Devices, methods, and computer program for releasing transportation vehicle components, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication module

A method for releasing a first vehicle component and a second vehicle component of a transportation vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving messages from a plurality of further vehicle components of the transportation vehicle by the second vehicle component of the transportation vehicle;
• verifying an identity of the plurality of further vehicle components of the transportation vehicle based on the received messages and based on stored identification data of the plurality of further vehicle components by the second vehicle component, wherein the messages on which the verification of the identity of the plurality of further vehicle components is based are operational messages the second vehicle component other than for the purposes of verification of the second vehicle component identity;
• releasing the second vehicle component in response to the identity of the plurality of further vehicle components being consistent with the stored identification data of the plurality of further vehicle components;
• receiving at least one message from the second vehicle component by the first vehicle component;
• authenticating the second vehicle component by the first vehicle component based on the at least one message received from the second vehicle component;
• and
• releasing the first vehicle component in response to the at least one received message from the second vehicle component implying that the second vehicle component has been released and in response to the authentication of the second vehicle component being successful.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program with program code for performing a method for releasing a first vehicle component of a transportation vehicle when the program code is executed on a computer, a processor, a control module or a programmable hardware component, the method comprising:

• receiving messages from a plurality of further vehicle components of the transportation vehicle;
• verifying an identity of the plurality of further vehicle components of the transportation vehicle based on the received messages and based on stored identification data for the plurality of further vehicle components, wherein the messages on which the verification of the identity of the plurality of further vehicle components is based are operational messages for a second vehicle component other than for the purposes of verification of the second vehicle component identity;
• and
• releasing the vehicle component in response to the identity of the plurality of further vehicle components being consistent with the stored identification data of the plurality of further vehicle components,
• wherein the release of the first vehicle component is performed following at least one message being received from the second vehicle component by the first vehicle component, wherein the second vehicle component is authenticated by the first vehicle component based on the at least one message received from the second vehicle component, and wherein the release of the first vehicle component is performed based on the at least one received message implying that the second vehicle component has been released and in response to the authentication of the second vehicle component by the first vehicle component being successful.