“This new designation is an important building block in our service portfolio for car manufacturers as well as for vehicle and fleet operators, taking in all aspects of fully automated driving. With this designation, we can now support our customers in all activities required by the KBA for the type approval of fully automated vehicles”, says Christian Gnandt, Vice President Automated Driving. TÜV SÜD as a Technical Service is entitled to provide overall assessment of management systems, the architecture of safety management systems and safety concepts, and fully automated driving systems, and to prepare the expert reports needed for KBA approval. The regulatory basis in addition to the German AFGBV is the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1426 governing the type approval of fully automated vehicles (SAE Level 4). Gnandt comments, “The EU small series scheme for fully automated vehicles is an important step in getting this technology on the road.”

The TÜV SÜD experts, in their role as a Technical Service, accompany vehicle manufacturers throughout the entire KBA type approval process. To this end, they assess the safety concepts and safety management systems and carry out physical tests on their own and third-party proving grounds. The process is concluded by comprehensive safety reports, which form the basis for KBA type approval. “Manufacturers can rely fully on the TÜV SÜD specialists’ expertise also in the development and approval of their fully automated vehicles. We are thus contributing significantly to fast market success”, says Gnandt.

From cybersecurity and functional safety to safety management systems, testing and certification, and the design and development of regulatory framework conditions, TÜV SÜD has supported fully automated vehicles right from the outset. The technical service provider has worked with various partners at national, European and international levels to get this new technology safely on the road. International standards and regulations are a key factor in this success, ultimately ensuring that all vehicles on our roads meet the same safety standards – irrespective of their country of origin. As Gnandt explains, “Safety inspires trust and is therefore the basis for the success of the mobility of tomorrow.