Jan. 19, 2015—TowerSec was named the Hottest Startup in 2015 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) for its work on automotive cyber security. Its ECUSHIELD onboard software is intended to help stop vehicle cyber threats now and in the future.
The award was given during the Ignition 2015 conference, which was hosted by Crain's Detroit Business and NAIAS. It showcased the latest technology in the automotive sector and featured entrepreneurs working to make their mark on the auto industry.
TowerSec was one of five companies presenting breakthrough technologies. It was chosen as the Hottest Startup in 2015 by conference attendees, which included investors, engineers, government officials, business leaders and other interested parties.
"Vehicles today have more connectivity than personal computers," Bruce Coventry, chairman of TowerSec, said in a release. "That opens the door to hackers and cyber attacks that compromise automotive safety and security and put lives and personal data at risk. Hackers can obtain private data, cause accidents, kidnap passengers and turn driverless cars into lethal weapons ... and they can do it remotely."
This poses a threat that automakers must overcome to ensure the safety and security of their customers while keeping vehicles connected. The threat will be even greater when self-driving or autonomous cars become available.
The cost of TowerSec’s onboard software, ECUSHIELD, is less than $10 per vehicle. It requires a single installation, needs no redesign and can be easily updated.
"For the cost of movie ticket, ECUSHIELD can detect cyber threats and prevent attacks in real-time," Coventry said. "Our goal is to provide the software today that will stop cyber threats now and in the future. That software is ECUSHIELD."
ECUSHIELD provides continuous updates and identifies new threats to the vehicle. It consistently prevents malicious communication intrusions from reaching mission critical systems inside the vehicle that could put lives and personal data at risk. It is flexible and can be easily and cost effectively installed in new and used vehicles, including fleets.
