kVA by UL, a global leader in automotive safety standards, and Stantec GenerationAV, the autonomous vehicle consulting arm of global design firm Stantec, have announced that they are collaborating to advance the safe deployment of autonomous vehicle(AV) projects. 

Together, the two global players will offer customers a scalable safety advisory, validation and verification process within the operating environment, management operations and the vehicle. 

As cities and transportation agencies, residential and commercial developers, educational and healthcare institutions, energy producers and other entities make plans for AVs on streets and roadways, the complementary services from kVA by UL and Stantec GenerationAV offer a complete advisory solution, taking a systems view of multiple technologies in multiple domains with their respective safety impact.

"Before mass AV deployment can occur, people want assurance of AV safety," said Mary Joyce, vice president and general manager of UL's New Mobility division. 

kVA by UL offers customers analysis from safety experts who will apply a critical and independent eye to safety and risk factors. 

The resulting analysis will highlight safety concerns in real-world conditions and provide safety and risk mitigation across diverse stakeholder viewpoints, including urban planners, transportation officials, insurance providers, vehicle manufacturers and AV technology developers.

The services will include an analysis of hazards and risks from AV technology applications, software, hardware, infrastructure, operational design domains, data, operations and overall technology integration. 

A combination of best practices and standards will be used, including UL 4600, the Standard For Safety For The Evaluation Of Autonomous Products, ISO26262 Road Vehicles – Functional Safety, ISO21448 Road Vehicles – Safety of the Intended Functionality(SOTIF).  

Customers will receive a management dashboard that can be leveraged to drive safety improvements.

"AV technology is changing the way we move people and goods, which impacts communities globally," said Corey Clothier, director of Stantec GenerationAV. 

"Safety and risk evaluations, operational protocols, policy considerations and stakeholder engagement will lead to trust in the technology and determine the level and speed of AV adoption. We are delighted to work with kVA by UL to support AV deployment decisions and accelerate automated mobility."