Driver assistance apparatus and method

1. A driver assistance apparatus for installation in a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising, a safety electronic control unit, the safety electronic control unit comprising a program storage memory having operating instructions stored thereon, the operating instructions dictating the operation of the safety electronic control unit, wherein the operating instructions contain driver assistance operating instructions, the safety electronic control unit further including:

a verified hash storage memory storing a verified hash value of at least a portion of the operating instructions, wherein the verified hash value is encrypted on the verified hash storage memory, and wherein the verified hash value is generated by a hash function performed by a trusted source at a time of production of the operating instructions;

the safety electronic control unit being configured to implement a verification routine, the verification routine including:

calculating, using a hash function, a test hash value of the at least a portion of the operating instructions;

comparing the test hash value with the verified hash value to verify that the operating instructions have not been altered, and if the test hash value is not equal to the verified hash value, performing a safety routine, and

wherein comparing the test hash value with a verified hash value includes decrypting the verified hash value.

2. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the program storage memory and the verified hash storage memory are distinct hardware elements within the safety electronic control unit.

3. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising, the safety routine includes at least one of:

disabling the safety electronic control unit;

notifying a user of the vehicle, and;

notifying a party located remotely from the vehicle.

4. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising, the hash function includes a Secure Hash Algorithm.

5. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising, the hash function is an SHA-256 algorithm.

6. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , the apparatus further comprising, at least one secondary electronic control unit; having a respective set of secondary operating instructions,

wherein a respective secondary verified hash value of at least a portion of the respective secondary operating instructions on the respective secondary electronic control unit is stored on the verified hash storage memory.

7. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 6 , the safety electronic control unit being further configured to:

request from each secondary electronic control unit a respective secondary test hash value, the respective secondary test hash value being calculated on the respective secondary electronic control unit for the at least a portion of the respective secondary operating instructions;

comparing each respective secondary test hash value with the corresponding secondary verified hash value, and

if the respective secondary test hash value is not equal to the corresponding secondary verified hash value, performing a respective secondary safety routine.

8. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising, the respective secondary safety routine includes ignoring by the safety electronic control unit any further inbound communication from the respective secondary electronic control unit.

9. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising, the respective secondary safety routine includes at least one of:

disabling the respective secondary electronic control unit;

notifying a user of the vehicle, and;

notifying a party located remotely from the vehicle.

10. A method of verifying the operation of a driver assistance apparatus for installation in a motor vehicle, the apparatus including a safety electronic control unit having operating instructions stored thereon that dictate the operation of the safety electronic control unit, wherein the operating instructions contain driver assistance operating instructions, the method including:

calculating, using a hash function performed by a trusted source at a time of production of the operating instructions, a test hash value of at least a portion of the operating instructions;

decrypting, by the safety electronic control unit, a verified hash value stored on a verified hash storage memory;

comparing the test hash value with the verified hash value to verify that the operating instructions have not been altered, the verified hash value having been determined for at least a portion of verified operating instructions; and

if the test hash value is not equal to the verified hash value, performing a safety routine.