Abstract: In a method of providing software for use by a control unit of a vehicle, before its use by the control unit, the software is signed according to a public-key method against a falsification, using the secret or private key of a software signature site. The signed software is checked for integrity by using the public key complementary to the secret key of the software signature site.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a vehicle-external device in a bus system of a motor vehicle comprising control units is provided. In order to effectively and inexpensively prevent a sequence control system that is stored in a control unit from being manipulated, an authentication device is provided in the bus system. The authentication device transmits an authentication request to the vehicle-external device. The vehicle-external device signs the authentication request with a secret key of an asymmetric pair of keys, such as a pair of public keys, and transmits the signed authentication request or exclusively the signature to the authentication device. The authentication device determines a signature of the authentication request using the same algorithm as the vehicle-external device, and decodes the signature transmitted by the vehicle-external device using the public key which is complementary to the secret key, and compares the determined signature with the transmitted signature.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical system of a motor vehicle with control apparatuses, which communicate with one another by means of a data bus. To recognize manipulations to the electrical system of a motor vehicle, in particular on the software of the control apparatuses of the electrical system, and to derive suitable measures, it is proposed that a master security module is provided in a first control apparatus and a client security module is provided in each case in a plurality of the further second control apparatuses, and the master security module of the first control apparatus, preferably a central gateway control apparatus, signs a message and sends the signed message to at least one of the second control apparatuses by means of the data bus. The client security module of the second control apparatus checks the signed message received from the master security module as to whether it comes from an authorized master security module.

Abstract: A central check device is provided in a motor vehicle, to which device an enable message emitted by a first controller inside the vehicle or from a location outside the vehicle is supplied via a communication bus of the motor vehicle. The central check device evaluates the received enable message to identify the sequence control system to be enabled and the controller which comprises the sequence control system to be enabled. The central check device sends an enable command to the identified controller via the communication bus of the motor vehicle so as to enable the sequence control system which is to be enabled.

Abstract: An electric wiring system of a motor vehicle with several control devices that communicate with each other via a data bus, and with an immobilizer is provided. In order to create an electric wiring system of a motor vehicle that includes an immobilizer with high reliability the immobilizer includes at least a first and a second control device from the plurality of control devices and an authentication apparatus, in particular an authentication control device. The authentication information of the plurality of control devices is supplied via the data bus to the authentication apparatus. The authentication cancels the immobilizer of the vehicle when the authentication information transmitted from the first and the second control device corresponds to the authentication information expected for the particular control devices.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for direct data exchange between two or more vehicles for transmission of data relating to events having a negative effect on driving safety, via wireless communication such as WLAN in particular. Unambiguous identification information is assigned to each vehicle. To increase acceptance of such a system, the identification information of the respective vehicle is temporary and is formed on the basis of the current status of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for updating and/or expanding the functionality of the sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle are provided. In accordance with the method, a first data may be read from a first control unit and a second data may be read from a second control unit. A first check in the vehicle may be performed to ascertain whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of a sequence control or is even more current than the predetermined version. If the outcome of the first check is positive, a more current version in comparison with the version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit may be saved and/or a version which expands the functionality may be saved in the first control unit.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a software package, which is provided by a software supplier and which contains a software component that can be loaded into a terminal. The software component is provided with a first authentication suffix, which is verified in order to carry out an authenticity test in the terminal. A higher-level authenticating site is provided, performing authenticating measures on the software package to increase security, wherein the measures performed by the higher-level authenticating site include providing the software package with at least one second authentication suffix instead of the first authentication suffix after successful checking of the software package provided by the software provider and including the first authentication suffix in addition to the software component of the software package.

Abstract: A method of booting up update software in a writable memory area of a boot sector of a programmable control device of a vehicle is provided. The method Provides a boot-up software that can be booted up in a writable memory area of the programmable control device which is situated outside the boot sector. The boot-up software is capable of controlling, in the control device, the installation of the update software in the writable memory area of the boot sector, booting up the boot-up software and the update software in the writable memory area situated outside the boot sector, and executing the boot-up software in the control device in order to install the update software in the writable memory area of the boot sector.

Abstract: A method is provided for the use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle. In order to provide use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle acceptable to the vehicle user, the following actions occur. Information intended for the presentation for a plurality of different types of use of the motor vehicle are transmitted and stored in the motor vehicle. The type of use of the vehicle is determined. And, the information from the plurality of information for the different types of use, which had been intended for the presentation for the determined type of use, is presented.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical system of a motor vehicle with control apparatuses, which communicate with one another by means of a data bus. To recognise manipulations to the electrical system of a motor vehicle, in particular on the software of the control apparatuses of the electrical system, and to derive suitable measures, it is proposed that a master security module is provided in a first control apparatus and a client security module is provided in each case in a plurality of the further second control apparatuses, and the master security module of the first control apparatus, preferably a central gateway control apparatus, signs a message and sends the signed message to at least one of the second control apparatuses by means of the data bus. The client security module of the second control apparatus checks the signed message received from the master security module as to whether it comes from an authorised master security module.

