BLOGS AND ARTICLES
THE CONNECTED CAR WORLD - OPPORTUNITY OR RISK?
By Eyal Kamir – CEO
The digital world has not overpassed the automotive world. As vehicles advance and become connected and linked, more applications can be run. The vehicle’s computers can be updated remotely (OTA) to add and download features, change the engine performance, update interfaces, change the lighting intensity and even change the sound and horn configuration. Everything is controlled remotely. This can be done from the office, from the mobile and from any computer with a connection to the outside world.
The options for remote control and updates create a vast world of opportunities but also a dangerous opening for hostile takeover or illegal activity on the vehicle's communication network and computers.
Illegal entry into one of the vehicle's management interfaces can give control and the ability to do whatever the intruder wants. It can limit, change, accelerate, destroy, or just cause damage. It will not always be a threat or a hacker acting on purpose. It could be by a robot attacking systems automatically, it could be by inadvertent entry and (God forbid!) it could result from misuse or because of intrusion into the car manufacturer's cloud. Any such entry could be disastrous. Everything is connected and controlled.
Is this a possible scenario? The answer is unequivocally - yes. As in the traditional worlds where the number of cyber-attacks increases exponentially, so it happens in the automotive world. The more interfaces and sensors are connected and monitored, the more each interface is actually a point of weakness where a hacker can enter and attack.
1.4 BILLION VEHICLES IN THE WORLD, THE DEMAND IS INCREASING, AND THE VEHICLE IS A "COMPUTER ON WHEELS"
There are about 1.4 billion vehicles in the world today and about 90 million more vehicles are produced every year. Most vehicles produced today include a connection infrastructure .Every vehicle has dozens of computers and millions of lines of code to the point of being called computers on wheels. Just as a normal computer is connected to the communication network and to thousands of websites and applications, so goes the trend in the automotive sector: vehicles are equipped with a communication infrastructure to connect vehicle to vehicle (V2V), vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle to everything (V2X). Each such interface is the "opportunity" interface for active and essential operations intended for the correct and convenient operation of the vehicle, but it may also be the weak point - an area from which a hacker can enter and operate.
A few years ago, we witnessed the “hacking of hackers”into the managed cloud of the BMW company, the cloud of the TESLA company and the famous hacking in 2015 of two American researchers into the original multimedia system of CHRYSLER’S grand Cherokee Jeep. In this case the researchers discovered a weakness through which they were able to move the vehicle remotely. This revealed a weakness resulting in a huge damage of over a billion dollars to the car manufacturer and the recall of over a million Grand Cherokees worldwide.
In the past, car manufacturers made sure to act conservatively in order not to add costs or risks. Every dollar in the production process changes the balance sheet and any serial failure can eliminate a decades-old company such as the Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata, which closed its doors in 2017 as a result of not meeting the costs of the huge recall it experienced.
THE WAR FOR EVERY FEATURE - DOES BRAND LOYALTY STILL EXIST?
Today, when the range of brands is only increasing, all manufacturers are fighting for the winning "feature". Customers are no longer "captives" of this or that brand. Such a phenomenon will be evidenced by the trend in Israel where we are witnessing the entry of dozens of Chinese brands and the way in which the Israeli market accepts them. Loyalty has decreased, fear has decreasedas well, and the enjoyment is much greater. An Israeli customer who has never heard of the Chinese brands and certainly has difficulty pronouncing the name correctly, today opens his pocket mainly because of the thrill he seeks in the way the product is perceived. In the case of the Chinese vehicles for example, there is a perception of innovation, of the electrification trend, of progress, of indulgence and comfort. In the past, price was a significant factor, but today we witness that price does not play the main role anymore.
BUSINESS MODELS FROM THE IOT TO THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLDS - AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRANSPORTATION
The world of transportation is changing rapidly, and we are witnessing the entry of economic and business models such as software as a service (SAAS), a model that is also starting to take root in the automotive industry and is defined as a "transportation as a service" (TAAS) model. These models enable and contribute to the entry of many players who wish to make their technology accessible and constitute another "living" interface to and from the vehicle. As mentioned, this interface allows not only the improvement of the vehicle's capabilities but also acts as a profit center on an ongoing basis. Not only adds profit when selling the car but also throughout the life of the car. The car manufacturers and the Tier 1/2 players are looking for any way to keep in touch with the buyer, whether it is the first buyer or when the car changes hands and is owned by somebody else. For them, the car is a fertile ground for economic activity over time.
Among the models implemented today, it is possible to specify the cost of using the vehicle according to the number of kilometers, according to the quality of driving, the road route, the state of the systems and more. The end user ultimately pays for every service he received, and the vehicle is actually just the platform through which the relationship between the manufacturer and the customer exists.
It is important to note that to receive and analyze the vehicle data, it is necessary to perform ongoing monitoring. The monitoring is carried out by connecting a telemetry system to the OBD socket, a socket present in every vehicle. The telemetry system connects to the socket, "extracts" the data from the vehicle's computers, stores them and uploads them via cellular means to the manufacturer's or service provider's cloud. This data is actually the DNA or the ID card of each vehicle and each model.
A RECKLESS AND UNNECESSARY STEP FORWARD AND THE WHOLE DREAM OF THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WILL REMAIN A DREAM.
The automotive world is going through a real revolution. Everything runs fast and at the same time. No manufacturer waits. Everyone wants to grab the premiere; everyone cooperates and will look for advanced technologies. The charging time of each component has been shortened significantly compared to the patterns used in the past in the car companies and hence the exposure and possibly the "going back". The constant search for differentiation can create a new and large market but can also bring down companies and destroy years of good reputation. In the last decade we have witnessed a significant jump in the number of companies dealing in the field and offering a huge variety of services and sensors. Everything sounds very promising and groundbreaking. No one said it wouldn’t be, but maybe we should stop for a second and embrace the old and conservative models a little. Innovation is not a bad word, but one should also exercise caution and perhaps a little prudence.
