Drive (Quantum) Safe! – Towards PQ Authentication for V2V Communications

We tackle a challenging problem at the intersection of two emerging technologies: post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication with its strict requirements. We are the first to devise and evaluate a practical, provably secure design for integrating PQ authentication into the IEEE 1609.2 V2V security ecosystem. By theoretically and empirically analyzing the three PQ signature algorithms selected for standardization by NIST, as well as XMSS (RFC 8391), we propose a Partially Hybrid design—a tailored fusion of classical cryptography and PQC—for use during the nascent transition period to PQC. As opposed to a direct substitution of PQC for classical cryptography, our design meets the unique constraints of standardized V2V protocols.