New EU cybersecurity rules will force European automakers to halt models

According to DW, the European Union now wants to put the brakes on the growing security threats connected with modern car technology, especially in electric vehicles (EVs). The electronic equipment in cars not only serves the convenience of their drivers and contributes to road safety, but also allows cars and their users to be increasingly monitored. The United Nations and the European Union have recognized this and responded with UN regulations R155 and R156, which address cybersecurity threats from software updates in cars. The new rules impose higher requirements on car companies and their suppliers and will be implemented in the EU starting July 7.

Due to the new regulations, some manufacturers are now withdrawing models from their lineup. For Germany’s mass-market carmaker Volkswagen (VW), this includes the Up compact car and the Transporter T6.1 van. Luxury carmaker Porsche is discontinuing the Macan, Boxster, and Cayman models in Europe and will only sell them as combustion-engine versions in countries with less rigid rules, German news agency dpa reported recently. Audi, Renault, and Smart also plan to cease production of older models because they don’t meet the new cybersecurity standards.

VW brand chief Thomas Schäfer told dpa the measures were necessary due to the high compliance costs. “Otherwise, we would have to integrate a completely new electronic architecture [in the car model], which would simply be too expensive,” he said. German premium automaker Mercedes-Benz is “well-prepared” for the switch to safer car electronics, company spokesperson Juliane Weckenmann told DW. “The regulations have no impact on our portfolio. All our architectures meet the requirements and are or will be certified according to UN R155/R156 in time.”

Cyber-attacks in recent years on several major automobile companies show how vulnerable this industry is in terms of cyber security. The latest example was the US electric-car pioneer Tesla which was targeted in March 2023. At the time, hackers gained access to vehicle software controlling car functions like honking the horn, opening the trunk, turning on the headlights, and operating the car’s infotainment system.