Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Delphi Automotive Join Battelle CyberAuto Challenge

COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwired - Jun 4, 2014) - New supporters will join Battelle this summer for the third annual Battelle CyberAuto Challenge, a five-day, practicum-based camp designed to address cybersecurity in automobiles for students, engineers, scientists, policy leaders and white hat "hackers."

These supporters are the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Delphi Automotive PLC. The MEDC is the State of Michigan's lead advocate charged with promoting economic growth in the state through business development, jobs creation, tourism and business assistance programs. Delphi is a leading global supplier of technologies for the automotive and commercial vehicle markets.

Battelle, the world's largest nonprofit research and development organization and a leader in STEM education as well as cybersecurity and connected-vehicle technology, developed the CyberAuto Challenge in 2012 to champion science and technology as a career choice for today's youth. Today's vehicles have more computational power than most laptops and increasingly sophisticated communications systems that could be vulnerable to corruption, misuse or unauthorized access.

"The addition of the MEDC and Delphi to our growing list of supporters to the CyberAuto Challenge is very significant," said Karl Heimer, director of Battelle's Center for Advanced Vehicle Environments. "It shows that government and industry recognize that there is a growing need for automotive cybersecurity engineers. But it also demonstrates that entities such as the MEDC and Delphi are prepared to step forward and do something about it. They are helping us create opportunities for talented kids interested in computers, computer code and ethical hacking to embark on a cybersecurity career in the automotive industry."

At the event, students will be divided into teams with an equal ratio of working professionals from a variety of organizations, including automotive manufacturers, federal agencies such as the U.S. Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security and Defense and research organizations. During the week-long educational and training event, the teams will participate in daily lecture and instruction in subjects such as secure system design, secure programming, embedded systems, IT law and ethics. Then, each day, they will apply their new knowledge to practical challenges on actual cars. Many of the sessions will have time constraints to simulate real-world conditions.

"We're are very pleased that Michigan is hosting the 2014 Challenge and we look forward to building on this opportunity and working with Battelle and the industry to help grow Michigan's future cyber auto engineers," said Nigel Francis, senior vice president, Automotive Office of the MEDC.

Delphi will host the event July 13-18 at its offices in Troy, MI.

"Cybersecurity is a growing challenge for the auto industry, and Delphi has led the way in highlighting the issues facing future automated vehicles," said Jeff Owens, Delphi chief technology officer. "This challenge is an important opportunity to bring together various parties and brainstorm best approaches for a reality that is in the very near future for our industry."

A trusted leader in national security, Battelle has unparalleled experience in cybersecurity, providing risk analysis, threat assessment and detection, countermeasures and other security services to federal agencies and financial services companies. Battelle's work in automotive technology includes contributions to the development of anti-lock brakes and cruise control, as well as crash safety and collision avoidance programs with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Battelle is applying that expertise to the automotive industry's growing need for security and performance technologies that protect the connected car, creating a portfolio of cyber automotive products and services. This offering includes a new technology, called NEM, which Battelle is currently testing with several automotive manufacturers. NEM applies machine-learning to understand normal behaviors through vehicle usage and then detect system anomalies. NEM can alert the driver, intervene or alert authorities, depending on the severity of the threat.

Another innovative automotive technology from Battelle, VITAL™, provides drivers with a wide variety of real-time vehicle telematics data that can be used to monitor and coach driver behavior, conduct performance based maintenance, and even update and fine-tune engine and performance parameters.

Visit the Battelle CyberAuto Challenge page at www.battelle.org/cyber-auto-challenge or follow @Battelle and use the #cyberauto hashtag on Twitter.

About Battelle

Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.