With rising cyber threats and new international cybersecurity regulations imminent, virtual desktop infrastructure could be key to automotive businesses thriving.
As future industry success is dependent on automakers implementing new technologies to boost collaboration, according to McKinsey, business leaders find themselves navigating unparalleled digital transformation. Ever-changing market conditions are driving firms to better empower global workforces and supply chains throughout the full vehicle life cycle.
However, the complexity of worldwide supplier networks and technological advancements in vehicles are not only propelling the sector forward but have also exposed it to unprecedented cyber risk. With cyberattacks in the industry increasing at an alarming pace and new international regulations on the horizon, the urgency for robust security measures is undeniable.
Vulnerabilities exposed
Two-thirds (64 percent) of automakers believe their supply chains to be vulnerable, with particular concerns being infotainment systems, over-the-air updates and vehicle-to-vehicle communications. As connectivity increases, fears over exploitation of autonomous vehicles and risk of consumer data compromise are also growing.
New international UN155/156 regulations come into force in July 2024, requiring automotive businesses to implement effective cybersecurity measures covering the full vehicle life cycle, from development and production through to customer use.
A staggering number of automakers are ill-prepared, with 42 percent of C-level executives admitting they lack a plan to meet the compliance deadline. They risk severe consequences – failure to comply could result in production being shut down.
The unpleasant truth is that cybercrime is evolving at a pace that outstrips investment in defenses.
Increasing IT infrastructure complexity also poses significant security risks.
Traditional on-premise workstations are costly and time-consuming to procure, maintain and protect, while cloud adoption and remote working hamper cybersecurity efforts by expanding attack surfaces.
How can automakers meet mounting cybersecurity demands while simultaneously improving global collaboration?
A beacon of hope
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is emerging as a beacon of hope offering secure digital workspaces for industry professionals to work effectively and supply chain teams to collaborate seamlessly.
Providing secure access to tools and data, VDI overcomes common vulnerabilities inherent in virtual private network (VPN) and remote desktop protocol (RDP) solutions.
By centralizing data and applications, VDI minimizes the risks of data breaches associated with endpoint devices.
Project information remains safely stored within a controlled environment, with policy-based access via virtual desktops managed by IT teams, and updates and security patches rolled out quickly to all users. Furthermore, in the event of a disaster, VDI facilitates swift recovery, minimizing downtime and safeguarding business continuity.
The road ahead
It’s fair to say, though, that adoption of VDI in the automotive industry hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
Off-the-shelf platforms have failed to meet visualization and rendering requirements, and rollouts have been impacted by demands from design applications such as Creo Parametric 3D Modelling, Autodesk, SolidWorks, AutoCAD and Fusion 360.
Now VDI purpose-built for the industry is proving to be an effective solution to overcome such issues, enabling secure collaboration for even the most demanding industry applications.
Successful long-term delivery of these bespoke platforms requires continuous monitoring and optimization, so it's worth being honest about in-house resources. By leveraging specialist expertise via fully managed solutions, many design and engineering firms have been able to unlock greater business benefits from VDI for around the same outlay.
With security and compliance paramount, IT leaders should decide where VDI workloads sit - on-premise, in the cloud or in a seamless hybrid model to suit individual needs. Given the highly sensitive nature of automotive design and engineering, a private cloud setup may be preferred over public cloud.
In this journey toward a more secure and productive future, the automotive industry is turning to new technologies to navigate through an increasingly turbulent landscape.
Using purpose-built VDI solutions, automakers are creating secure digital workspaces that boost collaboration and also tackle growing cybersecurity concerns.
These specialist enterprise-scale technologies offer a route for firms to both meet imminent regulatory challenges and also foster a culture of collective innovation, bringing new opportunities for businesses to thrive and driving the industry forward.
