As vehicles become more reliant on the Internet of Things and other electronics, how to owners protect their investments from cyberattacks and other threats? A startup in Southern Pines believes it has the answer with its cyberlock AutoCYB product.

“This is the world’s first and only automotive cyber security lock,” says Airmika CEO Tom Kowalick.

The AutoCYB cyberlock attaches to a vehicle’s diagnostic port connector in order safeguard data.

“This lockout gives you the reassurance of knowing that you have control of crash data,” the company says.

“The ‘black box’ will still work as it is designed to. However, you determine when and whom sees the data (within State and Federal law) and thus, control how it is used.

“The owner of the vehicle is considered to be the rightful owner; however, courts can subpoena crash data. Crash data can be used in civil and criminal court cases.”

Airmika will be pitching its offering at the Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s Tech Venture conference set for Sept. 19-20.

This company profile is the first in a series featuring startups and emerging entrepreneurial companies that will be presenting at the conference. This series is being published as part of a partnership between the CED and WRAL TechWire.

PROFILE: AUTOCYB / AIRMIKA INC

  • Web site: www.autocyb.com
  • Email contact: info@autocyb.com
  • Address: 305 South Glenwood Trail, Southern Pines, NC 28387
  • CEO: Tom Kowalick
  • Video link: https://vimeo.com/154150502
  • How many employees? One – with others 10 contracted services
  • Link to CED Tech Venture Company Profile: https://cednc.org/company-profile/autocybairmika

What is the focus of your business?

There is an established need and growing widespread demand for a simple, reasonably priced turn-key product and dealer-centric service to provide consumer protection to motorists who own or operate modern electronic-intensive vehicles.

Buzz terms like Connected-Cars and Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology will not achieve full potential without consumer acceptance.

Our protect seeks to safeguard and protect the vehicle owner from vehicle theft, cyberattacks, crash data tampering and odometer fraud and thus provides essential consumer protection.

We believe consumer protection leads to consumer acceptance and prevents a consumer backlash.

It is designed for U.S. post-1996 light vehicles (cars and trucks) that include a functional and accessible diagnostic link connector, normally located under the steering column.

What is the top pain point/business application you are seeking to address?

AUTOCYB = Driving freedom

We solve the automotive cyber security consumer protection challenge of electronics-intensive vehicles as simple as possible by providing YOU a firewall means to control access and prevent misuse of YOUR data. Our product is simple to install and remove. YOU can prevent hacking, theft, & odometer roll-back and enhance your privacy, safety & security.

What makes it unique?

The locking product is U.S. patented and fully developed and tested. It conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) global standard IEEE-1616a. The Near Field Communication (NFC) product is under development and applicable to all NFC cell phones.  Apple IoS 11 permits reading NFC.

Why should investors be interested in your firm?

This is the world’s first and only automotive cyber security lock. We are tooled to manufacture 800,000 units.   A large market exists in the following areas:

  • The general public of registered owners of the U.S. fleet of 243 million vehicles concerned with consumer protection, Big Brother and privacy issues.
  • Military vehicles and federal, state, county and local government vehicles.
  • Vehicle OEMs who lease vehicles — they cannot permit odometer tampering, re-engineering or access to crash data.
  • Automotive insurance companies who seek to prevent other parties from access to serial port data. Misuse of crash data will negatively impact insurers.
  • Automotive rental companies who wish to avoid odometer tampering or access to crash data.
  • Institutional fleets such as schools, colleges and universities.
  • Business fleets include leasing, construction, plumbing, heating, food distribution, shipping, utilities.
  • Others: police, fire, EMS, taxi, etc.
  • Automotive aftermarket, Big Box stores.

The combined number of “potential” customers for the product is well over 150 million EDR equipped vehicles. The NHTSA estimate is that 91.6 light vehicles include EDR technology. The light vehicle market will grow by approximately 15 million per year.

How are you financed at this point?

Zero attempt to raise funds to date. Reason now is to enhance the product to become an IoT service. Personal investment exceeds $350.000 used to secure IP and bring the product to market.