Use real-time connected vehicle updates to transform vehicle support and roadside assistance
This Guidance helps you modernize your broker to gather, collect, and distribute data with your connected vehicle workloads using AWS IoT Core and Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) 5. Most connected vehicle workloads require the vehicle to be connected to a cellular connection; otherwise, the vehicle would lack connectivity to receive commands from the cloud. With AWS IoT Core and the MQTT protocol, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can scale connected vehicles to meet demands during peak usage and right-size their workloads.
This Guidance is composed of five architecture diagrams that address the following using Internet of Things (IoT) services: modernizing connected vehicle workloads, gathering and processing vehicle data, setting up operational certificate lifecycles, encryption and monitoring security, and connecting a companion application.
Please note: [Disclaimer]
Architecture Diagram
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Modernized Connected Vehicles
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Data Gathering and Processing
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Operational Certificate Lifecycle
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Encryption and Monitoring Security
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Companion Application
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Modernized Connected Vehicles
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This architecture diagram shows you how to modernize your connected vehicle workloads. For other connected vehicle architecture diagrams, open the other tabs.
Step 1
Embedded in-vehicle devices with a unique identity principal (X.509 certificate) publish telemetry data to AWS IoT Core by using MQTT. To minimize in-vehicle software, only libraries necessary to connect to AWS IoT Core are implemented. All traffic is sent over the MQTT protocol and is secured using the latest versions of mTLS. -
Data Gathering and Processing
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This architecture diagram shows you how to gather, process, analyze, and act on connected vehicle data. For other connected vehicle architecture diagrams, open the other tabs.
Step 1
Acting as an IoT device, the connected vehicle with a unique identity principal (X.509 certificate) uses sensors to collect, analyze, and act upon data and AWS IoT Core as an edge-to-cloud communication mechanism. -
Operational Certificate Lifecycle
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This architecture diagram shows an operational certificate lifecycle. For other connected vehicle architecture diagrams, open the other tabs.
Step 1
A subordinate CA is created in AWS Private Certificate Authority (AWS Private CA) with a CA certificate signed by the offline root CA. The subordinate CA certificate is registered with AWS IoT Core. -
Encryption and Monitoring Security
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This architecture diagram shows you how to secure connected vehicles through encryption and monitoring. For other connected vehicle architecture diagrams, open the other tabs.
Step 1
An ECU with a unique identity principal (X509 operational certificate) publishes telemetry by using MQTT to AWS IoT Core. The ECU can either run a generic HTTP or MQTT stack or accelerate development using the AWS IoT Device SDK. -
Companion Application
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This architecture diagram shows you how to build a connected vehicle companion application. For other connected vehicle architecture diagrams, open the other tabs.
Step 1
The vehicle establishes an MQTT connection to the AWS IoT Core endpoint then subscribes to the control plane request topics to receive any cloud-side request commands. The vehicle will publish automatically to the AWS IoT Core lifecycle event topic, indicating that connectivity is established.
Well-Architected Pillars
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The AWS Well-Architected Framework helps you understand the pros and cons of the decisions you make when building systems in the cloud. The six pillars of the Framework allow you to learn architectural best practices for designing and operating reliable, secure, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable systems. Using the AWS Well-Architected Tool, available at no charge in the AWS Management Console, you can review your workloads against these best practices by answering a set of questions for each pillar.
The architecture diagram above is an example of a Solution created with Well-Architected best practices in mind. To be fully Well-Architected, you should follow as many Well-Architected best practices as possible.
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Operational Excellence
In this Guidance, we chose AWS IoT Core, Amazon ECS, DynamoDB, AWS IoT Device Management, AWS KMS, Amazon Cognito, API Gateway, and AWS IoT Device Defender to support operational excellence, because these services collectively address key challenges in connected vehicle and IoT systems. They optimize data transfer, processing, and storage, help ensure data security, and proactively manage device health and security. For example, AWS IoT Device Defender proactively identifies and mitigates security threats.
