Researchers have come up with a system that provides an extra layer of security for the charging of electric vehicles (EV) here, reported The Straits Times. The system helps guard against electricity theft or outages caused by attacks on the power grid through EV charging stations. The secure charging mechanism uses 'complex authentication', involving a specialised charging station and a tamper-proof Intelligent Electronic Device installed in registered electric vehicles.
When an electric vehicle is plugged into a charging station, the station generates a random number, which is sent to the device. Backend servers, which control the charging station, generate another random number that is sent to the device through a cellular network. The two numbers are processed according to an algorithm and an authenticating number is sent to the server. Charging will start only when authentication is completed. All communication between the device and servers is encrypted. The system also scans for and prevents cyber intrusions.
Besides providing greater security, the new system also has a demand response function, which shows users the real-time price of electricity so they can decide when to charge their cars. The Institute of Infocomm Research (I2R), who came up with the system, hopes to test this secure charging mechanism on a fleet of 100 electric vehicles, which it will bring to Singapore in the second quarter of this year with Chinese carmaker BYD.
