Some subjects and thoughts related to autonomous vehicles and how there are similarities to the aerospace world, more specifically fly by wire.

1. FABIO ALONSO DA SILVA
SELF-DRIVING CHALLENGES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN
AEROSPACE (FLY BY WIRE) ENGINEER
1

2. INDEX
• Self-Driving challenges
• Flight Control System
• Autonomous Flight
• Fly-by-Wire vs Autonomous Vehicle (functional similarities)
• Scenario based design
• Q & A
2

3. SELF-DRIVING DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGES
• REGULATIONS
• LACK OF LAWS OR REGULATIONS TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT AND
INTEGRATION OF IA SYSTEMS TO AN AUTOMOTIVE PLATFORM
• LACK OF AGREEMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF REGULATIONS FOR
SELF-DRIVING ACROSS US STATES
• CERTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS
• DEFINITION OF A CERTIFICATION BASIS
• DEFINITION OF CERTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
3

4. DEFINITION OF REGULATIONS
• Basically 3 important questions need answers:
1. Are the AI + drive system (both replacing the driver) capable to
follow traffic rules defined for any specific ODD?
2. Are the AI + drive system (both replacing the driver) capable to
perform safely as a human driver would or better in any foreseeable
normal or abnormal operation?
3. Can the AI + drive system (both replacing the driver) be
demonstrated to be X times safer in all cases a human driver has
caused an incident or fatal accident?
4

5. REQUIREMENT BASED DESIGN
• Flow of requirements
from the high level
sources of definition
down to components
5
REGULATIO
NS
SAFETY OPERATION
MARKETING
PERFORMAN
CE
MAINTENAN
CE
PRODUCT
SYSTEMS
HW
SW

6. Auto-Pilot
Auto-Throttle
Auto-Land
Fly-By-Wire
(CLAWs)
Engine Control
(FADEC)
Throttle
Quadrant
LDG System
Brake Control
Flight
Management
System
Nose Wheel
Steering
AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT? HOW FAR FROM
REALITY?
• The block diagram
describes in a high level
view the functionalities
that provide Navigation,
Guidance and Control
• Currently the pilot is the
Center of the decision-
making process inside
the cockpit. Similarly is
the driver in a vehicle.
• Autonomous flight
systems will have to
replace the pilot and be
dedicated to respond to
any event during a
flight
6

7. AIRCRAFT COCKPIT
7
Control
Awareness
Devices that allow
control and awareness

8. SELF DRIVE
8
Awareness
ControlControlControl
AwarenessAwareness
Devices that allow
control and awareness

9. FLY BY WIRE VS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE
• Functional Similarities:
• The majority or all functions
under Localization,
environment and Planning
correspond to the
responsibilities of pilot, flight
management, auto-pilot and
auto-land
• Stabilization would
correspond to CLAWs, Brake,
Steering and Engine Control
Note: overlaps are not shown.
Reference: by Ulbrich, Simon;
Reschka, Andreas, “Towards a
Functional System Architecture
for Automated Vehicles”
9
• PILOT
• FLIGHT
MANAGEMENT
• AUTO-PILOT
• AUTO-LAND
• CLAWS
• BRAKE
• STEERING
• ENGINE

10. SCENARIO BASED DEFINITIONS
• Drive Scenarios:
1. Vehicle should stop
at stop-sign: If car
does not stop it is
going to collide with
the other stopped at
in front of it;
2. Make a curve to the
left: If it is unable to
make a left turn
within its own lane
either it will
runaway from the
lane, or make an
aggressive left turn
and collide with the
other incoming
vehicle 10
1 2