DELTA

IT security and data protection are key components for the success of electric mobility. In the DELTA project, Fraunhofer SIT is working with project partners to develop a security profile for secure and privacy-compliant charging and billing of electric vehicles. Additionally, the project is developing guidelines for technical implementation and test procedures to validate IT security, as well as a prototype of a secure charging station.

Electric vehicles are connected to a wide range of infrastructure components via charging points. Security issues therefore concern not only the electric vehicle itself, but also its connection to the smart grid or to back-end systems for billing charging sessions. Challenges include, for example, protection against electricity theft, preventing attacks, and also preventing the creation of movement profiles through the recording of the charging points used.

In the DELTA project (Data Security and Integrity in Electric Mobility during Charging and Billing in Compliance with Metrology Legislation), relevant use cases and a reference architecture are first defined. Based on this, experts at Fraunhofer SIT are developing a security profile and technical guidelines that define requirements and measures for secure charging and billing processes that safeguard data privacy. The security profile is being implemented in a prototype secure charging point. The following aspects, amongst others, are being investigated:

• Securing communication between the charging point and the vehicle by further developing the ISO/IEC 15118 standard
• Securing the charging point and the in-vehicle charging controller against unauthorised tampering and access
• Definition and integration of a security module into the charging controller and the charging point
• Securing communication with backend systems, public-key infrastructure, and the security of backend systems

New standards for manufacturers

The findings from the project are intended to help manufacturers of electric vehicles and charging points, as well as infrastructure providers, to protect their products against tampering. The solutions developed as part of the DELTA project are therefore of crucial importance for the competitiveness of the German automotive industry – from vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to providers in related sectors.

Project partners and duration

The project will run for two years and is part of the ‘ELEKTRO POWER II: Electromobility – Positioning the Value Chain’ funding programme, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). Other project partners include the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies (VDE), the Stuttgart Research Institute for Automotive Engineering and Vehicle Engines (FKFS), the German National Metrology Institute (PTB), RWE International SE, Dortmund Technical University and Webolution GmbH.