Standards: A Deep Dive Autonomous Vehicle Safety and Security

August 12, 2024

Blog

The advent of autonomous vehicles (AV) marks a shift in automotive technology, presenting advancements in mobility and introducing challenges in ensuring operational safety and security. As these vehicles edge closer to widespread adoption, the role of sophisticated safety mechanisms and stringent standards becomes imperative.

This expanded discussion delves into the critical aspects of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the ISO 26262 safety standard, and the innovative contributions of Infineon’s diverse lockstep technology in shaping the future of autonomous vehicle safety.

ADAS: A Pillar of Autonomous Safety

ADAS are foundational to the functioning of autonomous vehicles, providing essential capabilities that range from environmental detection to automated decision-making. These systems utilize a complex array of sensors, including LIDAR, radar, and cameras, which comprehensively view the vehicle’s surroundings. Integrating these sensors with sophisticated algorithms enables AV to perform tasks such as adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, and more complex maneuvers like autonomous parking.

A critical component of ADAS is sensor fusion, the process of integrating data from various sensors to form a coherent understanding of the vehicle’s environment. This integration is vital for accurately detecting and responding to dynamic road conditions. Real-time sensor data processing ensures that the vehicle reacts appropriately to obstacles, road signs, and traffic patterns, reducing the likelihood of accidents and enhancing overall road safety.

ISO 26262 Standard: Ensuring Functional Safety in AV

The ISO 26262 standard is a cornerstone of modern automotive safety, explicitly addressing the functional safety requirements of electronic systems in road vehicles. This standard is crucial for developing AV, as it sets forth a comprehensive framework for ensuring that the electronic systems integral to AV operation are free from unacceptable risks. It is an international standard that prescribes rigorous guidelines that span the entire lifecycle of automotive development—from initial design through implementation to testing 1 and ongoing maintenance.

ISO 26262 emphasizes a systematic approach to risk management by requiring developers first to identify hazards, assess their potential impact, and then implement measures to mitigate these risks. It mandates a thorough analysis of possible failure modes for each electronic component and system, considering software errors, hardware failures, and unexpected interactions among various components. Principles that prioritize safety, integrity, and reliability govern the design and development of electronic systems under ISO 26262. This includes the adoption of fail-safe and fault-tolerant architectures, which ensure that even in the event of a system failure, the vehicle can either maintain a safe state or bring itself to a controlled stop.

The standard also specifies detailed protocols for testing and validating the safety of electronic systems. The standard requires rigorous pre-deployment testing under simulated conditions, extensive post-deployment testing, and real-world monitoring to ensure that safety benchmarks remain met throughout the vehicle’s operational life. Techniques such as hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations and software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing ensure that systems behave as expected under various conditions and interactions.

Detailed Overview of ASIL

Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASIL) are a critical component of ISO 26262, which help assess the severity of potential hazards and the likelihood of their occurrence. Each level, from ASIL A to ASIL D, dictates specific safety requirements and measures. ASIL D is the highest safety requirement, typically associated with systems whose failure would likely result in fatal accidents. The classification into different ASILs influences the design decisions and testing rigor required to validate the safety of system components.

Infineon’s Diverse Lockstep Technology

Infineon’s diverse lockstep technology is unlike conventional lockstep architectures that duplicate identical cores for error detection, because it introduces a patented approach involving two diverse cores. These heterogeneously designed cores execute the same tasks using different architectural strategies, significantly enhancing error detection capabilities by minimizing common-cause failures. Diverse cores instantly identify discrepancies in processing outputs, enabling immediate corrective actions. This increases the reliability of critical safety functions and adheres to the highest functional safety standards as prescribed by ISO 26262.

Rigorous testing and validation strategies

The complexity and critical nature of autonomous vehicle functions necessitate extensive testing and validation to ensure adherence to safety standards. Methods such as fault injection and stress testing are employed to evaluate the robustness of vehicle systems under abnormal conditions or in response to intentional faults. These tests help identify vulnerabilities and ensure the system can gracefully handle errors without compromising vehicle safety.

Integration of Cybersecurity in AV Safety 

With the increased connectivity in autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity becomes an integral component of their safety strategy. Developing secure boot mechanisms, intrusion detection systems, and end-to-end encryption are essential to protect against unauthorized access and cyber-attacks. These cybersecurity measures are designed to work with physical safety systems, ensuring a holistic safety architecture.

Technological innovation and stringent safety standards pave the way towards fully autonomous vehicles. Systems like ADAS and standards such as ISO 26262 form the backbone of vehicle safety, while Infineon’s diverse lockstep technology exemplifies the advanced engineering required to achieve reliability in autonomous operations. As these technologies evolve, they will continue to drive autonomous vehicles’ safety and security standards, ensuring that they can integrate seamlessly and safely into our daily lives.