Growing EV adoption has put cybersecurity at stake. Besides the vehicle, a charging station could also be the target of hackers. Israel-based C2A Security focuses on developing cybersecurity solutions to manage the whole EV ecosystem, making the process more cost-effective.
Founded in 2016 by security expert Michael Dick, C2A just won the title of MIH Startup Ambassador in early November. It was one of the three companies that received the honor of MIH's startup program. MIH is an open EV consortium initiated by Foxconn.
C2A CEO Roy Fridman said joining the alliance means more companies would be exposed to C2A's technologies. In addition, with Foxconn's market traction, he said the title could facilitate the startup's presence in Asia.
During his trip to Taiwan for the MIH Demo Day, Fridman shared C2A's latest progress and ambition to grow in the Asian market with DIGITIMES Asia.
A solution that automates the security lifecycle
C2A launched a new cybersecurity management system, EVSec, in July. Fridman said it offers protection for the EV, charging station, grid and communication protocols between them.
The system automates the security lifecycle to make it more cost-effective and endure fewer human errors, Fridman said. It also can manage multiple vendors involved in the cybersecurity process and identify the one responsible for an incident.
Fridman said plenty of suppliers and vendors contribute to making an EV. The operation of a charging station involves several entities, like the payment service provider and the charging station operator. Since there is input from various players, it is critical to rapidly find and fix a cybersecurity problem in the EV ecosystem.
Fridman said C2A focuses on providing full lifecycle security protection for EVs because the communication among the car, charging station, and other devices is complicated. The company's solution also automates the cybersecurity process to reduce the deployment time and mistakes caused by manual work.
According to a press release, C2A is supporting a large energy conglomerate with its charging station deployment across Asia. Fridman said C2A makes sure the charging stations are well-protected with its solutions.
Asia ambition
Historically, C2A put more effort into the European and US markets. Fridman said the company signed an MOU with a major Tier-1 supplier in Europe. The strategic partnership will create ample opportunity for the company.
C2A recently collaborated with NTT DATA, a Japanese multinational IT company, at the latter's Global Automotive Security Test Center in Italy. According to C2A, the center delivers security tests on connected cars to protect them from cyber-attacks. C2A and Marelli, a local-based automotive supplier, worked together on the first project and used the flagship solution EVSec.
Furthermore, Fridman, who joined C2A about 10 months ago, said it is time to grow the Asian market.
In August, C2A announced that it partnered with ThunderSoft, a leading intelligent operating system products and technology provider based in China. According to an announcement, the pair will offer necessary tools for OEMs and suppliers in the country to identify and respond to cyberattacks.
"I think the key to successful penetration into Asia is having a more significant local presence and making sure that the solution is customized for the Asian market," Fridman said.
He added that China is especially motivated to bring the electric and connected vehicle revolution to the market. For example, the number of charging stations has grown steadily in past years. There have been plenty of activities around autonomous driving as well. Therefore, Fridman said the Chinese market could provide numerous opportunities.
Besides the ambition to gain its Asian presence, C2A intends to expand the applications of its solutions in the long term. Fridman said he wants the company to be the go-to platform for mobility cybersecurity and the leading supplier of cybersecurity DevOps.
C2A currently provides solutions for EVs and charging stations. The CEO said he aims to apply the company's products to all aspects of mobility and protect the communication of vehicle-to-everything.
In the future, Fridman said C2A will look for opportunities in other markets that have complex systems like mobility, requiring cybersecurity lifecycle management and product automation.
