Open Challenges in the Formal Verification of Autonomous Driving

TL;DR

This paper discusses the complex challenges in formally verifying autonomous driving systems, highlighting issues like component heterogeneity, black-box components, and certification hurdles, through a real-world case study.

Contribution

It identifies key open challenges in the formal verification of autonomous vehicles and explores how formal methods can address these issues to improve safety and reliability.

Findings

Identification of key open challenges in autonomous vehicle verification

Analysis of certification issues for heterogeneous and black-box components

Discussion of formal verification techniques applicable to real-world systems

Abstract

In the realm of autonomous driving, the development and integration of highly complex and heterogeneous systems are standard practice. Modern vehicles are not monolithic systems; instead, they are composed of diverse hardware components, each running its own software systems. An autonomous vehicle comprises numerous independent components, often developed by different and potentially competing companies. This diversity poses significant challenges for the certification process, as it necessitates certifying components that may not disclose their internal behaviour (black-boxes). In this paper, we present a real-world case study of an autonomous driving system, identify key open challenges associated with its development and integration, and explore how formal verification techniques can address these challenges to ensure system reliability and safety.