Blockchain-Enabled Secure IoT Communication Framework for Transparent and Traceable Automotive Supply Chain Systems

Abstract

The rapid digital transformation of the automotive industry has significantly increased the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies across manufacturing, logistics, inventory management, component tracking, and vehicle lifecycle monitoring. While interconnected IoT devices enable real-time visibility and operational efficiency, they also introduce critical challenges related to data security, interoperability, unauthorized access, information tampering, and the lack of end-to-end traceability throughout complex automotive supply chains. Traditional centralized communication architectures often struggle to provide the transparency, resilience, and trust required among multiple stakeholders, including raw material suppliers, component manufacturers, distributors, logistics providers, vehicle assemblers, dealerships, and regulatory authorities. This research proposes a blockchain-enabled secure IoT communication framework designed to establish a decentralized, transparent, and traceable ecosystem for automotive supply chain management. The framework integrates blockchain technology with IoT-enabled sensing and monitoring devices to create an immutable ledger capable of securely recording every transaction, product movement, environmental condition, and ownership transfer throughout the supply chain lifecycle. Smart contract mechanisms are incorporated to automate verification procedures, validate predefined operational rules, and facilitate secure information exchange without relying on centralized intermediaries. Cryptographic techniques ensure data confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation while preventing unauthorized modifications and fraudulent activities. The proposed architecture also supports secure device authentication, timestamp-based event recording, and real-time synchronization of distributed ledger information, enabling all authorized participants to access consistent and verifiable supply chain records. The framework enhances traceability by maintaining an auditable history of automotive components from raw material procurement to final vehicle assembly and after-sales service, thereby simplifying product recalls, counterfeit detection, warranty verification, and regulatory compliance. Furthermore, the decentralized communication model improves system resilience by eliminating single points of failure and reducing vulnerabilities associated with centralized data repositories. Performance considerations such as transaction reliability, communication latency, scalability, storage optimization, and computational efficiency are examined to evaluate the practical applicability of the proposed framework within large-scale automotive environments. The study demonstrates that combining blockchain with secure IoT communication mechanisms strengthens trust among supply chain participants while improving operational transparency, accountability, and decision-making capabilities. By ensuring secure information sharing, tamper-resistant record management, and continuous traceability across distributed stakeholders, the proposed framework provides a reliable foundation for developing intelligent, resilient, and future-ready automotive supply chain systems capable of supporting digital manufacturing and connected mobility initiatives.