I don't want to think what would happen if a player operating in the field was exposed to having his vehicle taken over by cyber intruders, whether he is a car manufacturer, a Tier 1 manufacturer or a manufacturer of autonomous vehicles. Everything could collapse for him overnight. I believe that customers will not remain loyal to a brand exposed to takeover. When we are inside our vehicle, we have a feeling of security. If this feeling disappears, the loyalty to that brand or service will also disappear and it's a shame that someone will pay the price in the end. So, what are we doing? Missing the many opportunities? No. It is important to embrace technology and innovation but do so carefully!
LAW AND TECHNOLOGY - CYBER SECURITY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
By Barak Kamir - Attorney
INTRODUCTION
In this blog I will examine the technological development in the automotive world and the risks that arise from this in cyberspace. Cyberspace, also called "cyber space", is a metaphorical space of computer systems and computer networks where electronic data is stored online and interactive communication is carried out regardless of the geographical location of its users. This space encompasses the Internet infrastructure, communication networks, telephones, databases, command and control systems and other essential systems. Cyberspace is an integral part of every aspect of our lives, and today almost every public or private service we know is partially or fully dependent on the use of computing, computer communication and computerized information systems.
The development of technology in recent years on the one hand allows us to look into the near future, where the vast majority of the devices we use every day will be independently connected to the Internet or have the ability to communicate with each other.
On the other hand, alongside the same advantages and optimization that the computerized systems make possible, a new threat has arisen - the cyber threat. The cyber threat mainly manifests itself in malicious attacks carried out through cyber space aimed at disrupting, disabling, destroying, unauthorized control, stealing information and damaging information.
Today, cyber threats are already a real threat that every country takes seriously. In Israel, the National Cyber System began operating in 2017, by virtue of Government Resolution 2444 of 2015, whose activity is collecting and handling information for the purpose of detecting and handling cyber-attacks.
Further progress on this issue in the State of Israel is in the bill published( in 2018 - the Cyber Protection Law and the National Cyber System. The memorandum of the law details the cyber threat that is growing in the world and the ways of dealing with it in the State of Israel, preparing to receive regulations on the subject, and also details the mission and role of the national cyber system and what are its rights of action.
For the most part, the standards applicable in Israel in the field of information security are international standards adopted by the Israeli Standards Institute and are detailed in a government document of the national cyber system. Awareness of this threat exists worldwide, so in 2015 the OECD recommended to the countries of the organization to formulate a cyber protection policy that includes dealing with the risks in cyberspace. In May 2018, European Union legislation came into force requiring EU member states to formulate a cyber defense policy, establish a regulation for critical infrastructures and a national cyber incident handling center. In addition, in 2018, the World Economic Forum determined that cyber is one of the five biggest risks in the world and recommended increasing preparedness for cyber incidents.
Cyber threats indeed touch a variety of fields these days, but here I will focus specifically on the cyber threat in the automotive industry. First, the most prominent technology in the field is the autonomous vehicle expected to hit the road in the coming years. In this blog I will not review the autonomous vehicle technology, but the technological innovations presented in it, which entail similar legal problems. Today, with the development of technology in cars, there is almost no car that is not managed by an internal computer that monitors information and gives instructions to all the parts of the car.
We have often come across films in which we see a hostile remote takeover of a passenger vehicle that caused the brakes to lock or causes it to accelerate against its will. This threat is no longer just a scene in a movie, it is right here. Thus, in 2015, two researchers managed to break into a Jeep company vehicle and disrupt vital systems in the vehicle. The burglary was carried out from the living room of one of the investigators and aimed at a Jeep Cherokee that was driving on the streets of St. Louis, far away from the investigators. The researchers explain that the control of the vehicle's systems was made possible by hacking into the multimedia system, in which they found a weakness. The same hack into the system allowed them to rewrite the firmware of the main vehicle system and thus plant their code that enables control of the dashboard, the braking system, and the steering system. Today, when more and more car companies and countries realize the magnitude of this threat, the cyber security industry in the car industry is developing rapidly and you can see a large number of start-up companies that are trying to find a solution to this threat and very large sums are invested in research and development.
TECHNOLOGIES IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD:
When we examine the technological innovations in the automotive industry, it seems that the most prominent focus is on the technology of connected vehicles. These vehicles are independently connected to the Internet so that they can transmit and receive information to vehicles and infrastructure in the vicinity. Every connected vehicle produced today has a main computer connected through 60 wired and wireless connections that allow it to receive and transmit the information. The introduction of this technology could create a new revolution on the road and bring with it many advantages. Thus, according to the Ministry of Transportation in the United States, the introduction of connected vehicles to roads will make it possible to prevent up to 80% of traffic accidents and even more than 10% of the time spent traveling on roads. In addition, even in Israel, preparations are already being made for these vehicles to enter the roads and the Ministry of Transportation is conducting experiments with technology and models for the standards and regulations that will come with it.
V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) technology: a system that uses DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) based communication, which allows vehicles to "talk" to each other automatically and autonomously. This technology is a general name for a new concept of transportation infrastructure based on short-range Wi-Fi communication between cars traveling on the road. The car continuously transmits a series of data to vehicles in its immediate vicinity, and they perform rapid processing of the information to help the driver make decisions. The V2V features allow receiving and sending information about the car's speed, the stability control mode, the speed of the wipers, fuel, air pressure in the tires and ,as a matter of fact, every operational aspect of the vehicle that the computer processes.
