In November 2023, Neya Systems started developing a cybersecurity standard for autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs). The effort focuses on enhancing the protection, mitigation, recovery, and adaptability of AGVs. It will do this by applying U.S. Department of Defense Zero Trust cybersecurity to its autonomy software.

Neya Systems aims to push its autonomy software beyond existing automotive security. To manage this task, the company said it will use the Autonomous Intelligent Cyberdefense Agent (AICA) reference architecture to apply cyber extensions to its Mission Planning and Management Software.

The company is currently developing, training, and testing its new cybersystems using its Virtual Integration and Simulation Environment. Neya Systems said this will enable it to safely develop new capabilities and demonstrate viability thousands of times before it starts field testing.

“By introducing and managing zero-trust principles for autonomy in vehicles, Neya Systems is paving the way for safer and more secure transportation systems,” said Kurt Bruck, division manager of Neya Systems.

“We are excited to be focused on developing technology that will establish a more secure future for our ground and autonomous vehicles," he added. "Our team is committed to delivering fully functional cyber autonomy that will help protect the safety and security of our nation’s commercial and defense-related transportation systems.”

The company’s goal for cyber autonomy is to intelligently identify threats and risks to autonomous missions. It is designed to be completely self-contained and capable of autonomously detecting, reporting, and defending against threats that can exploit or disrupt a mission. By implementing a suite of behavioral analytics to baseline an expected, normal state-of-vehicle operation, it can then leverage anomaly detection techniques that will act as the “intelligent” subsystem.

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