New legislation coming into effect in the UK at the end of 2022 has resulted in a partnership between EV software company Monta and infrastructure provider Swarco. The new EV charging regulations are designed to regulate security and safety at private charge points across the country.
The first part of the smart charging regulations was introduced in June and focused on smart charging and managing demand on the grid. This Schedule 1 update contains information security requirements and physical tamper-proofing to ensure a safe charging experience for all EV drivers in the UK. And from 30th December 2022 all charge points sold in the UK must meet security requirements consistent with the existing European Telecommunication Standards Institute cyber security standards. Charge points must also incorporate safety provisions, preventing the user from carrying out an operation which could risk the health or safety of a person.
To meet the existing Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations and the new security and safety standards, Monta and Swarco have joined forces to create a secure EV charging solution. Monta’s software will ensure any passwords set on a charge point are securely stored and managed, firmware updates are provided over the air and any unauthorised changes are notified to the owner, and that communication with the charge point is encrypted and stored in a secure log.
Swarco’s hardware will ensure that each charge point has a tamper-proof boundary and that any hardware required for testing, but not for charging, will not be exposed. As Swarco’s charge points used in the private sector will be part of the Powered by Monta programme, they can be shipped directly from the factory with Monta software – therefore meeting the ease-of-use requirements and a simple set-up process.
“The new regulatory requirements have taken the UK EV charging market a little by surprise. While the regulations are great for consumers, and will make the EV charging experience safer, the regulations didn’t consider the challenges of updating physical products,” said Alok Dubey, UK Country Manager at Monta.
“Hardware providers like Swarco have had to interrupt supply chains to meet the new requirements. This is why partnerships are so important to us at Monta: we take care of the software requirements, and our partner Swarco can meet the hardware needs,” Dubey concludes.
Nathan Fearnhead, Solutions Director at Swarco, said: “We’re experienced in building a complete solution, but it’s great to be able to partner with agile software providers like Monta to reduce some of the challenges of changing product strategies and regulations. Monta’s software complements our in-house software and charge points to create a safe, secure, and intelligent solution for our customers across the UK.”
