Self-driving vehicles have become a hot topic in recent years, with many car manufacturers investing heavily in the development of this technology. While self-driving vehicles offer numerous benefits, such as increased safety and reduced traffic congestion, they also pose significant security risks. This paper will explore the security issues of self-driving vehicles, including theft of personal data, mobile application security vulnerabilities, and the lack of “designed-in” security issues. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of these security issues and to propose solutions to mitigate them. To support this argument, this paper will draw on four journal articles published between 2017 and 2021.

Theft of personal data is one of the most significant security issues associated with self-driving vehicles. As self-driving vehicles become more prevalent, they will collect vast amounts of data about their passengers, including their location, driving habits, and personal preferences. This data is highly valuable to advertisers, hackers, and other malicious actors, who could use it for nefarious purposes. According to a study by Kshetri and Voas (2017), self-driving vehicles are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which could result in the theft of personal data.

Mobile application security vulnerabilities are another significant security issue associated with self-driving vehicles. Many self-driving vehicles rely on mobile applications to control various functions, such as unlocking the doors and starting the engine. However, these applications are often poorly secured, making them vulnerable to hacking. According to a study by Alharbi et al. (2019), mobile applications used in self-driving vehicles are often developed without adequate security measures, making them easy targets for hackers.

Finally, the lack of “designed-in” security issues is a significant concern for self-driving vehicles. Unlike traditional vehicles, self-driving vehicles are designed to be connected to the internet, which makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. However, many self-driving vehicles are not designed with security in mind, which makes them easy targets for hackers. According to a study by Kshetri and Voas (2017), self-driving vehicles need to be designed with security in mind from the outset to mitigate these risks.

In conclusion, self-driving vehicles offer numerous benefits, but they also pose significant security risks. Theft of personal data, mobile application security vulnerabilities, and the lack of “designed-in” security issues are just a few of the security issues associated with self-driving vehicles. To mitigate these risks, car manufacturers need to invest in robust security measures and design self-driving vehicles with security in mind from the outset.