Exploring the potential of standardized behaviour competencies in automated driving systems

• Published in: IFAC Journal of Systems and Control Vol. 33; p. 100320
• Main Authors: Stettinger, Georg, Weissensteiner, Patrick, Salem, Nayel Fabian, Nolte, Marcus, Khastgir, Siddartha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2025
• Subjects: ADS regulation; Behaviour competencies; Manoeuvre; Operational design domain; Risk assessment; Trustworthy; ADS regulation; Manoeuvre; Trustworthy; Behaviour competencies; Risk assessment; Operational design domain; Standards
• ISSN: 2468-6018; 2468-6018
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacsc.2025.100320

This paper presents a comprehensive impact assessment to explore the potential benefits of harmonized behaviour competencies (BC) for automated driving systems (ADS). Typically, ADS-equipped vehicles operate within certain boundaries specified by an operational design domain (ODD), utilizing the relevant implemented BCs. Nonetheless, many regulatory and standardization-relevant documents employ BC attributes in a non-harmonized manner. The study delves into BC-related activities and applications throughout the entire ADS life cycle, affecting all aspects of the ADS value chain, to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse needs of various stakeholders. BCs are linked to one of the four primary requirement sources at the system level. ADS-related BCs are defined through a multidisciplinary approach driven by their underlying core operating principle: the well-known sense-plan-act cycle. The crucial element within the BC specification is the identified manoeuvre pool, which forms the basis for implementing any route from point A to point B. The individual manoeuvres within the manoeuvre pool are defined by considering the needs of multiple stakeholders. They are based on three essential components: the initial condition, the expected manoeuvre, and the final condition. Furthermore, trustworthy behaviour competencies are specified, encompassing three pillars: robustness, ethics, and lawfulness. Following a detailed stakeholder analysis, several related applications are discussed to highlight the concrete advantages of implementing standardized BCs. The study concludes with a summary of the impact analysis, emphasizing key findings and action points. Lastly, a roadmap is proposed to integrate trustworthy BCs into future ADS. Concretely, the authors developed the following innovations within the scope of this article: (1) Concept for trustworthy behaviour competencies driven by law, ethics, and robustness. (2) Robustness is defined as passenger & ODD awareness and plannable & executable manoeuvre. (3) Manoeuvre pool necessary to implement an arbitrary route from point A to point B. (4) Manoeuvre specification via initial condition, expected behaviour, and final condition. (5) The potential benefits of harmonized behaviour competencies drive impact assessment. •Concept for trustworthy behaviour competencies driven by law, ethics, and robustness.•Robustness defined as passenger & ODD awareness and plannable & executable manoeuvre.•Manoeuvre pool necessary to implement an arbitrary route from point A to point B.•Manoeuvre specification via initial condition, expected behaviour, and final condition.•Impact assessment is driven by the potential benefits of harmonized behaviour competencies. [Display omitted]