Know-how protection and identifiability of electronic components for trustworthy production chains

Motivation

In daily life, we will increasingly need to rely on electronic components that are used, for example, in self-driving cars or service robots. To use electronics safely and reliably, we must be able to take a sovereign position in global value chains. This includes understanding the functionality of the installed components as well as ensuring supply security. Therefore, for Germany to maintain its technological sovereignty, it requires cutting-edge capabilities in the research, development, and application of trustworthy electronics. To achieve this, the projects under the ZEUS funding initiative, as part of the "Trustworthy Electronics" flagship initiative, aim to explore and develop novel methods, solutions, and processes—from design through to manufacturing, analysis, and testing.

Goals and Approach

Ensuring seamless traceability and verifying the authenticity of individual components throughout the production chain is becoming increasingly difficult. The VE-FIDES project is developing solutions to enable a clear and trustworthy digital identity. To achieve this, electronic components will be equipped with digital authenticity features. Along the production chain, a comprehensive system for identifying the finished product will be built from the individual digital characteristics in a modular way. The functionality of this system will be demonstrated using a tachograph system, which is often subject to tampering attempts.

Innovations and Perspectives

The project results could be incorporated into international standards, thereby enhancing the trustworthiness and integrity of components across industries and preventing product piracy.