Continental publishes white paper on verifiable credentials in connected mobility
verifiable credentials
in advancing secure and connected mobility solutions. Titled '
Mobility applications
for
software-defined vehicles
– an approach based on verifiable credentials', the paper presents a framework for enabling secure digital communication between vehicles, infrastructure and services.
According to the company, software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are expected to evolve from traditional transport tools into platforms for
real-time data-driven applications
. The white paper was developed under the GAIA-X 4 AGEDA project, part of the broader GAIA-X 4 Future Mobility initiative, involving several partners from industry and academia. Continental is leading efforts in the project to address increasing digitalisation and connectivity in the automotive sector.
Verifiable credentials, which use standardised and cryptographically secure formats to digitally represent identity-related information, are presented as a key enabler for secure and flexible access to vehicle data and features.
'Research by colleagues has shown that verifiable credentials are a promising approach for the secure use of mobility services in vehicles. They enable a high level of security and data protection when using software-defined vehicles as an execution platform for mobility services,' said Nino Romano, Chief Technology Officer,
Continental Automotive
.
Romano added, 'Software-defined vehicles as part of a cloud ecosystem are the key technology for future mobility concepts. With a reliable and trustworthy digital framework, the vision can become reality.'
The white paper is available for download on Continental's press and media platforms.
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Supports community data stewardship models, particularly in agriculture, health, urban governance, and employment. Current landscape: Are there Indian equivalents? India has witnessed a few attempts that are fragmented, top-down approaches toward data infrastructure. These include: IndiaStack (Aadhaar, DigiLocker, UPI): A state-led, centralized digital identity and service delivery stack. While innovative, its control rests heavily with the state and lacks independent governance mechanisms. Data empowerment and protection architecture (DEPA) : A promising but framework to enable user-consented data sharing via Account Aggregators. While DEPA introduces a federated structure, its current applications are mainly on financial and health data, and operational control is largely private-sector-led. ONDC (open network for digital commerce) : A government-backed initiative to create an open, interoperable network for e-commerce. 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Push for independent regulators or data stewardship boards that certify and enforce compliance with open standards, fair data sharing practices, and privacy by design. Engage with global counterparts (e.g., GAIA-X, Solid, DECODE) to build international solidarity for decentralized, democratic digital futures. Conclusion India's digital future must not be confined to binaries of state control vs. corporate monopolies. A third path—rooted in open standards, participatory governance, and legal accountability—is both possible and necessary. As Pacta's research argues, structural reforms in the platform economy must be matched by technical infrastructure that redistributes power, not just data. A GAIA-X-like initiative in India can catalyze this shift, provided it is civil society–led, independently governed, and legally embedded in constitutional values of equality, privacy, and access. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
