A kernel-based architecture for safe cooperative vehicular functions

Future vehicular systems will be able to cooperate in order to perform many functions in a more effective and efficient way. However, achieving predictable and safe coordination of vehicles that autonomously cooperate in open and uncertain environments is a challenging task. Traditional solutions for achieving safety either impose restrictions on performance or require costly resources to deal with the worst case situations. In this paper, we describe a generic architectural pattern that addresses this problem. We consider that cooperative functions can be executed with multiple levels of service, and we rely on a safety kernel to manage the service level in run-time. A set of safety rules defined in design-time determine conditions under which the cooperative function can be performed safely in each level of service. The paper provides details of our implementation of this safety kernel, covering both hardware and software aspects. It also presents an example application of the proposed solutions in the development of a demonstrator using scaled vehicles.