V2I (Vehicle to Infrastructure) technology: similar to V2V, this system is based on short-range Wi-Fi communication (DSRC) and allows communication between vehicles and infrastructure (Road Side Units). The system transmits and receives information in real time about the state of the road, traffic accidents, construction zones, parking availability, etc. Such communication is essential for the operation of autonomous vehicles that are expected to hit the road in the coming years, through sharing and receiving information from the infrastructure about road accidents, traffic conditions and road conditions to prevent accidents. In addition to the energy field, technology will enable the flow of data to autonomous vehicles from traffic lights in their traffic lanes, so that the vehicle system will analyze the optimal speed and the most recommended acceleration intensity in order to save energy (fuel/electricity).
V2X technology (Vehicle to Everything): this technology contains the means of the V2V and V2I systems, but its innovation is the ability to "talk" with any electronic device that has access to the Internet. The system will even be able to communicate through the cloud and will not need the mediation of a mobile device in the car.
THE LEGAL HEARING:
The accelerated progress of cyberspace and the threats accompanying it have created a situation in which the law and legislation are trying to catch up with the pace of these developments and create solutions accordingly. It seems that in other information security issues, the understanding that legal regulation is needed is progressing, and standards and regulations are beginning to take shape. An example of this is the developing regulation in the field of information security of medical devices published by the American Food and Drug Administration.
LEGAL DISCUSSION: PRIVACY
A legal difficulty that manifests itself when it comes to smart vehicles linked via the Internet is the protection of personal information of the vehicle users. Using the technologies presented above in the connected vehicles, the car companies will be able to continuously collect information about the identity of the drivers, geographic location, driving style, driver preferences, etc. These databases have a great financial value and may be a target for many hackers. This problem becomes a legal difficulty when the country does not regulate or adopt an international regulation, and this is because there is no defined standard that can guide those businesses that hold the information. Let's assume that the market forces alone will not be sufficient to determine the required level of security and without a law on the subject, the right to privacy of many citizens is in danger. An attempt to regulate this issue was made in the State of Israel in 2017 when the Law, Constitution and Justice Committee approved the privacy protection (information security) regulations that attempt to close the gap created in legislation in the face of technological changes. These regulations establish a level of responsibility depending on the size of the database and the type of information stored in it, and even require periodic audits by competent parties in information security. In addition, when it comes to the collection of information through the connected vehicles, in the report of the Transportation Authority from June 2018,there is an understanding that there is a need to develop rules and regulations that regulate the collection, use, storage and transfer of information collected through the technology of the connected vehicles. Another potential violation of the privacy of the information collected is the car companies' use of this information without the knowledge of the drivers and even selling databases to other companies. This issue of selling information hit the public when it became clear that the information of 87 million Facebook users was used for the benefit of President Trump's election campaign. In this case, the database was created from an application that ordered people to fill out a questionnaire, and by the way share personal information from Facebook. The information was sold to the strategic consulting company "Cambridge Analytica" which managed to compile approximately 30 million psychological profiles of private individuals to influence their choices. To prevent cases of this type, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) was developed and entered into force on May 25, 2018. The General Data Protection Regulation is a collection of mandatory provisions regulated by the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission to protect personal information held by companies or organizations in the European Union. This regulation is not only relevant to the residents of the European Union but extends to any company that provides services to the citizens of the Union (even a free service) or holds the information of the residents of the Union. The sanctions from violating the installation and the deterrence they create for the companies are meant to solve the problem and prevent the collection and use of private information without the knowledge and consent of the users.
LEGAL DISCUSSION: DAMAGES
New technological developments in the automotive field and the entry of many start-up companies have resulted in the fact that many systems that come with the vehicle can be replaced and upgraded, thus adding weak points to its computer systems. For example, upgrading the audio system has become standard and many people are replacing the normal radio system with an advanced multimedia system. The upgraded multimedia system can be found in almost every vehicle and allows an independent connection to the Internet using a SIM card installed in it. This system is usually based on the Android platform or Apple's iOS system, thus allowing access to websites, and downloading applications. Another example of multiple non-original components is the chip of the Israeli start-up Engie. The same chip connects to the vehicle's computer and transmits to the smartphone about various faults in the vehicle, collects information about the voltage in the battery, checks oil pressure, fuel consumption and more. Engie's system connects to the OBD (On Board Diagnostics) connection in the vehicle which enables the same connection to the vehicle computer and fault detection and is even found in most car companies following the application of the OBD 2 standard which requires this. This connection does exist in most vehicles due to the standard, but it is a connection that requires physical access to it, and this is different from the Engie company's application, which allows hackers to take advantage of an additional entry point to the vehicle's computer via the Internet.
Therefore, due to the multitude of different factors and companies that provide technology to vehicles, there is a legal difficulty in determining who is at fault when a vehicle is broken into and damage is caused by non-original components. In the case of the Jeep Cherokee vehicle hacking written above, the hacking was through the vehicle's original multimedia system, an event that caused lawsuits against the Jeep company (Brian Flynn vs Chrysler Group LLC). Since the system was original, there is no question about who is to blame for the information security weakness, but what will happen when the hacks are done through devices of companies that are not original?
In the absence of rulings and laws on the subject, the judges will be forced to deal with a new area that is in the gray area. In my opinion, even if there are regulations on the subject, there will be great difficulty in ruling because these cases include many factors, and the distribution of the burden of each of them in the event of damage will be determined according to the laws of the court that will discuss the matter in the coming years.
Another difficulty in determining tortious liability can happen with the introduction of vehicles equipped with V2V, V2I, V2x technology. It seems that in Israel and in the countries of the world there is preparation and expectation of the governments for the absorption of the technology due to its many advantages, but it hasn’t been done legally. The preparations in Israel and around the world include the examination of the technology, its absorption through infrastructures, regulation for charging the technology in every manufactured vehicle and even examination of the issue of information security.
On the other hand, in my research I did not find any legal preparation for determining tortious liability when a hacked vehicle manages to infect vehicles in its vicinity through V2V communication and cause property damage and even harm the traffic light system. Thus, a situation could arise in which a vehicle from company X hit a vehicle from company Y that caused an accident and damage to vehicle Z.
