A Review on Blockchain Technologies for an Advanced and Cyber-Resilient Automotive Industry
Paula Fraga-Lamas, Tiago M. Fernandez-Carames
TL;DR
This paper surveys how blockchain and distributed ledger technologies can strengthen cybersecurity in the automotive sector under Industry 4.0. It distills blockchain fundamentals (tamper-resistance, privacy, identity, smart contracts, oracles) and maps them to automotive stakeholders and data flows. It reviews high-impact use cases (vehicle history ledgers, MaaS, digital retailing, forensics) and presents deployment strategies via a SWOT framework. The work provides concrete recommendations and implications for researchers and industry to pursue cyber-resilient automotive ecosystems.
Abstract
In the last century the automotive industry has arguably transformed society, being one of the most complex, sophisticated and technologically advanced industries, with innovations ranging from hybrid, electric and self-driving smart cars to the development of IoT-connected cars. Due to its complexity, it requires the involvement of many Industry 4.0 technologies, like robotics, advanced manufacturing systems, cyber-physical systems or augmented reality. One of the latest technologies that can benefit the automotive industry is blockchain, which can enhance its data security, privacy, anonymity, traceability, accountability, integrity, robustness, transparency, trustworthiness and authentication, as well as provide long-term sustainability and a higher operational efficiency to the whole industry. This review analyzes the great potential of applying blockchain technologies to the automotive industry emphasizing its cybersecurity features. Thus, the applicability of blockchain is evaluated after examining the state-of-the-art and devising the main stakeholders' current challenges. Furthermore, the article describes the most relevant use cases, since the broad adoption of blockchain unlocks a wide area of short- and medium-term promising automotive applications that can create new business models and even disrupt the car-sharing economy as we know it. Finally, after a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, some recommendations are enumerated with the aim of guiding researchers and companies in future cyber-resilient automotive industry developments.