(Informative)
Since 1885, when the first Motorwagen was built, many inventions have made automobiles easier to drive and more responsive to human needs. A short list includes electric ignition starter, car radio, car key, power steering, cruise control, electric windows, intermittent windshield wipers, anti-lock braking system (ABS), digital dashboard displays, electromagnetic parking sensors, on-board diagnostics, mobile connection, satellite navigation, reversing camera, automatic parking, driver assistance features, etc.
Starting from 1939, when the first “self-driving” can was experimented, many efforts have further transformed automobiles from machine entirely driven by humans to machines with some “self-driving” capabilities. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in the USA has already developed a Level-based classification of cars with some “self-driving” capabilities. Today, self-driving cars are not only technically possible, but commercially available. They promise to bring benefits that will positively affect industry, society, and the environment, such as:
- Saving lives and reducing injuries by removing human error thanks to a machine less prone to errors.
- Giving humans more time for rewarding activities, such as interpersonal communication.
- Optimising the use of vehicles and infrastructure.
- Reducing congestion and pollution.
- Supporting elderly and disabled people.
Therefore, the transformation of the “niche market” of today into a vibrant “mass market” of tomorrow will positively impacts society and individuals. Rather that waiting for market forces to produce cars with progressively higher SAE Levels at more affordable prices, MPAI believes that a standards-driven process of making available component will achieve the goal timely and more efficiently.
MPAI proposes an open standardisation process based on a Reference Model that partitions a CAV into subsystems and components specified in terms of functional requirements and data exchanged.
This approach helps:
- Research optimise component technologies with the specified functional requirements.
- Component manufacturers bring their standard-conforming components to market when they are mature.
- Car manufacturers access an open global market of components with standard functions and interfaces.
- Regulators oversee conformance testing of component using standard procedures.
- Users rely on Connected Autonomous Vehicles whose operation they can explain to a large extent.
A CAV standard should not be considered an impediment to progress of technology. Rather, an interface standard enables the creation of a competitive market offering components with continuous performance improvement of until a new, more powerful reference model becomes possible enabling another phase of performance improvement.
In this Introduction and in the following Chapters, the following conventions apply:
- Capitalised Terms are defined in Table 1 if they are specific to this Technical Specification and in Table 2 if they are shared with other MPAI Technical Specifications.
- Words beginning with a capital letter have an equivalent word beginning with a small letter represent the “digital twin” of that word.
- Chapters and the Annexes are Normative unless they are labelled as Informative.