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Security
AWS IoT Core provides secure communication and authentication for IoT devices, preventing unauthorized access. AWS Private CA manages certificates for device authentication, so only trusted devices can connect. AWS KMS manages encryption keys for data in transit and at rest, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access. Amazon Cognito manages user access and authentication for secure and controlled access to vehicle-related data and functionalities. AWS IoT Device Defender monitors device behavior for security threats, proactively identifying and mitigating abnormal activities and reducing the risk of security breaches.
By using these services, you can mitigate security risks, protect sensitive data, and maintain the integrity and confidentiality of information, which is crucial for building trust and helping ensure compliance in IoT deployments.
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Reliability
The services in this Guidance help you reduce the risk of system failures, downtime, and data loss, ultimately enhancing user satisfaction and operational efficiency in their IoT deployments. AWS IoT Core helps ensure reliable and secure data transfer between devices and the cloud, reducing the risk of data loss or communication failures. Amazon ECS provides scalability to handle varying workloads, preventing performance bottlenecks and ensuring consistent system performance. AWS IoT Device Management enables OTA device management, reducing downtime by allowing remote updates and configuration changes. AWS IoT Device Defender monitors device behavior and security, proactively identifying and mitigating issues that could impact device reliability and system performance.
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Performance Efficiency
AWS IoT Device Management enables OTA device management, allowing for remote updates and configuration changes without disrupting device performance. OTA updates through AWS IoT Device Management reduce the need for manual interventions and system downtime, allowing devices to maintain peak performance while staying up-to-date. AWS IoT Core offers features such as shared subscriptions, topic aliasing, and payload size reduction, which optimize data transfer and reduce latency, enhancing overall system performance and contributing to faster data processing.
Additionally, Amazon ECS provides scalability and efficient resource allocation for processing telemetry data so that system performance remains optimal, even during periods of high data processing.
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Cost Optimization
Amazon ECS provides scalability to efficiently handle varying workloads, optimize resource usage, and reduce infrastructure costs. By facilitating OTA updates, AWS IoT Device Management reduces the need for expensive physical interventions and recalls, saving time and resources. AWS IoT Core optimizes data transfer and communication, reducing data transmission costs and improving overall efficiency, which directly contributes to cost savings. These services can help you strike a balance between maintaining high-quality services and controlling costs, leading to more efficient and cost-effective IoT operations.
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Sustainability
AWS IoT services in this Guidance reduce the need for on-premises infrastructure and its associated energy consumption. AWS IoT services also enable efficient data processing and transmission that can lead to energy savings, support OTA updates that reduce the need for physical recalls or manual updates, and incorporate monitoring and analytics tools that identify inefficiencies and anomalies. This helps you optimize resource utilization and reduce environmental impact.
Implementation Resources
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A detailed guide is provided to experiment and use within your AWS account. Each stage of building the Guidance, including deployment, usage, and cleanup, is examined to prepare it for deployment.
The sample code is a starting point. It is industry validated, prescriptive but not definitive, and a peek under the hood to help you begin.
Related Content
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Designing Next Generation Vehicle Communication with AWS IoT Core and MQTT
Disclaimer
The sample code; software libraries; command line tools; proofs of concept; templates; or other related technology (including any of the foregoing that are provided by our personnel) is provided to you as AWS Content under the AWS Customer Agreement, or the relevant written agreement between you and AWS (whichever applies). You should not use this AWS Content in your production accounts, or on production or other critical data. You are responsible for testing, securing, and optimizing the AWS Content, such as sample code, as appropriate for production grade use based on your specific quality control practices and standards. Deploying AWS Content may incur AWS charges for creating or using AWS chargeable resources, such as running Amazon EC2 instances or using Amazon S3 storage.
References to third-party services or organizations in this Guidance do not imply an endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation between Amazon or AWS and the third party. Guidance from AWS is a technical starting point, and you can customize your integration with third-party services when you deploy the architecture.