Implications of Safety Definition for Automated Driving

The developments of advanced sensing, communication and vehicle technologies in the past two decades have significantly changed the technological composition of road vehicles. It has become an expectation that automated vehicle technologies, including driver assistance system that are already in use on the roads and future automated driving systems at their mature state will have the potential to reduce crashes, prevent injuries, and save lives. To fulfill the promise of eliminating most crashes, automated vehicles must be designed safe. While the industry has been working diligently to ensure functional safety of automated vehicle functions, questions remain -- how should safety of automated vehicles be defined, quantified and measured? As the safety operation of automated vehicles must interact with nested transportation systems including infrastructures, human drivers, pedestrians, how would the automated vehicles impact the safety and efficiency of the future transportation systems? This talk addresses implications and gaps in defining safety of automated vehicles, intending to foster a discussion among the workshop participants.