Will the burden be on the car companies, the private cyber security companies, or on the drivers whose vehicles were hacked in the first place and used as a tool by hackers? In my opinion, the tort issue in this matter is the most problematic legal one due to the multitude of different factors that may constitute independent weak points. In my opinion, it is difficult to solve this issue through standards and regulations because there is a huge number of scenarios that can happen with a similar damage, so the distribution of the tortious burden in each of them will be different. In my estimation, when this technology is introduced, the legal system will develop on the subject "on the fly" and create laws that will include legal tests that will determine how to distribute the tortious burden on each of the parties.
LEGAL HEARING: CRIMINAL
When it comes to the criminal aspect of hacking into the vehicles' computer systems and causing damage, we can refer to the Computer Law. This law defines what is a "computer" and what is "computer material" and specifies what are the prohibited actions that lead to criminal punishment and what is the criminal wrongdoing in the matter.
The law is from 1995, but, since most of modern vehicle systems are computerized and cyber hacks are done by infiltrating these systems, we can apply the sections of the law to the field of information security for vehicles. According to the computer law, the fact that there was an illegal intrusion into a computer is sufficient to establish a three-year prison sentence, while infiltration of computer material in order to commit another offense is punishable by a five-year prison sentence. When we compare it to the law abroad, it seems that in the UK there is a similar computer law that defines what is a computer system and the prohibition of intrusion into it. The clauses of the British computer law are very similar to the Israeli law and I will assume that in the absence of a specific law concerning the intrusion into the computer of vehicles, the computer law in the United Kingdom will be used. The problem with this issue is that, although there are laws that allow prison sentences for cybercriminals in the automotive world, the fact that cybercrime can be committed from a remote geographical location using software that makes it possible to obscure traces in cyberspace, results in the fact that many of the criminals are not caught at all.
Recently, there has been a trend of companies that have been severely affected by cybercrime to take the law into their own hands and pursue those hackers and decrease damages. This trend will lead to an increase in the apprehension of criminals and their prosecution, but this is a trend of private companies, and it is difficult to assume that there will be anyone who will protect the interests of the private person in a similar way. This difficulty is best expressed in the data of the British government, in which only 45 persons were convicted of computer crimes in 2014 and about 61 in 2015.
SUMMARY:
Today, there is not as much awareness in the field of cyber security in the automotive industry as in other cyber fields. The technologies presented above are expected to exist in every new vehicle that leaves the factory, and, along with the many advantages they will provide, there will also be many weaknesses that could endanger us on a daily basis on the road and even as pedestrians. The development of this issue has brought the countries of the world to discuss the expected dangers and to develop models for regulations that will come into force with the introduction of the technology.
When it comes to information security standards, we do not encounter new difficulties because these standards already exist and can be applied to any existing cyber security field, but, in my opinion, a uniform standard on the subject will assure that all vehicles manufactured around the world will be protected at an equal level.
As I presented above, my estimate is that the main legal problem will be in the area of torts and that the judges of the future will be expected to encounter an issue that has never been discussed. The difficulty in discussing such an issue is that it is necessary to know the technology in order to determine what the legal tests will be discussed in court and it is expected that there will be a lot of help from experts in the field. In my opinion, the cases of breaking into a car and causing damage from it will be few in the world and there will be a lot of use of the comparative law. Although this field is not known to the public, many startup companies have started to emerge, and the car companies are investing a lot of money (US$837 million until 2024) to prevent the next disaster.
In conclusion, the next big technology will be in the automotive world and will come into effect faster than we expect and than we can prepare for it. New fields of laws, and perhaps even dedicated courses in legal studies will try to provide an adequate response in the future.
ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AS A WORLDVIEW AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AND HORSES AND CARRIAGES
By Oren Eliash - Marketing and Sales Manager
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the world depended on horses, but how much? A lot.
The world economy could not exist without relying on the horse and carriages to move goods and people from village to village, city to city and country to country.
In fact, the very existence of a governmental entity as a country could not exist effectively without the infrastructure of horses and carriages that would transmit communication messages, instructions, orders, and procedures and allow the central government to manage its sovereign territories effectively.
Mankind could be in a completely different place without the knowledge in the various fields of science that has spread around the world, with its "Internet" infrastructure being the horse and buggy.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the individual, the common citizen in the country depended in another critical way on the horse and carriage system for his livelihood, for the satisfaction of his basic needs such as food and essential consumer products.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the world stood, according to the best experts of the time, at the threshold of an unsolvable global crisis, one that could damage the fabric of life in a human way.
What escaped the eyes of those experts?
They took London as an example: in London at the time there were tens of thousands of horses around the city, "car" horses, "taxi" horses, "transport truck" horses, "ambulance" horses, "merchant fleet" horses and much more.
Horses, as we know, produce "garbage", a lot of garbage, an adult horse can produce over 6 kg of feces per day, when multiplying the daily amount by the huge number of horses around London, one can only describe the sanitary condition of the streets.
And how do you dispose of the horse manure? Bring more horses.
In addition, as we know, horses also die at one point or another, and therefore it was not uncommon to see a horse corpse on the streets waiting to be removed.
The citizens were simply poisoned by the situation in the city streets and as the number of horses in the city increased, so did the pollution.
When they took all these parameters into account, the experts warned in an 1894 article in the "London Times" that within several decades, the streets of London would be flooded with horse excrement at a height of 3 meters across the length and breadth of the city.
The situation was so serious and alarming that it was discussed in 1898 at the first urban planning conference in New York by the best minds and by experts in many fields, but no solution was in sight. The problem was seen as unsolvable and the vision of urban living seemed destined to fail over time.
SOMETIMES ONE PERSON WITH A VISION THAT BREAKS BOUNDARIES AND DESIGNS A PATH IS ENOUGH.
