RunSafe CEO to Brief Automakers on Connected Vehicle Rule in Detroit

RunSafe Security Founder and CEO Joseph M. Saunders will speak at the Automotive Cybersecurity Summit 2026 in Detroit on July 29-30 about new U.S. connected vehicle compliance requirements. The session comes as OEMs and suppliers face tighter software-origin rules and pressure to prove vehicle software security across complex supply chains.

Why it matters: - The U.S. Connected Vehicle Rule raises the bar for automakers and suppliers that must prove where software comes from and whether it meets new federal compliance benchmarks. - Consumer concern is high: a 2025 Connected Car Cyber Safety & Security Index found 65% of drivers believe remote hacking of a vehicle is possible, and 77% see third-party components as a severe cyber risk. - The rule pushes compliance beyond a one-time review and toward continuous lifecycle management of vehicle software.

What happened: - RunSafe Security said Founder and CEO Joseph M. Saunders will lead a solo keynote at the Automotive Cybersecurity Summit 2026 in Detroit. - The session is scheduled for July 29-30, 2026, at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Detroit Downtown - Fort Shelby, 525 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, Michigan 48226. - The keynote is titled "Meeting U.S. Connected Vehicle Rule Origin Requirements." - The audience is expected to include automotive OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, security engineers, and transportation policy experts.

The details: - Saunders will discuss the Bureau of Industry and Security's Connected Vehicle Rule and the software origin restrictions tied to it. - The session will focus on technical ways to map code provenance quickly and generate automated, compliance-ready Software Bills of Materials, or SBOMs. - RunSafe said those methods can help remove foreign-adversary-linked components from deep within multi-tier supply chains. - RunSafe said its memory relocation technology protects embedded systems against runtime exploits without requiring code rewrites. - RunSafe also said build-time SBOMs can capture components that binary analysis and scanning may miss. - The company said many software composition analysis tools are strong at finding open-source software but have limited visibility into proprietary or commercial components. - The company said that build-time SBOMs record source files, libraries, and toolchains during the build process, when that information is still visible. - RunSafe said that timing matters in automotive software because static linking and aggressive optimization can remove identifying signals needed for later analysis.

Between the lines: - The keynote positions cybersecurity as both a compliance problem and a software engineering problem for the auto industry. - The emphasis on build-time SBOMs suggests the industry may need earlier, more detailed software traceability than many current scanning workflows provide. - RunSafe is also tying product messaging to the broader Secure by Design push, which could resonate with OEMs trying to reduce risk without redesigning legacy codebases.

What's next: - Saunders is available for one-on-one interviews, technical briefings, and on-camera commentary during the summit. - Media credentials can be coordinated through Kari Ritacco at RedIron PR. - The summit will likely be a test of how quickly automakers and suppliers can adapt their compliance processes to the new rule.