On the way to digital homologation: Future verification and validation strategies will revolve around highly advanced virtual simulation environments that can replicate real-world driving conditions with incredible precision. Intakhab Khan, Founder and Managing Director of Automotive Artificial Intelligence (AAI) GmbH, Berlin, is convinced of this. He will be speaking about the topic at ELIV 2024. We interviewed him in advance.
What are the key benefits of the AAI tool suite?
Intakhab Khan: The AAI tool suite offers a decisive advantage to OEMs in virtual homologation, allowing for faster, more reliable validation of Automated Driving Systems (ADS). It provides comprehensive safety validation through integrated Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA), Scenario Generation, and Operational Design Domain (ODD) management.
Additionally, our Neural Network Analysis provides deep insights into how AI behaves in critical situations, which is essential for safety. We also prioritize compliance with safety standards like ISO 26262 and ISO/PAS 21448 (Safety of the Intended Functionality), which are critical for ensuring the safety of the Automated Driving Systems (ADS).
Lastly, our tool suite integrates Object Management Group (OMG) standards, making it easier to streamline workflows and manage documentation for regulatory approvals efficiently. Together, these features make the AAI Tool Suite a powerful solution for OEMs looking to validate their automated driving systems with confidence and efficiency.
What are the next steps required on the way to digital homologation?
Intakhab Khan: The next steps involve expanding the adoption of the AAI tool suite across more OEMs and regulatory bodies. It’s crucial that we continue collaborating with stakeholders to refine the tools in line with evolving regulatory requirements, especially as we move toward more advanced Automated Driving Systems, like Level 4 and 5.
Additionally, enhancing our scenario analysis capabilities will ensure that the suite continues to address real-world driving challenges comprehensively.
In your view, what are currently (still) the biggest challenges to wide-scale usability?
Intakhab Khan: There are three major challenges we’re facing: One is the need for greater standardization of scenarios and data formats across the industry. This standardization is essential for efficient scenario analysis and validation, and achieving more consistency will help scale the solution across various OEMs.
Another area is real-time data integration. As Automated Driving Systems advance, handling real-time data and addressing complex edge-case scenarios at scale becomes increasingly demanding. Lastly, regulatory harmonization across different markets and regions poses some difficulties. Each market has its own specific requirements, which can slow down development and validation processes.
What do you think optimized verification and validation strategies could look like in the future?
Intakhab Khan: I believe future verification and validation strategies will revolve around highly advanced virtual simulation environments that can replicate real-world driving conditions with incredible precision. These simulations will be essential for testing complex scenarios that may not be feasible to recreate in real life.
Additionally, continuous in-service monitoring of deployed Automated Driving Systems will play a big role. By feeding real-world data back into the validation loop, we’ll be able to enhance the safety and performance of these systems over time.
Another key component will be AI-driven scenario generation and automated test case creation based on actual operational data. This will significantly streamline the validation process, making it faster and more efficient, while ensuring that the systems are tested under a wide range of conditions.
How does the integration of OMG standards improve ADS design and operation?
Intakhab Khan: Incorporating OMG standards ensures interoperability between different systems and tools, making it easier for OEMs to integrate the suite into their existing workflows. It also guarantees full traceability from system requirements to implementation and validation, improving design integrity. Furthermore, OMG standards help to align the tools with industry best practices, ensuring consistency across different aspects of ADS development and operation.
How does the AAI tool suite ensure ADS compliance with ISO 26262 and ISO/PAS 21448 (SOTIF)?
Intakhab Khan: The AAI tool suite has ISO 26262 and ISO/PAS 21448 (SOTIF) compliance built into its core functionality, ensuring that hazards are identified, risks are assessed, and safety measures are implemented early in the design process.
The suite’s HARA module and Scenario Analysis tool are specifically designed to address functional safety and the safety of the intended functionality, ensuring that ADS systems are compliant with the latest automotive safety standards throughout their lifecycle.
How do you assess the current situation regarding regulatory requirements, and what would you like to see?
Intakhab Khan: Regulatory requirements for Automated Driving Systems are evolving, but there’s still a lot of work to be done, particularly in achieving greater global harmonization. OEMs working across different markets face challenges due to varying regulations, which complicates development and validation efforts.
I would like to see more collaboration between regulators and the automotive industry to establish unified standards for ADS safety, testing, and validation, as well as more emphasis on virtual homologation processes to reduce the time and cost of getting safe, autonomous systems on the road.
What are your general expectations of ELIV 2024 and the Automotive Trend Session on digital homologation?
Intakhab Khan: Our expectations for ELIV 2024 and the Automotive Trend Session on digital homologation are high, as we believe this event will be a pivotal moment for advancing discussions around the digitalization of safety validation in the automotive industry.
We are particularly excited to see how industry leaders and innovators come together to explore new solutions for virtual homologation and accelerate the approval processes for autonomous driving systems. Given the rapid development of ADS technologies, digital homologation is becoming essential for ensuring that safety and performance standards are met efficiently and consistently.
We are confident this session will spark collaboration between OEMs, suppliers, and regulators, driving the industry toward more unified digital standards and streamlined processes. Additionally, we look forward to sharing our own innovations and learning from others how digital tools and virtual environments can continue to transform the landscape of automotive safety and compliance.
