The growing number of vehicles emphasizes the need to ensure safety and security during both software and hardware development. This need is intensified with the increased adoption of advanced software-intensive technology, such as Over-the-air programming, Artificial Intelligence, and Edge computing. It is increasingly important to adopt systematic frameworks and methods to build security in automotive software systems. While traditional secure software engineering has many implications for the automotive sector, it is little published about how security is addressed through an automotive software development life cycle. This study presents a finding from an exploratory case study of one of the world’s leading car manufacturers. Semi-structured interviews and a survey were conducted to explore challenges in adopting a secure software development life cycle in automotive software development. We reported 18 challenges, some of which appear to be unique to the automotive sector. The study has several implications for practice and future research.