Although the first "car" was already produced in 1770 in France (in the form of a three-wheeler and a steam engine) and later in 1862 they managed to assemble the first car with an internal combustion engine which significantly advanced the field, the cars of those days were cumbersome, unreliable, and very expensive to manufacture and were far from being accepted by the public as a practical transportation machine.
Although the first production line was established in 1902 by Ransom Olds (Oldsmobile company), the one who undoubtedly broke the ground and perfected the idea of the production line using the "moving film" method was Henry Ford.
In 1913 Henry Ford established the first efficient production line according to modern industrial standards. The revolutionary idea was that each worker would be responsible for a specific, short, and repetitive action or series of actions, for example, screwing several screws in a certain part, the same part, all the time.
This allowed rapid professionalization and short training of the workers, significantly increasing the production rate, and lowering the production costs to commercial and marketing viability of the private car.
From here the road to mass production of cars was short. In the nineteen thirties, the "Beetle" was already being produced in Germany. It is the car model that was produced for the longest time and in the largest quantity ever in the world.
And so almost like a magic wand, the unsolvable problem was solved, a problem that could have been on the minds of all humanity.
EVEN TODAY, IN 2022, WE ALL HAVE THE THOUGHT, WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
The roads are tiresomely packed with cars, bumper to bumper, parking is a rare commodity, driving in the city centers has become a nightmare, every trip in the middle of a working day on Israeli roads requires careful planning of the calculation of the travel time considering the traffic situation, sometimes a trip of a few kilometers can take half an hour or more, and, in addition, we must remember pollution.
In general, the private car is starting to be a problem, a very disturbing problem.
Now we don't have a better alternative.
Don’t we?... The automotive industry is starting to change before our eyes, both in the forms of propulsion that are slowly changing (electricity, hydrogen, solar energy and more) and in the concept of transportation as such. It is not impossible that in 2-3 decades non of us will have a private car nor will we need one. We will will travel comfortably in a public autonomous vehicle.
Or maybe we just don't see what's just around the corner? Time will tell...
TRENDS IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL VEHICLE WORLD
By Avi Biton- VP Technologies
In this article, I will review the trends in the automotive field with a focus on recently developed auxiliary systems that significantly assist in safety, the driving experience and in turning the vehicle into a computer on wheels.
Renew!!
So, the long-awaited moment has finally arrived. A few weeks ago, you went into the dealership (or maybe some online site?), you chose your new vehicle, you paid, you waited and there it was.
If until a decade or two ago most vehicles were very similar to each other in terms of technological features, today the situation is completely different. Each car model differs from the competition in a large variety of parameters and technological upgrades. Some of them are related to the safety issues of the driver, passengers and other road users and others are related to the comfort and driving experience of the driver - if he is still in control of the vehicle, or the user experience of the passengers with him.
In this review, I will detail several areas and products that used to be the property of premium vehicles only and today are found in intermediate models and sometimes even in the simplest models.
I'll start with an overview of the safety field:
There is no doubt that this is a very significant parameter in the decision to purchase our next vehicle. Today's vehicles are significantly safer than the models that preceded them and there are dozens of safety systems that are already a regulatory requirement. Additions that are not mandatory as such, will upgrade the vehicle's specifications but will also increase the price despite the credit points that the importer will receive during the customs clearance process. In the end, the matter of safety systems is less tangible in the eyes of the customer at the time of purchase, but its importance is dramatic throughout the entire life of the vehicle.
ADAS SYSTEMS - "ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS"
(Advanced driver assistance systems). This concept describes a group of technologies and systems that work together to help drivers drive more safely. These systems use a variety of sensors and technologies to detect movement and objects around the vehicle and assist the driver in performing actions to prevent accidents.
For example, sensors and cameras using appropriate software can identify other cars on the road and give a warning when there is a risk of collision from any direction depending on the location of the sensors. Other systems can give an alert when the vehicle is about to leave the traffic lane or if the road is not in good condition. There are also ADAS systems that assist in parking or preventing collision with objects when rear parking. We are witnessing a constant decrease in collisions in the field and, the more demand there is to import models with higher safety specifications, the better.
DRIVER DROWSINESS WARNING SYSTEM
More than once we struggle with ourselves to stay alert while driving. Turning on the air conditioner or the sound system is not always effective in keeping us alert. In the last decade,quite a few systems have been developed which have revolutionized the protection against falling asleep.
For example, you can specify the warning system when the driver falls asleep. In this system, using a camera and advanced technology, the system detects when the driver starts to fall asleep and warns him about it. The system uses a variety of sensors and technologies to detect the signs that indicate falling asleep, signs such as contraction and expansion of the pupils in the eyes, movements of the head and hands, and others that indicate fatigue and lack of full control of the vehicle. If the system detects signs of falling asleep, it will alert the driver by sounding an alarm and displaying a message on the vehicle's dashboard.
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM IN A DEAD ZONE:
More than once, when we are driving, suddenly, at the last second, a vehicle "pops up" at us that we were unable to locate while we were looking in the mirrors or understanding the full picture and estimating the distance from that vehicle.
Systems for identifying vehicles in the "dead" areas allow us to be alerted in real time about possible danger if we want to take a certain action such as entering a lane that is not available. The technology developed and the sensors installed in the vehicle allow us to identify vehicles approaching our "dead zone".
A blind spot is defined as any place on the road that the driver cannot see through a slight head movement or using the vehicle's mirrors (central and side). This system uses the sensors installed in the vehicle to detect vehicles, people, or obstacles in the blind spot, and informs the driver of this by displaying an audible warning or an indicator in the mirrors or on the display screen. The system uses technologies such as a radar sensor or cameras to identify the vehicles approaching from behind and thus provides accurate information and allows the driver to stay away from dangers and maintain his safety and the safety of other road users while driving or parking.
DISTRACTION WARNING SYSTEM:
This system detects when the driver calls from the cell phone while driving or is dangerously distracted from driving and warns him about it. The system detects when the driver is not looking ahead in the direction of travel and monitors other parameters such as steering wheel control versus the lane and more.
