack surfaces through zonal control architectures, OTA updates, and cross-platform dependencies.
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The role of AI in features like ADAS, predictive maintenance, and infotainment user experiences is growing swiftly. The automotive AI market is expected to swell from $4.29 billion in 2024 to $14.92 billion by 2030.
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However, these gains bring new risks—prompt injections, model evasion, unauthorized firmware updates. RSM highlights a real-world case: "Late‑2024 exploitation of AI vulnerabilities in Qualcomm's FastRPC mechanism.”
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RSM urges, "The industry must validate every data packet in real time, at every touchpoint, to minimize vulnerabilities," advocating for Zero Trust Architecture.
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Connected infrastructures mean vast volumes of personal and operational data at risk. RSM notes past breaches impacting companies like Subaru and Kia as wake-up calls.
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Legislative frameworks such as the EU's AI Act stress security-by-design as non-negotiable. From the report, "All players in the automotive chain must commit to security by design principles. Anything patchy will no longer suffice."
"As vehicles become software-defined, every line of code and every data packet becomes part of the attack surface," said Hemanth Tadepalli, Senior Cybersecurity and Compliance SME at May Mobility. "Threat actors are no longer just targeting IT systems—they're probing supply chains, firmware, and even over-the-air update channels. To keep pace, the industry must move from reactive patching to proactive, security-by-design architectures that integrate Zero Trust principles across both the vehicle and enterprise ecosystem."
So what does this all mean for automotive security professionals?
1. Embrace secure-by-design in vehicle architectures: SDVs are redefining vehicle systems; security must be woven into zonal architectures, OTA pipelines, and third-party integrations from the start.
2. Deploy Zero Trust across vehicle and infrastructure layers: As AI and connectivity grow, traditional perimeter-based defenses are insufficient. Zero Trust principles are essential; apply checks at every layer: device, network, API, and data flow.
3. Harden AI-driven systems against novel threats: Leverage ongoing validation of AI inputs/outputs, secure model update channels, and anomaly detection to mitigate prompt injection, model corruption, and evasion.
4. Collaborate across the ecosystem: Cybersecurity must extend beyond OEM walls—to tier suppliers, chip vendors, infotainment partners—forming resilient supply chains and shared intelligence networks.
5. Align with regulatory and trust mandates: Evolving standards like the AI Act and consumer privacy concerns mean cybersecurity is also a business enabler—critical for brand trust, compliance, and liability protection.
"A successful cyber intrusion isn't just about stealing data—it could directly manipulate decision-making systems responsible for navigation, braking, or collision avoidance," Tadepalli said. "Protecting AVs requires rigorous validation of AI models, resilient vehicle security operations centers, and continuous monitoring of every interface—from lidar sensors to V2X communications. The goal isn't only to prevent compromise, but to ensure that a cyber event can never cascade into a safety event."
Don't miss the SecureWorld Detroit conference on September 11, 2025, where several representatives from the automotive industry will be speaking and attending.
One session in particular features Tadepalli and Tyson Benson, Senior Cybersecurity Product Analyst at ZF Group, presenting on "Securing the Future on Four Wheels: AI, Regulation, and Product Security in Connected Vehicles."
