Project Description:

COMET Phase II develops a physical testbed for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) to test cyber threats and countermeasures beyond simulation. By integrating real-world sensors, V2X infrastructure, and miniature autonomous vehicles, the project bridges simulation and reality by building an integrated testbed to enhance CAV cybersecurity and resilience.

Outputs:

COMET Phase II will produce the sim-to-real-world cybersecurity testbed for CAVs, enabling testing of advanced cyber threat analysis and mitigation strategies. Key outputs include: 1. A physical testbed with miniature autonomous vehicles, multi-modal sensors (cameras, IMUs, ToF sensors), and V2X-enabled infrastructure to validate cyberattack scenarios; 2. New framework for testing cyber threats, such as sensor manipulation, and V2X communication attacks; 3. Software and data contributions, including sim-to-real transfer frameworks, enabling realistic cybersecurity testing beyond simulation; 4. Technical reports, research publications, and open-source tools to advance cybersecurity standards for autonomous transportation.

Outcomes/Impacts:

COMET Phase II will provide the sim-to-real-world cybersecurity testbed for CAVs, enabling the validation of cyber threats and defense mechanisms beyond simulation. The project’s findings will inform transportation cybersecurity policies, regulatory frameworks, and industry best practices, enhancing safety, reliability, and resilience in intelligent transportation systems. By modeling and mitigating sensor and V2X communication vulnerabilities, the research will help reduce the risk of cyber-induced traffic disruptions, improving traffic flow efficiency and network stability. The developed testbed and methodologies could also contribute to future standards and certifications for secure CAV deployment, fostering cost-effective and scalable cybersecurity solutions for autonomous vehicle fleets.