A Cross-domain Safety Assurance for Automated Transport event was recently hosted in Westminster, London, by WMG, University of Warwick, to discuss progress and communicate the next steps needed to usher in a new wave of changes. Event speakers included Feryal Clark MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state for AI and digital government at the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Prof. Sarah Sharples, chief scientific advisor, Department for Transport; Prof Sir Iain Gray, Emeritus Professor, Cranfield University; and Ian Constance, CEO, APC UK.
March 2023 saw the launch of Cross-Domain Safety Assurance for Automated Transport Systems – a dedicated framework, backed by 38 organizations, that could potentially drive the future of all transportation modes. The foundations for this initiative had been laid back in March 2022 by Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the event host. The conference kicked off with a welcome address by Prof. Robin Clark, dean, WMG, who highlighted the significance of automated transportation while also indicating the omnipresence of autonomous solutions, using autopilot as an example.
Prof. Sarah Sharples, chief scientific advisor at the Department for Transport, followed with a keynote address that covered a variety of topics, ranging from the impact of technology in transportation to the need to recognize anxiety among consumers and the approach required to address that. Sharples then discussed the paper Ironies of Automation by Lisanne Bainbridge and delved further into the systems approach through a paper that Sharples co-authored.
Keynote speaker Feryal Clark MP (parliamentary under-secretary of state for AI and digital government at the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) followed, discussing the UK government’s commitment to supporting safety in automated transportation and the significance of her attendance at the event event on the same day the 2024 budget was announced.
Prof. Sharples then resumed her presentation, discussing the priorities for cross domain autonomy. These included the need for making conscious decisions, understanding different approaches and the public’s response to autonomous transportation, continuous learning, the realization that systems and people will evolve, and the importance of having a true system mindset.
Prof. Siddartha Khastgir, head of safe autonomy, WMG, spoke about the contributor organizations and stakeholders to the initiative, while summarizing its journey since March 2022. Khastgir also underlined the importance of international collaboration for a future with automated transportation solutions.
The stage was then handed over to Michael Hurwitz (partner, PA Consulting) and Mark Warner (content and communications director, Lloyd’s Register) who delivered two presentations from domains, discussing the challenges and progress made.
The first panel discussion, Engineering Safety, featured Prof. Sarah Sharples, Prof. Sir Iain Gray, emeritus professor, Cranfield University; Prof. Neil Stansfield, head of strategy and digital sector, National Physical Laboratory; Camilla Fowler, director of safety assurance, OXA; Michael Gadd, head of office of airworthiness, Blue Bear Systems Research; and Joseph Morelos, complex systems and autonomy leader, Lloyd’s Register as the panelists with Prof. Khastgir acting as the moderator.
The panelists provided valuable insights, signifying how full autonomy is a long and slow race. The discussion brought to light the importance of the security of AVs and how it differs from safety. The session was followed by a Q&A which raised the question of where rail stands in this race to autonomy.
The second session was titled ‘Communicating Safety’, with the panel comprising Dr Genovefa Kefalidou, lecturer in human-computer interaction, University of Leicester; Imogen Bhogal, chief content officer, Fully Charged Show and Everything Electric; Dr Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK; and Prof. Nicholas Pidgeon, director of the understanding risk research group, Cardiff University. Moderated by Dr David Bott, principal fellow, WMG, the panel focused on the consumer mindset and effective ways to communicate safety. An intriguing point was made on a safety paradox – that if you talk too much about safety, it could prove to be counterintuitive with consumers doubting this safety.
The last session, Safety Policy, saw policy experts from all domains as panel representatives. Sir Ian Gray moderated the panel which included Dr Sarah Gates, director of public policy, Wayve; Kirsten Riensema, advanced air mobility challenge lead, Civil Aviation Authority; Dr Katrina Kemp, maritime autonomy policy lead, Maritime and Coastguard Agency; Vicki Murdie, future flight challenge innovation lead, UK Research and Innovation; and Eleanor Bennett, Law Commission of England and Wales. The panel included discussions on distinct policy hurdles and perspectives for all domains – land, air and marine.
The conference concluded with a fireside chat between Rt Hon Greg Clark, chief executive chair at the Warwick Innovation District, and Prof. Khastgir, and then closing remarks from Dr Bott on further steps and targets.