Why Security Certification Could Matter More for Unmanned Ground Vehicles

Uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) are moving into factories, mines and military fleets. Whether buyers trust them now depends partly on cybersecurity. Operators want proof that a connected autonomous machine can resist tampering and take updates safely for as long as it stays in service.

That is why a security certification can matter. It gives the industry a shared baseline in a market where adoption could easily outpace security.

What AUVSI Launched

The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) unveiled Trusted UGV on May 20, 2025, at XPONENTIAL 2025 in Houston. AUVSI calls it the first industry certification focused on cybersecurity and supply chain integrity for UGVs. These vehicles now handle jobs from public safety missions to pipeline inspection. Software runs all of it. A successful attack could take over control systems or leak confidential mission data.

Key Components of the Certification

Trusted UGV builds on AUVSI’s existing Trusted Cyber Framework. It evaluates four areas: product and device security, remote operations and connectivity, supply chain risk management and corporate cyber hygiene. The program was developed with technical support from Neya Systems and its parent company, Applied Research Associates (ARA), plus input from AUVSI’s Cyber Working Group and Ground Advocacy Committee.

What Industry Backers Say

The certification is designed for both commercial and government buyers and is meant to align with emerging federal cybersecurity policies. It covers everything from military vehicles like the Polaris MRZR to autonomous mining trucks. Neya Systems showed a cyber-hardened Polaris MRZR 4 at the launch and plans to put it through certification.

Casie Ocana, Vice President of Public Affairs at AUVSI, said the certification is “a signal to customers, government agencies, and industry partners” that a platform meets a high security bar.

Why Ground Vehicles Need Their Own Standard

Ground robots face conditions that drones and cars do not. Neya Systems Vice President Kurt Bruck said the program is “tailored to the operational realities of ground systems, including harsh, unpredictable, and GPS-denied environments.” A shared standard also helps buyers compare vendors without running their own security audits.

What Comes Next

AUVSI is now inviting manufacturers to apply. The big question is uptake. If government buyers start to ask for Trusted UGV in contracts, manufacturers will have a strong reason to get certified.

Certification will not make a vehicle unhackable. It does give buyers a way to check that a vendor has covered the basics.

That proof will matter more each year.

Fred Templeton, CISA, CASP, SEC+

Fred Templeton is a practicing Information Systems Auditor in the Washington DC area. Fred works as a government contractor and uses his skills in cyber security to make our country's information systems safer from cyber threats. Fred holds a master's degree in cybersecurity and is currently working on his PHD in Information Systems.