Abstract: An electric wiring system of a motor vehicle with several control devices that communicate with each other via a data bus, and with an immobilizer is provided. In order to create an electric wiring system of a motor vehicle that includes an immobilizer with high reliability the immobilizer includes at least a first and a second control device from the plurality of control devices and an authentication apparatus, in particular an authentication control device. The authentication information of the plurality of control devices is supplied via the data bus to the authentication apparatus. The authentication cancels the immobilizer of the vehicle when the authentication information transmitted from the first and the second control device corresponds to the authentication information expected for the particular control devices.

Abstract: A central check device is provided in a motor vehicle, to which device an enable message emitted by a first controller inside the vehicle or from a location outside the vehicle is supplied via a communication bus of the motor vehicle. The central check device evaluates the received enable message to identify the sequence control system to be enabled and the controller which comprises the sequence control system to be enabled. The central check device sends an enable command to the identified controller via the communication bus of the motor vehicle so as to enable the sequence control system which is to be enabled.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for direct data exchange between two or more vehicles for transmission of data relating to events having a negative effect on driving safety, via wireless communication such as WLAN in particular. Unambiguous identification information is assigned to each vehicle. To increase acceptance of such a system, the identification information of the respective vehicle is temporary and is formed on the basis of the current status of the vehicle.

Abstract: A control unit transmits an authentication request to an authentication device via the bus system. The authentication device signs the authentication request using a first symmetric key and transmits the signed authentication request or only the signature to the control unit. The control unit compares the transmitted signature of the authentication request with a signature, which is determined by the control unit by applying the symmetric key to the authentication request, and/or the control unit decodes the transmitted signature of the authentication request using the first symmetric key to obtain a first hash value; and the control unit applies a hash algorithm to the authentication request to obtain a second hash value. The control unit is rendered operational if the comparison of the signatures and/or the hash values is positive or if the signatures and/or the hash values match.

Abstract: A method is provided for the use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle. In order to provide use-dependent information presentation in a motor vehicle acceptable to the vehicle user, the following actions occur. Information intended for the presentation for a plurality of different types of use of the motor vehicle are transmitted and stored in the motor vehicle. The type of use of the vehicle is determined. And, the information from the plurality of information for the different types of use, which had been intended for the presentation for the determined type of use, is presented.

Abstract: In a process for insuring data integrity of software for a control unit of a motor vehicle, a central system (trust center) can issue certificates to authorized parties, enabling them to properly sign software for the control unit and import it into a vehicle to enable operation of the vehicle. For this purpose, the trust center (or the vehicle itself) provides a pair of control unit keys having a first and second key. The first key is stored during production of the vehicle in such a manner that it is accessible to the control unit. By means of the second key of the trust center, a first certificate for an authorized party (certificate holder) is signed.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a vehicle-external device in a bus system of a motor vehicle comprising control units is provided. In order to effectively and inexpensively prevent a sequence control system that is stored in a control unit from being manipulated, an authentication device is provided in the bus system. The authentication device transmits an authentication request to the vehicle-external device. The vehicle-external device signs the authentication request with a secret key of an asymmetric pair of keys, such as a pair of public keys, and transmits the signed authentication request or exclusively the signature to the authentication device. The authentication device determines a signature of the authentication request using the same algorithm as the vehicle-external device, and decodes the signature transmitted by the vehicle-external device using the public key which is complementary to the secret key, and compares the determined signature with the transmitted signature.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for updating and/or expanding the functionality of the sequence control of at least one control unit of a motor vehicle are provided. In accordance with the method, a first data may be read from a first control unit and a second data may be read from a second control unit. A first check in the vehicle may be performed to ascertain whether the version of the sequence control currently running in the second control unit corresponds to a predetermined version of a sequence control or is even more current than the predetermined version. If the outcome of the first check is positive, a more current version in comparison with the version of the sequence control currently running in the first control unit may be saved and/or a version which expands the functionality may be saved in the first control unit.

Abstract: A method of booting up update software in a writable memory area of a boot sector of a programmable control device of a vehicle is provided. The method Provides a boot-up software that can be booted up in a writable memory area of the programmable control device which is situated outside the boot sector. The boot-up software is capable of controlling, in the control device, the installation of the update software in the writable memory area of the boot sector, booting up the boot-up software and the update software in the writable memory area situated outside the boot sector, and executing the boot-up software in the control device in order to install the update software in the writable memory area of the boot sector.