SAE Rolls out Introduction to Automated Vehicle Safety in Shanghai

June 3, 2019

William Kucinski

Since 2016, five fatal accidents involving self-driving cars have served as cautionary tales for engineers designing and testing automated vehicles (AVs). These accidents have made it clear that occupant and pedestrian safety is paramount to the development, validation, deployment, and public perception of AVs. As automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators shift toward designing systems with higher levels of autonomy, safety has been ranked as the number one concern for AV acceptance and adoption.

However, designing for safety in automation has complex requirements – many of which are obscured with misinterpretation. As the leader for training mobility engineers, SAE has provided training for those working to make autonomous systems safer. The most recent curriculum offering is a two-day seminar – Introduction to Automated Vehicle Safety: Multi-Agent, Functional Safety, and SOTIF – taught by Dr. Juan R. Pimentel.

The first course offering will be in Shanghai, China, from August 28 to August 29. A second offering in Troy, Michigan for the end of 2019 is also being considered. The course is also available as a live, instructor-led web seminar.

William Kucinski  is content editor at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group in Warrendale, Pa. Previously, he worked as a writer at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, Ohio and was responsible for writing the agency’s System Failure Case Studies. His interests include literally anything that has to do with space, past and present military aircraft, and propulsion technology.

Contact him regarding any article or collaboration ideas by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..