Safe autonomous mobility: TÜV association presents seven-point plan

Autonomous vehicles, AI in road traffic and connected infrastructure systems are rapidly driving the mobility revolution. However, technological progress will only realise its potential if safety and regulation keep pace. Innovation needs reliable rules – and these must develop just as dynamically as the technology itself. The TÜV Association is therefore in favour of adaptive regulation that systematically evaluates findings from pilot projects and real-life operation and continuously develops the legal framework in rapid cycles. ‘The aim must be to bring vehicles with higher levels of automation onto the market quickly, but subject to clear safety and cybersecurity requirements,’ says Richard Goebelt, Head of Vehicle & Mobility at the TÜV Association. In a new position paper, the TÜV Association shows how digital mobility can be designed safely and presents a seven-point plan on autonomous driving functions, AI systems in the vehicle, software updates, data access and cybersecurity.

Targeted expansion of autonomous mobility: As a pragmatic start, the TÜV Association recommends specifically expanding the use of autonomous vehicles where they have already proven themselves, for example in pilot operations in clearly defined fields of application in logistics transport – such as on factory premises or clearly defined hub-to-hub routes between logistics centres – supplemented in the future by so-called ‘Automated Driving Corridors’. These designated areas, in which driving situations with comparatively less complexity prevail, offer the opportunity to establish systems under real conditions, standardise test processes and further develop regulatory requirements based on evidence. In this way, trust in autonomous technology can grow – without any safety risks for the general public.

Warning of a regulatory grey area: The recent robotaxi pilots in the US show how quickly pure market impulses without accompanying transparency and testing requirements can lead to safety gaps and acceptance problems – also because there is no independent technical monitoring and authorities are not given any insight into AI updates or emergency protocols. ‘We see that the lack of access to real-time data and software changes by supervisory authorities is blocking the view of the actual risk situation,’ says Goebelt. In order to avoid such regulatory grey areas in Europe, the TÜV association is calling for binding, EU-wide harmonised rules for vehicle-generated data, an independent third-party testing scheme for safety-critical AI systems and an efficient testing infrastructure across the entire vehicle life cycle. ‘The regular operation of level 4 vehicles will only become a reality if the legal framework, technical standards and independent testing centres speak the same language,’ says Goebelt.

Trust comes from safety: for society to accept them, autonomous systems must be verifiably safe. ‘Without safety, there is no trust – and without trust, there is no acceptance of autonomous mobility,’ says Goebelt. ‘People rightly expect new technologies not only to work, but also to be safe. This requires binding rules and independent testing.’ In Germany, the Autonomous Vehicle Authorisation and Operation Ordinance (AFGBV) already provides the complete legal framework: It regulates the two-stage authorisation consisting of vehicle type and operating range. What is still missing: production vehicles and practical experience to establish the system in everyday life. The Cyber Resilience Act, the AI Act and the Data Act also provide all the essential building blocks at EU level. It is now crucial to apply these requirements in specific projects and to quickly transfer the data obtained into standards and test procedures.

Europe needs standardised procedures: The TÜV association is calling for greater European coordination, for example through standardised approval procedures, binding safety requirements and the establishment of cross-border test corridors. ‘Germany and Europe must actively shape the introduction of autonomous vehicles – with clear rules, reliable testing processes and an innovation-friendly administration,’ says Goebelt.

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