Data connectivity has increased the demand for cybersecurity and safety of mobile work machines, which are used for example in mining, port logistics and forest environments. Turku School of Economics (TSE) started a two-year research project which aims at creating new services around cybersecurity in machine systems. The project is coordinated by VTT and involves Tampere University, Sandvik Mining and Construction, Cargotec Finland, Ponsse and Netox.
The transition towards connected, autonomous and electrified machines is rapidly changing the heavy mobile machinery sector. The research in COMMA project studies how safety and security-based value is created through the entire system lifespan and how new business is developed from the identified value in mobile machine context. The project combines experts in business, technology and human aspects in a way that will create new scientific methodology and results to be utilized in companies, especially to create new services associated with cyber security.
"Machine manufacturers are looking for new ways to increase their customer value with new cyber-secure services. Value creation based on safety and security is a central research topic in the project. Specifically, TSE research group carries out case studies with the companies focusing on managing customer’s risk experience as well as on organizing cyber security and business continuity in inter-organizational relationships”, explains Research Director Marikka Heikkilä, the Centre for Collaborative Research CCR.
As software has become an essential part of mobile machines, cybersecurity and business continuity have to be integrated to the machines and their development processes. University lecturer Jonna Järveläinen, Information Systems Science, will study the management and organizing of cyber security and business continuity in interorganizational relationships. “A cyberattack can interrupt customers’ business operations, and machine manufacturers want to protect their customers’ business. These interorganizational security and continuity relationships can become complex and in this project we will learn to understand them, not only from the technical but also from a business perspective”, Järveläinen emphasizes.
Cybersecurity raises also new concerns for buyers of mobile machines. “Our goal is to bring a customer perspective to the project. Understanding how customers experience risk along their journey with the manufacturers, their machines and value-added services can reveal different areas of value creation that could be overlooked when focusing only on the technical properties of the product”, notes Postdoctoral Researcher Ekaterina Panina, Marketing. “Introducing the human aspect of cybersecurity to this project allows creating the basis for promising business opportunities that can transform increasing security measures of machine systems from a necessary expense item to a value promise.”
The COMMA-project is part of the activities and implementation of the innovation roadmap of the SIX Mobile Machines cluster and is funded by the participating partners and Business Finland.
