Low-speed automated driving (LSAD) systems provide an opportunity for cities to reduce congestion and carbon emissions, thus contributing to net-zero targets and many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Designed for operation on predefined routes in low-speed environments, these autonomous vehicles are an innovative transportation option for commercial, business, or university campuses, or as “last-mile transport” – e.g., the last interval for a service to reach a customer or a short distance between a transportation hub and a final destination.
Yet growth of LSAD technology has been hampered by a lack of international standards defining performance and safety requirements – until now. A new standard has just been published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to help accelerate technological progress in a safe and sustainable way.
ISO 22737, Intelligent transport systems – Low-speed automated driving (LSAD) systems for predefined routes – Performance requirements, system requirements, and performance test procedures, provides a common language to help facilitate the development and safe deployment of LSAD technology worldwide.
The standard was developed by ISO Technical Committee (TC) 204, Intelligent transport systems, with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. member of ISO, serving as committee secretariat. SAE International serves as the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) administrator to ISO TC 204, overseeing the TAG’s formulation of U.S. positions and proposals related to the work of ISO TC 204.
According to the ISO 22737 project leader, Siddartha Khastgir, Ph.D., an increased use in LSAD systems will lead to a shift in the way people, goods, and services are transported. “By defining minimum requirements and test procedures for LSAD systems, this new standard will enable the safe development of this environmentally friendly transport option,” said Dr. Khastgir.
Originally published by ISO; adapted and republished with permission