Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the automotive sector has the power to shift the industry into the next gear, as organisations face increasing pressure to innovate amidst a turbulent climate of stricter regulations, budget cuts, skills gaps, and ever-increasing competition. The entire automotive supply chain is poised for rapid transformation.
Yet, just as AI is set to enable transformation for the automotive supply chain, it exposes the industry to an equally rapidly evolving slew of AI-driven cybersecurity threats. This makes the relationship between AI and cybersecurity in the realm of auto a vital one.
AI application in the auto sector
AI can already enhance many parts of the automotive supply chain as it stands today. The first noticeable impact we have seen from successfully using AI in the sector is the predictive maintenance it enables.
Preventative maintenance, as opposed to scheduled or reactive vehicle maintenance, has always been an industry goal. Whereas annual or mileage-based maintenance schedules are an attempt to balance the need for preventing breakdown while also avoiding the costs of unnecessarily frequent maintenance, it is still only an educated gamble.
AI, however, can analyse and synthesise so many data streams that this guessing game becomes much more accurate. Not only does this mean more reliable vehicles for the consumer, but it means that each element of demand for parts-associated goods, services, and inventories that are impacted to any degree as maintenance demand shifts, can be optimised. AI can not only accelerate the manufacturing and distribution of parts; it has a range of other implications for all players in automotive manufacturing supply chains.
One of the highest costs associated with manufacturing is maintaining warehouse inventories – both input- and output related. Having data that accurately informs all inventory-related activity could also yield huge cost-savings.
The importance of cybersecurity
That said, the interconnected nature of modern vehicles expands attack surfaces, and disruptions to modernising digital supply chains can have severe consequences. The rise of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving, along with increased digitalisation in manufacturing, can introduce many vulnerabilities. South Africa’s automotive sector, enjoying massive state support as a key manufacturing asset, is a prime target for cybercriminals due to the large financial resources and complex supply chains that can present overlooked gaps in security measures. Then there is all the valuable data that interconnecting the supply chain creates – all at a time where investment flows are increasing to accelerate technological advancement.
As South Africa now also pushes for electrical vehicle (EV) adoption and the accompanying charging station infrastructure, – the interconnectedness of the auto industry is increasing as AI becomes an essential part of the EV equation too. EV charging ecosystems are already becoming a target for threat actors. Compromised devices have the potential to cause significant harm and damage. It’s therefore critical to secure all traffic to make sure that only the right people have access to the right components at the right time. Centrally applying controls also helps organisations to comply with ever-increasing regulations and ensure enhanced cybersecurity resilience, and this is something that Fortinet can support with as a strategic partner in creating scalable, reliable, secure, sustainable, and safe EV infrastructure.
Driving into the future
South Africa’s automotive industry is not only a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP, accounting for around 5% in 2023, but also a key focus for government support through initiatives like the Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP). This support recognises the sector’s crucial role in job creation and economic growth, with the ambitious goal to increase local content used in the manufacturing of vehicles to 60% by 2035 – a goal that will rely on rapid innovation.
As the industry experiences a resurgence with a 7.3% increase in new vehicle sales in February 2025, the imperative to embrace future-focused innovation, particularly through AI, becomes even more critical. However, this technological advancement must be intrinsically linked with a robust cybersecurity strategy to protect this vital sector.
Not harnessing the opportunities presented to us through AI could pose a great setback for automotive industries worldwide, but seizing them without assuming the correct cybersecurity postures could be disastrous. Securing the complex, data-rich supply chains that AI creates requires real-time information control, supply chain mapping for incident response, industry-wide threat intelligence sharing, and building robust cyber resilience.
Looking ahead, AI will only become more pervasive. By adopting a proactive and collaborative approach to cybersecurity, the South African automotive industry can harness AI’s power while mitigating the risks, ensuring a secure and innovative future for this economically vital sector.