From absolute safety to informed safety: the role of the operational design domain

To prove that automated driving systems (ADS) are safer than human drivers, it is suggested that they need to be driven for over 11 billion miles. A number of miles is not an appropriate metric and doesn’t guarantee absolute safety. This highlights the question: “How safe is safe enough?” To answer, we suggest a departure from the world of absolute safety to informed safety. A key aspect of informed safety includes an accurate and standardized definition of the operational design domain for an ADS, including conveying it to users, regulators and other stakeholders. The first step in all safety standards: ODD definition.