Data privacy and security have been hot topics in the automotive and tech industries, and the issues become much larger as data is imported, exported and exchanged continuously with devices inside and outside of a moving vehicle. Securing data with multiple passwords and authentications have been mostly effective, even if they have added complexity and a higher degree of distraction to drivers. McAfee, the Intel-owned company best known for anti-virus software, is preparing to incorporate biometrics into its mobile data security platform so that users can log into password-protected connected services by merely presenting a fingerprint.
Biometrics authentication through fingerprint ID has been around since the 1980s. Intel has been working on next-generation biometric authentication that will also include gesture, face and voice recognition. Multi-factor authentication is widely accepted by experts as the way to properly secure data and confirm the identity of the user. As a secondary task, identity authentication has been understandably characterized as distracting to a driver.
Properly implemented and embedded, next-generation biometric authentication could be the way for drivers to gain safe and secure access to connected services without having to actively engage the process. It can also work with other technologies to further enhance the connected driving experiences.
Near-field communications (NFC) enables the short-range, secure transmission of data, and we will begin seeing new uses in vehicle interiors designed for multiple drivers, as is the case with car-sharing. Storing personal preferences in a smartphone allows each driver to individualize the driving experience, and with multi-factor authentication made possible through next-generation biometrics, data can be exchanged and then wiped clean from the vehicle as a person exists.
Will McAfee’s mobile security platform feature a standardized biometrics format? It is, after all, a connectivity factor and interoperability with devices from multiple sources will be needed for complete security, privacy and ease of use. Some groups would argue that biometrics must be standardized as with manufacturing quality, risk management, food safety and information security. It’s a fair assessment and could likely delay implementation of the technology. However, a connected technology that will further secure data, improve privacy and reduce driver distraction could be worth the wait.
Source: Intel to tame passwords with biometric authentication – CIO