The next stage of the systems we mentioned is a transition from a state of warning before a certain danger to taking control of the vehicle to one degree or another. Today, some vehicles are equipped with the ability to turn the above-mentioned alerts into active actions of the vehicle even if the driver has not decided to carry them out. The vehicle will be able to turn the steering wheel to maintain the lane, brake before a collision and so on, and we haven't mentioned autonomous driving yet..
A FRENCH CAR IS COMFORT! NOT IN THIS REVIEW.
So far, we have reviewed several systems and areas about safety, but when it comes to choosing a vehicle, an equally important matter is the comfort of the ride and the "entertainment" systems that the vehicle allows us. It starts with the media system, whose capabilities are now expanded to control a wide range of actions beyond listening to music and making calls and continues with a variety of sensors and cameras whose role is to assist us in driving operations or making it easier for us to perform operations without distracting us. Below is an overview of several systems in this field.
THE REVERSING CAMERA IN THE CAR
It is a technological system designed to assist the driver while parking or reversing. The camera is installed in the rear of the vehicle and displays a wide-angle image behind the vehicle on the display screen in the seat compartment or on the multimedia screen in the central console.
The camera helps the driver identify dangers that could cause financial damage or injury to another person.
AUTOMATIC PARKING SYSTEM
This system upgrades the capabilities of the reverse camera with parking assistance and performs the parking by itself with the push of a button. This technology allows the vehicle to park automatically, without the need for the driver to interfere with the direction, movement, or distances around the vehicle. The system uses sensors, cameras, and advanced algorithms to fully identify and navigate the vehicle in the parking process.
ROAD CAMERAS
A road camera is an important tool for every driver. It takes pictures of the road during the trip and allows you to get a clear picture of what happened in the event of an accident or malfunction. There are also car cameras that display additional information about the trip, such as the speed of the vehicle and the behavior of other drivers on the road, and record everything that happened during the trip.
NAVIGATION SYSTEM
Today we cannot imagine our life without a navigation system for travel. Here in Israel, the Waze system is the leading navigation system, but in the world, there are other companies even beyond the technology giants (Google, Apple, etc.). The navigation system is an important tool for every driver. It shows our current location and offers routes and directions to the desired destination. Of course, linking the system to the network also makes it possible to receive information about traffic congestion, dangers on the road, and more, and based on this information to plan the most correct route to the desired destination.
ANDROID AUTO SYSTEM
The Android car system is an operating system based on Android technology, designed to control a variety of features and functions in the car, such as the sound system, the entertainment and multimedia system, the navigation system and more.
The system is installed with a touch screen of different sizes and allows the driver to perform various actions to control the various features of the vehicle. The system uses modern technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to connect to smartphone devices as well as to connect to the Internet, which allows the driver to have access to a wide variety of applications and services while driving.
The system allows the driver to control many different functions, such as playing radio programs, installing navigation applications, receiving weather information, searching for points of interest, receiving news, accessing social networks, and more. Also, the system allows the driver to perform various actions using voice commands, which makes driving easier and safer.
CARPLAY SYSTEM:
If we described in the previous paragraph the Android system for the car, it is impossible not to mention the biggest rival from the United States, which is Apple's iOS-based operating system. The system is designed to control features and functions in the vehicle, such as the sound system, the navigation system, the entertainment, and multimedia system and more.
With the help of the CarPlay system, the driver can connect his iPhone to the vehicle's audio system and control the various operations using the touch screen built into the vehicle system. The system will present the driver with a friendly and easy-to-use interface, which allows him to perform actions such as making calls, sending messages, navigation, playing music, receiving information about the weather and more.
The system works, among other things, using the Siri voice control technology, and allows the driver to perform the above actions using voice commands only.
There are many safety and comfort systems,and, in this review, I have tried to present the main ones.
We, at Shayke’s Accessories, also work on developing systems - mainly in the field of driving comfort - for the car and especially for customers of the movement devices group.
Among other things, we developed the Wac&Talk system. This system allows voice control of many important functions in the car, including dialing contacts, playing music from the radio, smartphone or various music apps, navigating anywhere you want, sending personal reminders, opening cellular gates and more. All this without taking your hands off the wheel not even for a single moment. The system also won the Product of the Year Award in 2019.
In addition, we developed the NAAPS system designed to prevent distractions arising from the use of a cell phone while driving.
In conclusion, it is important for me to point out that until the day - and it is not far - when we will drive autonomous vehicles at level 5, which is the highest level that allows for completely autonomous driving without a steering wheel and pedals, any driving assistance system, both safety and comfort systems, does not replace the personal responsibility that we have as drivers, to be alert and drive safely according to all traffic rules and laws.
Have a good and safe trip!
CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE MODERN ERA
By Yoni Malka - VP of Service
THE SERVICE REVOLUTION
In recent decades, customer service centers have undergone a real revolution.
When we think of a customer service hotline, we usually imagine some frustrated employees, with the phone in hand, haggling with the customer and trying to end the conversation with the minimum expense for the company. This was indeed true, but companies that continued in this line, large and small, found themselves in the era of social networks in a very difficult problem of customer abandonment due to a single customer call that happened to reach a person with a certain influence.
SOCIAL NETWORKS, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
Nowadays, with the development of advanced technologies and social networks, almost everyone has an influence on his environment and his family, and he does not have to try to convey to many potential customers or even real customers (through dedicated Facebook groups) a message of satisfaction / dissatisfaction with the same service or product recently purchased.
It is important to understand that the quality of customer service does not only contribute to maintaining existing customers, but also to opening a gate for new customers. Communities that use social networks and the Internet in general can damage the credibility of companies and reduce their reputation dramatically. Therefore, it is important to remember that the quality of the service will ultimately help create future revenues and not just immediate expenses.
