This document is the master's thesis of Remy Spaan from May 2016. The thesis identifies current security shortcomings in automotive systems based on previous studies of vehicle hacking. It then provides a model and proof-of-concept implementation to secure part of the update system for a widely used electronic control unit (ECU) in cars. The system aims to provide confidentiality, authenticity and integrity for software updates while preventing common attacks, using cryptographic techniques designed for resource-constrained ECUs. While not covering all aspects of the update process, the work takes steps toward more secure over-the-air firmware updates for vehicle systems.