Functional Safety Analysis for Infrastructure-Enabled Depot Autonomy System

2026-03-15

AI Summary

This study addresses the functional safety risks of infrastructure-enabled autonomous vehicle yard systems (IX-DA) operating without human intervention by systematically applying, for the first time, the Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA) methodology from ISO 26262 to closed-area, infrastructure-dominated scenarios. The authors identify eight categories of hazardous events and derive six corresponding safety goals, proposing a dynamic ASIL downgrade strategy based on operational speed: high-speed loss-of-control scenarios require compliance with ASIL C, whereas low-speed controlled operations may be downgraded to QM. By integrating a standards-compliant HARA process, system architecture decomposition, and multi-scenario risk evaluation, this approach offers a feasible pathway for the phased safety deployment of IX-DA systems.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Model-Based Reasoning
• Application Domains: Transportation
• Intelligent Robots: State Estimation

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Experiences and lessons learnt from Web-based algorithms and system deployments
• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy

Abstract

This paper presents the functional safety analysis for an Infrastructure-Enabled Depot Autonomy (IX-DA) system. The IX-DA system automates the marshalling of delivery vehicles within a controlled depot environment, navigating connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) between drop-off zones, service stations (washing, calibration, charging, loading), and pick-up zones without human intervention. We describe the system architecture comprising three principal subsystems -- the connected autonomous vehicle, the infrastructure sensing and compute layer, and the human operator interface -- and derive their functional requirements. Using ISO 26262-compliant Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA) methodology, we identify eight hazardous events, evaluate them across different operating scenarios, and assign Automotive Safety Integrity Levels~(ASILs) ranging from Quality Management (QM) to ASIL C. Six safety goals are derived and allocated to vehicle and infrastructure subsystems. The analysis demonstrates that high-speed uncontrolled operation imposes the most demanding safety requirements (ASIL C), while controlled low-speed operation reduces most goals to QM, offering a practical pathway for phased deployment.

Problem

• Functional Safety
• Infrastructure-Enabled Depot Autonomy
• Hazard Analysis
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Safety Integrity Levels

Innovation

• Infrastructure-Enabled Autonomy
• Functional Safety Analysis
• Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment (HARA)
• Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL)
• Depot Automation