Could virtual AV testing finally unlock SAE Level 4 and 5?

In an effort to push autonomous vehicles (AVs) into the mainstream, the industry has broadly coalesced around a single rallying cry: focus on safety. As SAE Level 4 robotaxi developer Cruise continues to come under scrutiny, this message has never been clearer. However, companies must still reconcile three often contradictory goals: safety, service coverage, and cost efficiency.

Guenther Hasna, Chief Technologist at multinational engineering software firm Ansys, previously told Automotive World that computer simulations could help accelerate the electric vehicle transition. Today, he is equally confident that the same technology could address challenges impeding the AV timeline in Europe and elsewhere.

“If we want to have AVs, we need a way to safely test their risk to other road users. For many vulnerable road users (VRUs)—pedestrians, cyclists, etc.—real world testing is simply too dangerous,” he explains. By using simulations, Hasna posits, AV developers could achieve their three main goals and produce safe, scalable models faster and cheaper than ever before.