SHIELD 2.0 · Canada’s Secure Automobility hub

Securing the vehicles of tomorrow

SHIELD is an Automobility Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence advancing secure-by-design solutions for connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles — from hardware-rooted trust and post-quantum readiness to privacy-preserving AI and cyber-physical resilience.

Hosted at the University of Windsor · Windsor-Essex, the Automobility Capital of Canada
1st
Centre of its kind in Canada
18
Research projects
$20M+
Research funding mobilized
50+
Researchers trained
Backed by & engaged with
NSERCMITACSFedDev OntarioAnsysKeysightRiscureCMC MicrosystemsCUTRICInvest WindsorEssexTransport CanadaNRC
Our Vision

Canadian-made defense for a connected fleet

The Automobility Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence is dedicated to the advancement of security solutions for the automotive sector — the first and only of its kind.

Now in its next chapter, SHIELD is expanding into an internationally visible Secure Automobility hub — built not just as a research lab, but as a partner-connected platform for research translation, validation, HQP training, and ecosystem leadership across industry, government, and policy.

Hardware-Rooted Trust Post-Quantum Cryptography Privacy-Preserving AI Cyber-Physical Resilience

Why it matters

Any security weakness in a vehicle’s communication system has a direct impact on other vehicles — and the environment around them.

Hosted at the University of Windsor, the Automobility Capital of Canada.
What We Do

Three pillars of the Centre

A multi-disciplinary approach spanning every aspect of automobility cybersecurity.

Research & Innovation

  • Research-based, application-ready solutions that meet rapidly changing technology and threats
  • Strong focus on institutional and industrial collaboration
  • Multi-disciplinary work across every aspect of automobility cybersecurity

Education & Training

  • Curriculum that lowers the barrier to cybersecurity specialties and builds an industry-ready talent pipeline
  • Training of HQP through experiential learning opportunities
  • Custom certificate programs — cost-effective, flexible, and online

Knowledge Transfer & Awareness

  • A digestible library of information to raise awareness for mobility cybersecurity
  • Reports, whitepapers, and knowledge-transfer sessions
  • Collaboration on compliance and standards across the automotive ecosystem
Projects

Applied research with industry partners

Our team applies its expertise to companies’ specific technical problems, backed by NSERC, MITACS, FedDev Ontario, and leading industry collaborators.

NSERC Alliance Quantum

Ongoing

Investigating the requirements of implementing NIST-approved Post-Quantum Cryptography and helping Canadian academics access and improve these designs — the Centre’s flagship program.

Ansys · CMC Microsystems

Real-Time Adaptive Vehicular Network Communication

Ongoing

Adversary-aware methods for safety, security, and privacy in V2X networks, jointly evaluating threat indicators and situational context to support adaptive security decisions.

NSERC Discovery (2026–2031)

Adversary-Aware V2X Trust & Misbehaviour Detection

Ongoing

Assessing the semantic, physical, and contextual trustworthiness of vehicular information — detecting false safety messages even when they are cryptographically authenticated.

NSERC · 1st place, 2026 OmniAir V2X Hackathon

Post-Quantum Hardware: CRYSTALS-Kyber ASIC

Ongoing

Hardware design and ASIC implementation of side-channel-resistant CRYSTALS-Kyber for post-quantum cryptography, evaluated on an industry-grade side-channel measurement platform.

NSERC · Keysight · Riscure
The Team

Core members

The Centre takes a multi-disciplinary approach, founded by members from Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Industrial Engineering.

MM

Mitra Mirhassani

Co-Founder & Director
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering · P.Eng · Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellow (2026)
IS

Ikjot Saini

Co-Director
Assistant Professor, School of Computer Science · V2X & connected-vehicle security
NZ

Ning Zhang

Director of Innovation
Embedded systems & secure hardware
BL

Beth-Anne Schuelke-Leech

Policy Director
Engineering policy & technology governance

Privacy in Vehicles

Modern vehicles collect more data than ever. SHIELD examines what’s gathered, where it goes, and how drivers stay in control.

Advised by engagement with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
Awareness

Data privacy on four wheels

As vehicles become rolling computers, the data they generate raises new questions for drivers, manufacturers, and regulators. We build a digestible library of information to raise awareness — and help shape the standards that protect the connected fleet.

Consumer awareness Standards & compliance Policy research
Join the mission

Build the future of automobility security

We’re always looking for talented researchers, students, and industry partners to help secure the vehicles of tomorrow.