Cybersecurity in Modern Vehicles
The way we interact with vehicles is radically changing, thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence. E-cockpits are transforming the driving experience by providing features like voice commands, driver alertness checks, and customized interior settings. Cars can now react to a driver's needs, predict potential dangers, and smoothly connect with our digital lives, all through the power of AI.
However, as AI becomes a fundamental part of vehicles, it also creates new weaknesses and security concerns. The complex data analysis and decision-making that large language models (LLMs) depend on can be exploited by cybercriminals, who can find ways to manipulate AI responses and gain unauthorized access to private data.
The cost of cyberattacks on connected vehicles is rapidly increasing. In the latest report from 2023, data breaches within the automotive sector resulted in estimated losses of $9.7 billion. As AI-driven systems handle an ever-increasing amount of personal and operational information, the potential for attacks continues to expand.
Three-Way Collaboration between VicOne, Inventec, and Skymizer
To tackle this challenge, a strategic three-way collaboration offers the ideal solution. VicOne brings expertise in automotive cybersecurity, ensuring robust protection against emerging threats. Inventec’s In-vehicle infotainment (IVI) and central gateway system provide seamless integration of edge AI and generative AI into vehicles, enhancing intelligence and connectivity. Meanwhile, Skymizer specializes in dedicated Language Processor Units (LPU), accelerating AI performance for real-time decision-making. Together, these companies create a powerful synergy to drive innovation and security in the era of AI-powered mobility.
Why VicOne
With a vision to secure the vehicles of tomorrow, VicOne delivers a broad portfolio of cybersecurity software and services for the automotive industry. Purpose-built to address the rigorous needs of automotive manufacturers and suppliers, VicOne solutions are designed to secure and scale with the specialized demands of the modern vehicle. As a Trend Micro subsidiary, VicOne is powered by a solid foundation in cybersecurity drawn from Trend Micro’s 30+ years in the industry, delivering unparalleled automotive protection and deep security insights that enable our customers to build secure as well as smart vehicles.
Why Inventec
The automotive industry's shift towards software-defined vehicles (SDVs) is driving an unprecedented demand for advanced technological solutions. Modern vehicles are evolving into complex, connected systems, requiring powerful computing capabilities, seamless connectivity, and sophisticated edge AI. This transformation necessitates partners with deep expertise in high-performance computing and high-speed connectivity, and electronics manufacturing. Inventec stands at the forefront of this evolution.
Inventec brings decades of experience as a leading electronics and server manufacturer, providing crucial advantages to the automotive sector. Their expertise in server-grade computing allows for efficient allocation of processing power to critical vehicle functions, ensuring optimal performance and reliability. Furthermore, Inventec's proficiency in advanced edge AI integration enables real-time data processing, vital for applications like ADAS autonomous driving. By delivering seamless connectivity solutions and optimizing board integration, Inventec empowers automakers to create the next generation of intelligent, safe, and connected vehicles.
In essence, Inventec's comprehensive capabilities in electronics, computing, and AI integration make them a vital partner for automakers navigating the complexities of the SDV revolution. They provide the expertise necessary to drive the future of automotive technology.
Why Skymizer
At Skymizer, our mission is to accelerate AI performance through a software-hardware co-design approach that transforms how AI chips are built.
Founded in 2013 with offices in Taipei and Hsinchu Science Park, Skymizer is a pioneering system software company dedicated to revolutionizing AI chip IP design. We partner with leading IC design houses and AI SoC vendors to unlock new levels of performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Through our proprietary compiler and system software technologies, we enable AI chip designers to explore, validate, and differentiate IP designs faster and more effectively, meeting the demands of next-generation AI workloads. We believe the new era of AI hardware calls for breakthrough innovations at the intersection of hardware and software. Backed by a world-class team of hardware and system software architects, Skymizer is redefining the AI development stack, accelerating the path to complex, heterogeneous, multicore AI SoCs in the More-than-Moore era.
Collaborative Solutions
AI Guardian is part of VicOne’s Smart Cockpit Protection portfolio, it is an in-vehicle solution that shields AI-based applications from data leaks caused by AI prompt injections, unsecure outputs and vulnerable or unsecure third-party plug-ins. It averts leaks of sensitive data and addresses all security risks, covering the OWASP top risks for LLM applications. Whether deployed in the cloud or at the edge. AI Guardian is precisely the type of leading-edge, AI-driven functionality on which automakers will differentiate their offerings in the years ahead.
By leveraging the impressive processing power of the Qualcomm QAM8295PS, Inventec enhances its IVI and autonomous driving solutions. QAM8295PS’s AI processing capability enables seamless, high-performance in-car experiences and robust autonomous driving functionalities. This integration translates to highly responsive IVI systems, smooth multimedia streaming, and sophisticated AI-driven voice control. Furthermore, the QAM8295PS’s ability to process complex sensor data and execute advanced algorithms in parallel empowers Inventec to develop highly competitive autonomous driving systems capable of real-time decision-making and enhanced safety. This collaboration solidifies Inventec’s position in the rapidly evolving automotive technology market.
In this collaborative scenario, in-vehicle AI assistants benefit greatly from Skymizer’s LPU (Language Processing Unit), which is purpose-built to accelerate LLM performance while balancing compute and memory for real-world AI inference. Unlike traditional processors, Skymizer’s LPU is software hardware co-designed, optimized from the ground up to handle the complexity and scale of modern AI workloads. At the core of this breakthrough is LISA (Language Instruction Set Architecture) — Skymizer’s proprietary ISA designed to support the future of Agentic AI. LISA enables highly efficient execution of advanced AI models, moving beyond general-purpose approaches to deliver truly intelligent compute.
Conclusion
The successful proof of concept (POC) of this cybersecurity solution, developed by VicOne, Inventec, and Skymizer, at Tokyo Automotive World 2025, marks a significant milestone in securing the future of software-defined vehicles. The numerous positive feedbacks received from industry peers underscores the solution's potential and relevance in addressing the growing cybersecurity challenges within the automotive sector.
This collaborative effort, leveraging Inventec's hardware expertise, VicOne's cybersecurity prowess, and Skymizer's AI optimization, has resulted in a comprehensive security framework capable of protecting modern vehicles from evolving cyber threats. We are committed to further enhancing this solution, incorporating the valuable feedback received, and bringing it to market. By providing robust, proactive, and adaptable cybersecurity measures, we aim to empower automakers with the confidence to deploy advanced software-defined vehicles, ensuring the safety and security of both drivers and passengers in the increasingly connected automotive landscape.