So how does product quality affect service? Or maybe the other way around?
With the progress of the global production processes and the sensitivity to the product’s price, the differences between the products and their quality are blurring and therefore a significant part of the differentiation on which a company that wants to retain its customers relies is quality customer service.
In addition, insights that emerge from the customer service system can often improve and optimize work processes and even the product itself. The customer service is a sort of internal barometer for the company's activity and collateral faults will surface very quickly, thus the company will be able to deal with the matter more quickly and efficiently than by relying on internal quality control systems that test products in a sample basis.
THE SERVICE CENTER IS THE BEATING HEART OF THE COMPANY
So how do we get our service people to solve problems and not just "take the calls"? The service personnel mostly try to cause high satisfaction of their customers, but sometimes and especially following the demands of management and the finance department, the focus will be on the operational efficiency of the service center, instead of customer satisfaction.
An example of this can be seen in the "number of calls per hour" index that some service centers measure. This measure has a negative effect on customer satisfaction, because the representative with whom they are speaking tries to make the conversation as short as possible in order to meet one or another goal, and the customer on the other end feels this as impatience. This may only worsen the service call and bring it to a more difficult and expensive situation to resolve.
Even in the aspect of organizational efficiency, the index does not serve the organization. True efficiency is measured by the number of services calls the representative solved per hour and not by the number of calls answered.
In addition, this creates repeated calls from customers, whose problem has not been solved, and ultimately it harms the organizational efficiency.
QUALITY OR QUANTITY?
If so, what is the right thing to measure? Before answering this question, it is useful to realize that a satisfied customer and organizational efficiency are two sides of the same coin. A satisfied customer does not often call the service center, and, if he does - his problem is usually solved in the first call. On the other hand, an unsatisfied customer calls many times, employs management levels in the organization and tends to leave and defame the company as a witness to legal proceedings.
If so, the right metrics to measure at the service center are metrics from the customer's point of view and not the finance departments.
From the customer's point of view, the three most important parameters are: receiving an answer in as short a time as possible (up to 2 minutes of waiting), a pleasant and calm conversation and a solution to the issue for which he contacted the hotline.
Most organizations measure customer satisfaction through satisfaction surveys. Studies carried out on the subject show that customers whose problem were solved in the first conversation were very satisfied and only three percent of them tended to abandon. In contrast, customers whose problem was not resolved in the first call, were not satisfied and 38% of them tended to abandon.
If this index is so important, why are the service centers ignoring it? The main reason is a lack of awareness of the economic importance of managing this index at the service centers. The second reason is the difficulty in measuring it.
WE MUST EXPAND THE POWERS OF THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE!
Managers of companies or service centers who wish to increase their customer satisfaction, would do well to focus on measuring the data that contributes to customer satisfaction. This focus will ultimately also lead to improved organizational efficiency.
When the service representatives are given authority with regard to refunds to customers, of course only in cases where the representative is convinced that there is room for a refund, the result will be positive from every point of view: the customers will be more satisfied due to the quick handling without waiting for a manager's approval, the service representatives will be more satisfied due to the responsibility and trust they have received, and the organization was rewarded by the fact that the number of returning customers decreased.
It turns out that when a budget is given for the representative's consideration, he keeps it more strictly and manages to make the customers satisfied even when they did not receive a refund in the disputed cases.
And a final word…
Customer service is hard work and sometimes ungrateful, but as we have learned, it is critical to the existence of any company that respects itself and wants to continue to exist in the modern era.
At Shayke’s Accessories, we have engraved on our banner the quality of service as the first factor in terms of our differentiation in front of the market. Despite the significant costs of the service department in the company, we believe that beyond being fair to our customers, even on an economic level at the end of the day, the service justifies its cost.
More than once we have been required to make a decision on a considerable expense for a certain service call and we have always tried to put ourselves in the customer's shoes and also tried to see the big picture as described above.
So how can we help you?(:
מערכות Infotainment לרכבים – סוגים, כיוונים ומגמות
מאת : אלון קמיר , מהנדס מחשבים , פיתוח מערכות טכניות לרכבים
בשנים האחרונות אנו עדים לערב רב של מערכות לרכב. היצרנים המסורתיים כגון פיוניר, קנווד, פנסוניק, אלפיין ואחרים ייצרו במשך השנים מערכות אשר נמכרו ליצרני הרכב הגדולים וכן נמכרו דרך משווקים בשוק המשני – שוק האפטר מרקט. בעולם נעים כיום כ1.4 מיליארד רכבים כך שהכמויות שהחברות הללו ייצרו לאורך השנים אינן מבוטלות, התחרות הייתה עזה ולשוק נכנסו עוד יצרנים רבים. חלקם מותגים ידועים וחלקם הופיעו לראשונה ממש בעשור האחרון.
לאחרונה אנו עדים לשתי מגמות בולטות בתחום. מגמה ראשונה – ייצור מערכות "פתוחות" – מערכות אנדרואיד המיוצרות בעיקר על ידי יצרנים במזרח הרחוק, אשר השכילו והצליחו תוך זמן קצר לפתח ולייצר מערכות המאפשרות הטמעה של אפליקציות ויישומים לטובת הנהגים, כגון אפליקציות המאפשרות פתיחת ערוצי שיחה, הפעלת סרטונים, הפעלת רדיו אינטרנטי, פתיחת שערים וכן הלאה. המגמה השנייה לה אנו עדים היא כניסתם של השחקנים הגדולים כגון חברת גוגל וחברת אפל לתחום, ופיתוח מערכות הבידור ברכב באופן בו חברות אלו רוצות לעשות זאת באמצעות ה"אנרואיד אוטו"וה"אפלקארפליי".
