Quantum Key Distribution for V2I communications with software‐defined networking

Abstract

The evolution of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) promises improvements in our travel experience and the potential to enhance road safety and reduce environmental impact. This will be utilising highly diverse traffic environments that enable several advanced mobility applications. A secure, efficient, reliable, and resilient communications infrastructure is required to support developments in these CAV systems. Next generation of telecommunication networks will seamlessly integrate terrestrial, satellite, and airborne networks into a single wireless system satisfying the requirements of trustworthy future transport systems. Given the increasing importance of CAVs, coupled with their attractiveness as a cyber‐attack for threat agents (e.g., disruption of transportation systems by nation states), security is paramount. Future communications systems offer an opportunity to integrate Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) into vehicular environments, protecting against advances in quantum computation that render many of the classical algorithms that underpin Public Key Infrastructure obsolete. This paper proposes a method for the integration of QKD in V2I networks to enable secure data communication. Quantum Key Distribution is used in the end‐to‐end path of vehicle‐to‐infrastructure (V2I) networks. Furthermore, an overarching Software‐Defined Network, with integrated QKD, is introduced. We have investigated the security performance of QKD in a V2I network over an urban environment.

Blending Efficiency and Resilience in the Performance Assessment of Urban Intersections: A Novel Heuristic Informed by Literature Review

“…Given the growing significance of cooperative driving technologies and their vulnerability to cyber threats, security is crucial. Incorporating Quantum Key Distribution into vehicle-to-infrastructure networks safeguards against quantum computational advances, ensuring secure data communication in urban settings [44]. A similar concern is tackled by [45], focusing on a novel framework for robust autonomous navigation in challenging, unfamiliar environments with mobility-stressing factors like uneven terrain, steep slopes, negative obstacles, and limited visibility due to dust or fog.…”

“…The system addressed the absence of GPS, degraded perception, and the lack of prior maps, necessitating real-time on-board computation using noisy sensor data. In this context, Stavdas et al [44] suggested integrating a cryptographic protocol into vehicle-to-infrastructure networks to protect against advancements in quantum computing, thereby ensuring secure data communication in urban settings. However, connected autonomous vehicles represent a significant opportunity for shaping efficient transportation systems.…”