2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS not affected by EU law
European cybersecurity laws have abruptly abolished Porsche's popular Macan compact SUV with an internal combustion engine, and similar laws are now in place to restrict the internal combustion engine-powered 718 Boxster Convertible and 718 Cayman Coupe to EV replacements. Looks like it's destined to be discontinued before it hits showrooms. All three models are lost due to United Nations Regulation No. 155 (UN R155), which requires automakers to include certain cybersecurity protections in the mass-produced vehicles they sell. The European law will come into force on July 1, 2024.
Compliance with UN R155 is not a simple upgrade, as meeting the requirements is a comprehensive measure that redefines the way automakers develop vehicles. Porsche will be forced to completely redesign the pair of 718s, but given that both are scheduled to be replaced by all-new EVs for the 2025 model year, this late in their life cycle (the “Type 982”) (debuted in 2016) would be an expensive and unreasonable step. Year. Porsche initially expected for some time to sell the internal combustion engine 718 alongside the next electric model, but legislation killed that idea.
Oliver Hilger, a spokesperson for Porsche's 718 product line, said in a statement: “The 718 model with an internal combustion engine will not be available indefinitely in the European Union and in some states where EU law applies. .The main reason is the general safety regulations.” Models that do not meet these requirements will no longer be eligible for new registration in the EU from early July 2024. This doesn't just apply to the 718. Vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine apply to all models of all manufacturers, regardless of whether they are electric vehicles or vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine, and as a result, sales of 718 vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine will be discontinued. In the EU and some states that will apply EU law in the future, vehicles will be delivered to customers and registered on time, while in regions where the relevant EU law does not apply, the 718 model with internal combustion engine will continue to be available. Available longer than possible.
The implementation of this directive not only requires adjustments to the technical implementation, such as control units, but also fundamentally changes to the processes at the development stage. For example, management systems need to be developed and certified regarding cybersecurity. Cybersecurity risk management and documentation is tracked, structured, and formalized throughout the vehicle lifecycle. It was not possible to take all these into account in the development of the 718 combustion model, as the requirements were neither known nor applicable at the time. It is not possible to do this “in reverse” without difficulty.
The processes currently required by UN ECE R 155 could not be implemented because they were not yet known or applicable at the time the 718 platform was developed. But that doesn't mean older vehicles are unsafe themselves. Regarding current models, we regularly check the cybersecurity of our products and collaborate with the global security community using publicly accessible interfaces. ”
As mentioned above, this law affects Porsche's mass-produced models. Two low-volume 718 models, the Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster RS Spyder, are exempt in that regard. And while this European law puts the brakes on sales in the European Union, this rule does not affect sales in the United States. Consumers in North America and most other parts of the world will continue to enjoy combustion-engined Boxsters and Caymans for years to come.
