Unsettled Topics in Automated Vehicle Data Sharing for Verification and Validation Purposesdiscusses the unsettled issue of sharing the terabytes of driving data generated by Automated Vehicles (AVs) on a daily basis. Perception engineers use these large datasets to analyze and model the automated driving systems (ADS) that will eventually be integrated into future "self-driving" vehicles. However, the current industry practices of collecting data by driving on public roads to understand real-world scenarios is not practical and will be unlikely to lead to safe deployment of this technology anytime soon. Estimates show that it could take 400 years for a fleet of 100 AVs to drive enough miles to prove that they are as safe as human drivers. Yet, data-sharing can be developed - as a technology, culture, and business - and allow for rapid generation and testing of the billions of possible scenarios that are needed to prove practicality and safety of an ADS - resulting in lower research and development costs to the industry. Unsettled Topics in Automated Vehicle Data Sharing for Verification and Validation Purposes explores how this could lead to better regulation, insurance, public acceptance - and finally, shorter technology development cycles. Finding a business case and changing to an open data culture are not going to be easy tasks, but data sharing is the only way forward for the whole industry to move to the next phase of deployment after nearly a decade of intense research.

Unsettled Topics in Automated Vehicle Data Sharing for Verification and Validation Purposes discusses the unsettled issue of sharing the terabytes of driving data generated by Automated Vehicles (AVs) on a daily basis. Perception engineers use these large datasets to analyze and model the automated driving systems (ADS) that will eventually be integrated into future “self-driving” vehicles. However, the current industry practices of collecting data by driving on public roads to understand real-world scenarios is not practical and will be unlikely to lead to safe deployment of this technology anytime soon. Estimates show that it could take 400 years for a fleet of 100 AVs to drive enough miles to prove that they are as safe as human drivers. Yet, data-sharing can be developed – as a technology, culture, and business – and allow for rapid generation and testing of the billions of possible scenarios that are needed to prove practicality and safety of an ADS – resulting in lower research and development costs to the industry. Unsettled Topics in Automated Vehicle Data Sharing for Verification and Validation Purposes explores how this could lead to better regulation, insurance, public acceptance – and finally, shorter technology development cycles. Finding a business case and changing to an open data culture are not going to be easy tasks, but data sharing is the only way forward for the whole industry to move to the next phase of deployment after nearly a decade of intense research. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2020007

Modern automobiles collect around 25 gigabytes of data per hour and autonomous vehicles are expected to generate more than 100 times that number. In comparison, the Apollo Guidance Computer assisting in the moon launches had only a 32-kilobtye hard disk. Without question, the breadth of in-vehicle data has opened new possibilities and challenges. The potential for accessing this data has led many entrepreneurs to claim that data is more valuable than even the vehicle itself. These intrepid data-miners seek to explore business opportunities in predictive maintenance, pay-as-you-drive features, and infrastructure services. Yet, the use of data comes with inherent challenges: accessibility, ownership, security, and privacy. Unsettled Legal Issues Facing Data in Autonomous, Connected, Electric, and Shared Vehicles examines some of the pressing questions on the minds of both industry and consumers. Who owns the data and how can it be used? What are the regulatory regimes that impact vehicular data use? Is the US close to harmonizing with other nations in the automotive data privacy? And will the risks of hackers lead to the “zombie car apocalypse” or to another avenue for ransomware? This report explores a number of these legal challenges and the unsettled aspects that arise in the world of automotive data. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2021019

SAE EDGE Research Reports provide state-of-the-art and state-of-industry examinations of the most significant topics in mobility engineering. SAE EDGE contributors are experts from research, academia, and industry who have come together to explore and define the most critical advancements, challenges, and future direction in areas such as vehicle automation, unmanned aircraft, IoT and connectivity, cybersecurity, advanced propulsion, and advanced manufacturing.

Automated driving systems (ADS) have the potential to revolutionize transportation. Through the automation of driver functions in the application of advanced technology within the vehicle, significant improvements can be made to safety, efficiency, user experience, and the preservation of the environment. According to the US Department of Transportation [1], there are more than 1,400 cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles being tested by more than 80 companies across the USA. Implementation of ADS technology is well advanced, with many sites across the USA incorporating automated vehicles (AVs) into wider programs to apply advanced technology to transportation. Discussions with the public sector’s implementing agencies suggest that one of the barriers to faster progress lies in the lack of consistent and standardized field-testing protocols. This report looks at the state of the art of field testing for ADS and identifies areas for improved consistency and standardization. It will define the problem to be addressed by AVs and the challenges associated with the introduction of such vehicles and open-road situations. In particular, the report will look at the possibilities for big data and analytics to enable the sharing of lessons learned and convergence on standard field-testing approaches. NOTE: SAE EDGE™ Research Reports are intended to identify and illuminate key issues in emerging, but still unsettled, technologies of interest to the mobility industry. The goal of SAE EDGE™ Research Reports is to stimulate discussion and work in the hope of promoting and speeding resolution of identified issues. SAE EDGE™ Research Reports are not intended to resolve the issues they identify or close any topic to further scrutiny. Click here to access the full SAE EDGETM Research Report portfolio. https://doi.org/10.4271/EPR2019009

Automated driving system (ADS) technology and ADS-enabled/operated vehicles - commonly referred to as automated vehicles and autonomous vehicles (AVs) - have the potential to impact the world as significantly as the internal combustion engine. Successful ADS technologies could fundamentally transform the automotive industry, civil planning, the energy sector, and more. Rapid progress is being made in artificial intelligence (AI), which sits at the core of and forms the basis of ADS platforms. Consequently, autonomous capabilities such as those afforded by advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and other automation solutions are increasingly becoming available in the marketplace. To achieve highly or fully automated or autonomous capabilities, a major leap forward in the validation of these ADS technologies is required. Without this critical cog, helping to ensure the safety and reliability of these systems and platforms, the full capabilities of ADS technology will not be realized. This paper explores the ADS validation challenge by reviewing existing approaches and examining the effectiveness of those approaches, presenting critical techniques required to bring safe and effective solutions to market, discussing unsettled topics, and suggesting next steps for industry stakeholders to consider as they work to advance the ADS ecosystem. NOTE: SAE EDGE(TM) Research Reports are intended to identify and illuminate key issues in emerging, but still unsettled, technologies of interest to the mobility industry. The goal of SAE EDGE(TM) Research Reports is to stimulate discussion and work in the hope of promoting and speeding resolution of identified issues. SAE EDGE(TM) Research Reports are not intended to resolve the issues they identify or close any topic to further scrutiny.