Mobil Sherpa+: The Turnkey Solution Keeping Connected Cars Safe

Mobil Sherpa+ from MobilWithUs is a one-stop embedded security software becoming popular in the automotive industry. As vehicles evolve into software-defined systems, manufacturers face strict regulatory requirements to integrate robust security features across numerous electronic control units (ECUs). Yet many OEMs and Tier 1/2 suppliers lack deep cybersecurity expertise and struggle with varying hardware and software environments. Mobil Sherpa+ tackles this by bundling diverse security requirements into a single, customizable package, removing implementation complexity and adding value.

At its core, Mobil Sherpa+ provides three modules: Security CDD (Complex Device Driver), Security FoD (Feature on Demand), and Security UDS (Unified Diagnostic Services). These encompass cryptographic services, secure boot, configuration locking, secure debug, certificate management, real-time tamper detection, and secure flash updates. By abstracting hardware differences—whether in host cores, HSMs/HSE cores, or middleware layers—Mobil Sherpa+ lets developers integrate security without rewriting drivers or cryptographic routines for each OEM platform. 

Innovatively, Mobil Sherpa+ embeds post-quantum cryptographic algorithms alongside classical ones, all optimized for minimal semiconductor footprint, so it can run on more affordable chips. A lightweight runtime checks firmware integrity in under 500 ms at startup, ensuring negligible impact on boot times and resource usage. This is crucial because end users should not wait for security checks before using their vehicles. At the same time, security should be uncompromised. 

The solution was to write high-speed code, and when I discussed with Mobilwithus representatives, they even mentioned that in some instances, code is written directly in Assembly language to obtain the absolute best performance. 

The company employs a straightforward, usage-based software licensing model for Mobil Sherpa+. Rather than selling hardware or one-off products, they license their embedded security software directly to vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) and their Tier 1/2 suppliers, as well as to semiconductor vendors. Every licensed chip brings revenue.

Each ECU in a vehicle requires its own runtime instance of the security software. Certain vehicles contain many controllers, and since there are 95M new vehicles produced per year, the total available market is quite large. 

Zeroing in on embedded security was a smart move for MobilWithUs. Modern vehicles are more like rolling data centers than simple mechanical systems. Every ECU is a potential entry point for hackers. By providing a turnkey security layer, Mobil Sherpa+ meets a critical need that OEMs can’t afford to overlook as regulations tighten around functional safety and cybersecurity compliance.

Beyond vehicles, MobilWithUs could leverage its cryptography expertise across multiple markets. The same quantum-resistant algorithms that protect car ECUs can be adapted for drones, industrial IoT gateways, or smart-city infrastructure. That kind of platform-level thinking scales far beyond any one vehicle program, opening the door to partnerships with chip vendors and system integrators worldwide. In a world where every connected device needs a trust anchor, doubling down on security was not just good—it was essential.

MobilWithUs Co., Ltd., headquartered in Seoul, was founded to address these challenges with embedded security software tailored to next-generation mobility. With a leadership team boasting decades of cryptography and automotive software experience, the company has doubled revenue annually since 2023 and partners with semiconductor giants like NXP and Infineon. MobilWithUs envisions expanding Mobil Sherpa+ beyond cars to drones, robots, UAMs, and defense applications, leveraging its quantum-resistant solutions to secure a growing number of platforms.

Filed in Transportation. Read more about Cars, Cybersecurity and Encryption.