Cybersecurity is set to become a critical engineering capability for the global automotive industry as the risks from sophisticated cyberattacks against software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are predicted to spiral.

An overwhelming 85% of UK automotive software developers believe SDVs will become a major target for cyberattacks by 2029

A new report from QNX, a division of BlackBerry, reveals that an overwhelming 85% of UK automotive software developers believe SDVs will become a major target for cyberattacks by 2029, slightly above the global developer average of 83%. As a result, more than seven in 10 (71%) UK respondents identify it as one of the most critical skills automotive software developers will need over the next five years.

The findings come from QNX’s second annual Under the Hood: SDV Developer Report, a global study of 1,100 automotive software developers exploring the challenges slowing progress as the industry moves from ambition to execution.

The report reveals that growing software complexity is putting pressure on the UK’s ability to innovate and compete in the fast-evolving SDV market.

Key findings include that 52% of UK respondents cite debugging and testing as a major development challenge, up from 39% in 2025 and above the 44% global average.

UK respondents also estimate that 35% of total software development effort is spent on software integration rather than new vehicle functionality. Yet, 81% believe automakers should prioritise new applications and features over underlying software infrastructure.

AI expectations have also stalled; 91% expect AI to significantly transform automotive software development, yet average automation levels have fallen from 45.6% to 40.2% year-on-year.

At the same time, UK developers do not necessarily equate innovation with simply adding more technology to every vehicle. More than four in five (83%) believe a deliberately minimalist, low-tech vehicle could be commercially successful. In fact, the percentage of respondents who consider such a vehicle very likely to succeed has risen from 20% to 32%, suggesting that software can also support simpler customer experiences.

Meanwhile, cybersecurity regulation is now the most frequently cited compliance challenge among UK respondents at 55%, compared with 46% globally. Data privacy requirements have also become more prominent, rising from 37% to 47%. Looking further ahead, 42% identify regulatory overload as their biggest concern about the future of automotive software development in the UK. Concern about platform fragmentation also increased from 19% to 27%.

The findings highlight a growing disconnect between the industry’s ambitions for smarter, more innovative vehicles and the engineering complexity holding back progress, particularly as competition from Chinese EV manufacturers and regulatory pressures intensify.

Justin Moon, vice president, core product engineering at QNX, said the pressure to compete globally is making the cost of underlying software complexity harder for the industry to ignore.

“Debugging and testing has become their biggest development challenge, while around a third of engineering effort is still being absorbed by foundational integration rather than the differentiating features that drivers will notice. To accelerate timelines without compromising on either safety or security, teams need a trusted software foundation they can build on and reuse, rather than solving the same underlying problems from scratch with every new vehicle programme.”

The full report can be downloaded from the QNX site to learn more.