אנדרואיד אוטו וקארפליי - מערכות ההפעלה לרכב של ענקיות הטכנולוגיה
אנדרואיד אוטו וקארפליי הן שתי מערכות הפעלה לרכב שפותחו על ידי ענקיות הטכנולוגיה גוגל ואפל, בהתאמה. מערכות אלו מאפשרות למשתמשים להשתמש באפליקציות האהובות עליהם מהטלפון החכם שלהם בזמן הנסיעה, בצורה בטוחה יותר ונוחה יותר.
רקע
אנדרואיד אוטו הושקה בשנת 2014, וקארפליי הושקה בשנת 2015. שתי המערכות מבוססות על ממשק משתמש פשוט וקל לתפעול, עם לחצנים גדולים וסמלים ברורים. המערכות תומכות במגוון רחב של אפליקציות, כולל אפליקציות ניווט, מוזיקה, הודעות, ועוד.
חשוב לציין כי חלק מהמערכות תומכות בעברית ולחלקן טרם בוצעה התאמה לצרכי הלקוח הישראלי כך שקיים צורך למצוא פתרון אשר ישלב את כל האופציות ללקוח – פתרון אשר יאפשר הפעלה נוחה, אפליקציות מגוונות וכמובן הפעלה בשפה העברית.
מה מאפשרות המערכות
אנדרואיד אוטו וקארפליי מאפשרות למשתמשים לבצע מגוון פעולות בזמן הנסיעה ולדוגמה :
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ניווט: תמיכה במגוון אפליקציות ניווט, כולל וויז, וגוגל מפות.
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השמעת מוזיקה: תמיכה במגוון אפליקציות סטרימינג, כולל Spotify, Apple Music, ו-YouTube Music. נציין שלגביי אפליקציית YouTube, קיים בישראל איסור להפעלה בזמן נסיעה.
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שליחת הודעות: תמיכה בהודעות טקסט, שיחות טלפון, ודואר אלקטרוני.
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קבלת הנחיות: תמיכה בהנחיות קוליות, המאפשרות למשתמשים לשלוט במערכת ללא צורך להסיר את הידיים מההגה. במקרה של אנדרואיד אוטו המערכת עדיין אינה תומכת באופן מלא בשפה העברית ובמקרה של הקארפליי ההפעלה כרגע באנגלית דבר המחייב שרשימת אנשי הקשר תהיה באנגלית
מה צופן לנו העתיד ?
אנדרואיד אוטו וקארפליי צפויות להמשיך לצמוח בשנים הקרובות. שתי המערכות הן כבר כמו סטנדרט בתעשיית הרכב, ורוב יצרני הרכב הגדולים מציעים תמיכה באחד או בשני הפתרונות.
מתחרים
מלבד גוגל ואפל, ישנם גם מתחרים נוספים בשוק מערכות ההפעלה לרכב. אחד המתחרים הבולטים הוא מירור-לינק, מערכת הפעלה שיתופית שפותחה על ידי קבוצת יצרני רכב שונים, ומאפשרת שיקוף מלא של מסך הטלפון החכם למסך המערכת. אבל ככל הנראה הבכורה תמשיך להיות לשתי הענקיות. אם נהיה כנים, נראה שאין כמעט תחרות ממשית היום מלבד שתי השחקניות המרכזיות. אנומניחים שבשנים הקרובות נראה את התערבותהמחוקק וזאת בכדי למנוע הגבלה של הלקוחות משימוש בלעדי של יישומים של גוגל ואפל. .
יצרני רכב
רוב יצרני הרכב הגדולים, כנראה "נכנעו" ומציעים תמיכה בגוגל אנדרואיד אוטו ואפל קארפליי בלבד. בין היתר, ניתן למצוא תמיכה במערכות אלו בדגמים של יצרנים כמו פולקסווגן, פורד, BMW, מרצדס, שברולט, יונדאי, ועוד. אנו סבורים שאם הבחירה הייתה אצל יצרני הרכב, היו אלו האחרונים מנסים לפתח מערכת משלהם וזאת בכדי להוריד את התלות בגוגל ובאפל – תלות אשר יכולה לעלות להם בעתיד הון ולגרום לכך שכל אחת מהענקיות הללו יהפכו למתחרה גדול ומשמעותי בתחום הרכב, דבר אשר יכול לגרום להשבתת ערך בקרב היצרנים הגדולים והמסורתיים שגם ככה נלחמים כיום עם כמעט הכפלה של כמות יצרני הרכב בעולם. רק בסין עצמה התווספו כמה עשרות יצרני רכב בעשור האחרון. חלק לא מבוטל מדגמי הרכבים שלהם אף מוצג ומשווק בישראל.
סיכום
אנו מאמינים שבשנים הקרובות נראה עוד פיתוחים ויישומים וככל שיעבור הזמן הרכבים יהיו יותר מחוברים ומקושרים ומערכת המולטימדיה שכיכבה במרכז הדשבורד תוחלף במערכת מתקדמת – מערכת מחשב אשר תשלב גם בידור, גם יישומים, גם ניווט, גם שליטה על מערכות הרכב ועוד דברים כיד הדמיון. במקביל נראה גם שחברות הענק - גוגל ואפל ימשיכו להציע את מרכולתם לעוד יצרנים ויגדילו את רמת השימושיות והקישוריות דבר אשר ייצר להם סוג של One stop shop. מבחינתם הם רוצים "לפגוש" את הלקוח כמעט בכל נקודת מגע והשאיפה שלהם שהלקוח ישתמש בטלפון בבית, ברחוב, במקום העבודה וכמובן לאורך כל הנסיעה והשהות שלו ברכב. רק לצורך ההמחשה, בחברת פייסבוק שקלו בעבר לפתח ולייצר רכב אוטונומי ובכך "להרוויח" מכל נוסע עוד "זמן שימוש" של עשרות דקות ביום ביישום וזאת לאור הזמן הפנוי שהיו מייצרים לו – דבר אשר היה מייצר להם הכנסה לא מבוטלת.