Understanding the latest breakthrough in safe automated driving

The safety of automated vehicles heavily depends on the ODD. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SEA), the ODD generally defines when, where, and under what conditions an automated vehicle is designed to operate, or, specifically, those conditions in which it can't operate. Different vehicle types will have varying rules of automation and management. For example, it may be riskier for a fully loaded truck to be automated when transporting materials during rush hours. On the other hand, personal vehicles that operate in lighter traffic won’t have to face the same issue and may therefore have a higher degree of automation.

Automakers also need to account for the local road regulations and weather conditions, which vary per region and country. As the industry moves further towards automation, we prioritize safety more than ever, and ODD goes hand in hand with AD.

Highly accurate and efficient maps are another integral part of automation. Always working to make roads safer, at TomTom we apply our TomTom HD Map data to manage the ODD for safer automated driving. The result is an original, industry-first product called RoadCheck. RoadCheck enables automakers to prohibit vehicles from activating driving automation functions in potentially dangerous areas and allow it in safer areas.

TomTom RoadCheck combines these benefits in one unique tool. In practice, automakers can quickly make changes in a web application. An online service then processes all updates and delivery products such as TomTom AutoStream will deliver the data directly to the vehicle or automakers. HD map data helps the automotive engineers determine the safest, most accurate rules and restrictions for AD.

Improved ODD management ultimately means less car accidents and increased safety for all drivers. Drivers would therefore have ‘informed safety’ – the knowledge of AD safety limits and the ability to make decisions according to their current environment. As AD in vehicles is restricted to safe areas, more driver trust and informed safety means wider AD adoption. There is a real opportunity here for automakers and technology companies to make headway in a new era of self-driving car technology, while giving drivers greater comfort and peace of mind.

Increased automation will come one step at a time. Enhancing ODD capabilities by leveraging HD map data is a fresh step that immediately improves driving automation. At TomTom, we prioritize safety for everyone by furthering location technology.

Products such as TomTom RoadCheck open the door for engineers where they combine their development insights with data from HD maps and make journeys even safer for all road users.