In recent years, the automotive industry has shifted from traditional mechanical manufacturing to a new era of intelligence and connectivity. The introduction of technologies such as autonomous driving, connected vehicles, and OTA (Over-The-Air) software updates has transformed vehicles from simple means of transportation into vital nodes for information exchange. However, these advancements have also rapidly increased cybersecurity challenges and risks. From past incidents of remote vehicle hacking to increasingly stringent privacy and data security requirements, the entire industry is facing unprecedented tests.
All vehicles aiming to enter the EU market must comply with R155 and R156. Credit: Winbond
Against this backdrop, the European Union has established a series of regulations targeting automotive cybersecurity and software updates, most notably WP.29 under the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations-specifically, R155 (Cybersecurity Management System, CSMS) and R156 (Software Update Management System ; SUMS). These regulations require comprehensive information security and update management throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design, manufacturing, testing, operation, to maintenance. In other words, any vehicle aiming to enter the EU market must comply with these regulations, or it will be denied entry.
For automotive engineers and decision-makers, this is not just a matter of regulatory compliance, but a key issue concerning brand reputation and market survival. How to achieve compliance quickly and effectively with limited development resources has become the most urgent challenge across the industry.
The Necessity of Compliance and Industry Consensus
The establishment of R155 and R156 is not merely a unilateral requirement from the EU, but a global need shared by the automotive industry. The reason is simple: vehicles are no longer isolated products, but continuously connected, frequently updated, and potential targets for cyberattacks.
Security Requirements: Once a vehicle system is breached, hackers can not only steal user privacy data but may also directly manipulate vehicle functions, causing traffic safety incidents. The core of R155 is to require manufacturers to establish a complete cybersecurity management mechanism from the early development stage, including threat modeling and risk analysis, with systematic countermeasures.
Continuity Requirements: Modern vehicles are increasingly software-driven, with many functions relying on OTA updates. Without secure update mechanisms, malicious software could be injected during the upgrade process, potentially paralyzing entire fleets. R156 aims to ensure that the software update process is verifiable, complete, and traceable.
Market Requirements: Consumer trust in vehicle safety directly affects brand image and sales. Failure to meet regulations not only results in losing access to the European market but may also erode consumer trust, impacting other regional markets.
Therefore, compliance is no longer a question of "if," but "how to do it effectively." This is the common pain point across the automotive industry: how to meet complex compliance requirements within compressed development cycles and limited human resources.
To learn the latest cybersecurity regulations and trends, download the hardware security whitepaper for free.
Credit: Winbond
Winbond W77Q/W77T Secure Flash Memory-Technical Highlights and Value
In this challenging environment, Winbond's W77Q/ W77T Secure Flash Memory emerges as a crucial tool to help customers overcome compliance challenges. This solution enables OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to quickly meet R155 and R156 requirements while significantly reducing verification and development costs.
1. Reduced Verification Time and Cost: Traditionally, to meet cybersecurity requirements, customers must design and verify a complete set of security mechanisms themselves, which is time-consuming and requires highly specialized talent. Winbond's W77Q/ W77T has already passed rigorous international security certifications, allowing customers to integrate proven solutions directly and greatly shorten verification time.
2. Accelerated New Product Design: For new product development, time-to-market pressure is intense. Secure Flash Memory features built-in security mechanisms, enabling design teams to adopt pre-verified security modules instead of building from scratch, further shortening development time and speeding products to market.
3. Support for Legacy Product Upgrades: Winbond's Secure Flash Memory is suitable not only for new designs but can also replace existing flash memory modules in legacy products, helping older vehicle models upgrade to meet WP.29 cybersecurity requirements. This ensures flexibility and competitiveness as regulations evolve.
4. Technical Highlights: Hardware-Level Data Partitioning and Backup: Through built-in hardware logic circuits, Secure Flash Memory achieves data partitioning and backup, ensuring isolation between different security levels and preventing data leakage or tampering.
Secure OTA Upgrade Mechanism: During OTA upgrades, Winbond's Secure Flash Memory provides encryption and authentication functions, ensuring confidentiality and integrity during data transmission and installation.
System Resilience Protection: If anomalies occur during upgrades (such as interruptions), the system can automatically revert to a safe state, preventing vehicles from becoming inoperable.
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Support: Winbond offers solutions equipped with the LMS (Leighton-Micali Signature) algorithm, providing stronger protection for OTA upgrades and forward-looking defense against future quantum computing security threats.
With these technical features, Winbond's W77Q/ W77T Secure Flash Memory not only meets current regulations but also offers future scalability, supporting information security throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
Credit: Winbond
Certified Solutions Deliver Industry Value and Differentiation
In summary, adopting Winbond's W77Q/ W77T Secure Flash Memory offers several clear advantages for automotive industry participants:
1. Compliance Assurance: Winbond's Secure Flash Memory has passed relevant security certifications, directly helping customers meet R155 and R156 requirements and reducing regulatory risks.
2. Cost Optimization: With built-in security verification mechanisms, customers can avoid significant additional verification costs, effectively reducing R&D expenditure.
3. Design Flexibility: Whether for new vehicle development or legacy product upgrades, Winbond’s Secure Flash Memory can be quickly integrated, providing high flexibility for customers.
4. Market Differentiation: Compared to products offering only single functions, Winbond's Secure Flash Memory integrates hardware security, OTA protection, and PQC support, giving customers a distinct competitive edge.
5. Verification Convenience: Since Winbond's Secure Flash Memory is internationally certified, customers can reference existing certifications during product verification, greatly simplifying the process.
In the future, competition in the automotive industry will be not only about speed and price but also about safety and trust. With Winbond's Secure Flash Memory, customers can achieve regulatory compliance quickly and establish unique market advantages. This is not just a response to regulations but a proactive strategy for the industry's future.
In other words, Winbond's W77Q/ W77T Secure Flash Memory is not just a peripheral component, but a key partner for the automotive industry's sustainable cybersecurity development.
To learn more about Winbond's advanced security solutions, visit Winbond's website or contact Winbond directly, or download the latest Hardware Security White Paper.
Article edited by Joseph Tsai
