Autonomous systems

Autonomous systems

Safety of highly automated and autonomous systems

With technical systems, a basic distinction is made between two aspects of security: security is about protection against interference by third parties who attempt to manipulate the system. Safety is about the security of the technical system in its external impact on the environment and people.

Autonomous systems still pose a major challenge for the automotive industry today. They are particularly at risk as they are controlled in all functions and therefore offer a wide range of potential attack surfaces. In addition to the functional requirements, which have already been largely implemented, the safety of these systems must be guaranteed under all conceivable circumstances in order to achieve broad social acceptance.

Functional means that a system has algorithms that work, such as sign recognition. Safety, on the other hand, means that every sign is correctly recognized at all times, even under difficult conditions such as partial occlusion or poor visibility. Extensive verification and validation measures are required to demonstrate safety, including simulations, test drives on proving grounds and in the real world.

New industry standards ensure the safety of autonomous systems
Another important aspect is the provision of proof of safety for autonomous systems. These verifications ensure the systematic recording and evaluation of the reliability of machine learning processes.

The ISO/PAS 8800 specification contributes to the risk reduction of artificial intelligence in safety-critical systems in road vehicles. We played a key role in the uncertainty quantification of AI systems. The results have been incorporated into the specification standard DIN SPEC 92005, which was published in January 2024 and will be used as the basis for the development of a new international standard. These standards form the basis for the reliable use of autonomous systems worldwide. The creation of such guidelines ensures that autonomous vehicles meet the same high safety requirements everywhere. This is an important step towards increasing confidence in autonomous vehicles and promoting their widespread acceptance.

We deal with these topics

Mobility Innovation Campus
Safeguarding AI-based object recognition
Secure V2X communication
Cyber security for transportation systems
Human System Integration
Secure localization and navigation
X-in-the-loop testing
Environmental simulation of sensor technology

Autonomous driving is one of the major topics of the future with the potential to disrupt our mobility system. Social acceptance stands and falls with technical and legal safety.

With our Mobility Innovation Campus (MIC), we are making a contribution to testing, developing and ultimately ensuring the safety of mobility concepts with autonomous vehicles. The focus of the trials planned here is on interaction with so-called Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) such as cyclists and pedestrians as well as on testing the contactless (inductive) charging of electric vehicles.

We support and accompany our customers in safeguarding AI applications and the fulfillment of relevant requirements for approvability. From the selection and evaluation of training data to the generation of application-specific test or simulation data and the detailed performance analysis of the AI system.
Our experts are involved in the standardization committees for the certification of AI algorithms and machine learning (DIN Standardization Roadmap AI, ISO / IEC JTC 1/SC 42, ISO AWI TR 5469). With regard to highly automated vehicles, we focus on safe and reliable object recognition with relevant sensor technologies.

Evaluation of AI algorithms in terms of performance, robustness, explainability and uncertainty (Uncertainty Quantification and Safety Cage for Computer Vision)
Generation and preparation of suitable test data sets
Process support and consulting for the validation of machine learning
Dashboard with qualitative metrics and predicted safety level

The networking of road users with each other and with intelligent infrastructure contributes significantly to a more efficient organization of traffic and to increasing road safety. In particular, reduced latencies thanks to 5G mobile communications technology enable safe interaction and cooperation between automated vehicles. In the context of connected driving, we support our customers in the design and protection of communication technologies and in the evaluation of robust network topologies.

Analysis of the security level of connected driving with V2X communication
Implementation of secure communication layers
Securing the communication strands with regard to these protection goals Integrity, authenticity, availability and confidentiality
IT security and investigation of susceptibility to faults
Measures for maintaining IT security during operation

As a BSI-certified IT security service provider, we support our customers in preventing and protection against cyber attacksThe networking and automation of vehicles in autonomous driving increases the risk of cyber security breaches on board. Wherever software with internet or mobile phone access is installed, there is a risk of hackers gaining unauthorized access to the system. Our cyber security experts support you in the challenge of protecting your IT/OT infrastructures against such attacks.

Implementation of the ISO 27001, IEC 62443 and BSI IT baseline protection standards
Carrying out gap and threat analyses, risk analyses
Design of security concepts and secure network architectures
Securing communication interfaces
Secure integration of new generation mobile networks and Galileo PRS
Protection of security-critical functions against external interfaces

Despite advances in automation, people still have to take responsibility (Human System IntegrationDisplay and operating concepts must be developed in such a way that they distract as little as possible from the (assistance-supported) driving task. At SAE level 3, functions that contribute to driving safety at the human-vehicle interface play a decisive role. One problem that has not yet been solved is the driver taking back control of the vehicle at higher SAE levels in the event of a sudden failure of the automatic control system.

Design analyses of human-machine interfaces (HMI) for assistance systems
Investigation of usability (RAMSIS) and user experience
Evaluation of controllability and foreseeable misuse
Stress tests for takeover scenarios (takeover request)
Interior monitoring and fatigue detection using eye tracking
Advice on situational and mode awareness

An introduction to the topicResilience Testing of Autonomous Systems / Jamming & Spoofing (Video)is provided by our consultant Maik Holzhey.

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) play an important role in automated driving for highly accurate positioning and time synchronization of the overall system. The inclusion of GNSS always means a potential threat from targeted cyber attacks on the navigation signals emitted by the satellite.

Integrity assessment of positioning using GNSS
GNSS test laboratory for investigating jamming and spoofing
Test infrastructure in Ottobrunn (indoor and outdoor)
Development support for SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)
Sensor data fusion (e.g. GNSS, IMU, odometry, LIDAR, cameras, etc.)
Mapping of the position on georeferenced HD maps

Simulation is essential for the development and validation of highly automated vehicles. By combining virtual test drives with real tests, testing costs can be kept within economic limits. Scenario-based simulation offers advantages above all in terms of reproducibility and scalability. However, the validity of the simulation in the application areas used is crucial. We develop customer-specific simulation environments for the virtual testing of automated systems.
We support our customers with tailor-made XIL test solutions (SIL, HIL, DIL, VIL) for testing components and automated systems during development. We integrate the desired simulation environments (including commercial ones such as IPG CarMaker, dSpace 'ASM, VIRES Virtual Test Drive VTD) into the test environment on a customer-specific basis.

Development of a distributed simulation with integration of customer-specific models
Modeling of the integrated complete vehicle and embedded technologies
Validation of the simulation using available test data
Digital Twin in the context of route approval
Virtual environment including weather conditions using a game engine (Unity 3D)
Georeferenced HD maps by IABG Geodata Factory

A prerequisite for automated mobility is the detection of the surroundings with reliably functioning sensor technology. Only by combining different sensor technologies such as cameras, radar, lidar and ultrasound can critical situations in adverse weather conditions be mastered. We support our customers in safeguarding their sensor systems through sensor performance tests and provide services in the context of product qualificationWe operate test laboratories for carrying out mechanical and climatic environmental simulations and EMC tests.

Object detection under mechanical and climatic environmental influences
Mechanical tests (vibration, NVH, shock)
Modal analyses to identify natural frequencies (resonance)
Climatic tests (temperature, corrosion, UV)
Tests for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)

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Autonomous systems

Autonomous systems

Safety of highly automated and autonomous systems

We deal with these topics

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