CERTAIN Project: Resilient and Continuous Safety Assurance Methodology for CCAM and its HMI components

As a key coordinator of this ambitious European research initiative, Applus+ IDIADA is leading the way in establishing new paradigms for safety assurance in automated driving.

Project Overview

Running from June 2025 to May 2028, CERTAIN brings together 25 partners across Europe with a total budget of 14 million euros. The project addresses critical challenges in the validation and verification of CCAM systems through innovative methodologies that bridge the gap between technical safety and human factors.

The consortium unites leading automotive manufacturers, technology providers, research institutions, and regulatory bodies in a collaborative effort to transform how automated driving systems are validated. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that technological innovations are balanced with real-world usability considerations and regulatory requirements.

Our Vision

CERTAIN's core vision is to complete and improve the comprehensive Safety Assurance Framework (SAF) developed in project SUNRISE, that encompasses the entire lifecycle of automated driving systems. By integrating Safety, Trust, Acceptance, and Comfort (STAC) dimensions, we're creating validation approaches that consider not only technical performance but also user experience and societal impact.

This revolutionary approach recognizes that while technical safety is essential, it alone cannot guarantee successful adoption of automated mobility solutions. Users must trust these systems, find them acceptable for everyday use, and experience comfort during operation. CERTAIN addresses these interconnected needs through a unified framework rather than treating them as separate domains.

Applus+ IDIADA's Role

As the project coordinator, Applus+ IDIADA brings extensive expertise in vehicle testing, validation, and safety assessment to CERTAIN. Our teams are leading several key initiatives, across different Business Units (UK, Germany, and headquarters):

• Development of advanced and inclusive human-centric design and validation methodologies that evaluate both objective safety metrics and subjective user perceptions.
• Creation of robust in-service monitoring tools for continuous safety assessment throughout the operational lifecycle of automated vehicles.
• Implementation of highway pilot testing software for automated driving functions across various operational design domains.
• Contribute to  AI-based validation strategies for complex scenarios that traditional testing methods cannot adequately address.
• Ensure compliance and propose to fill-in the existing gaps, in regulatory standards. IDIADA's extensive experience in homologation and regulatory compliance also ensures that CERTAIN's outputs align with evolving international standards.
• Coordination of the Use Cases Workpackage that covers real-life testbeds with different vehicle types (passenger cars, autonomous delivery pods, trucks ) different automation levels (L2 to L4) and different operational design domains (urban mixed traffic, highway, etc.), in both simulations and proving grounds.
• Project Coordination of cross-partner activities to ensure cohesive integration of technological solutions and methodological approaches.

Our state-of-the-art proving grounds and virtual testing facilities provide the perfect environment for rigorous validation of CCAM systems under controlled yet realistic conditions.

Key Innovations

CERTAIN is pioneering several technological breakthroughs:

• Integrated STAC Safety Assurance Framework: A holistic approach that treats Safety, Trust, Acceptance, and Comfort as interconnected dimensions rather than isolated factors, enabling comprehensive evaluation of automated driving systems.
• Human-Machine Interface Optimization: Advanced HMI designs that enhance user experience across various automation levels (L2-L4), including mixed-level configurations and transition scenarios between different levels of automation.
• Inclusive Design Principles: Ensuring automated mobility solutions address diverse user needs, including vulnerable road users and those with disabilities, through specialized testing protocols and user research methodologies.
• Continuous Safety Monitoring: Development of techniques and tools for ongoing assessment of automated systems throughout their operational lifecycle, enabling early detection of potential safety issues.
• The integration of Trustworthy AI within the CERTAIN framework aims to establish robust safety validation strategies for AI-based CCAM functions. Key results include developing data-driven validation methodologies that ensure AI systems operate reliably within their Operational Design Domains (ODDs). Additionally, the project will implement continuous AI monitoring throughout the system's lifecycle, enabling early detection and mitigation of potential safety issues, thus fostering user trust and supporting regulatory compliance.
• V2X communication will be a cornerstone of the resilient safety assurance framework, enhancing vehicle awareness and coordination in complex traffic environments. Key results involve the development and validation of V2X-based scenario assessments, ensuring reliable communication for safety-critical functions. The project will also produce standardized protocols and interoperability guidelines to facilitate widespread adoption of V2X solutions, ultimately contributing to improved safety, traffic efficiency, and the integration of connected vehicles into the European mobility ecosystem
• Scenario-Based Testing: Comprehensive validation using real-world and edge-case scenarios derived from extensive data collection and statistical analysis of critical driving situations
• Multi-level Validation Strategy: Integration of simulation, controlled testing, and real-world validation approaches in a cohesive framework that maximizes efficiency while ensuring comprehensive coverage

Expected Impact

The methodologies and tools developed within CERTAIN will significantly advance the state of the art in CCAM validation, helping to:

• Accelerate the safe deployment of automated driving systems through more efficient and comprehensive validation approaches
• Enhance public trust and acceptance of automated mobility solutions by ensuring they meet not only safety requirements but also user expectations
• Provide regulators and industry with robust validation frameworks that can adapt to evolving technologies and use cases
• Strengthen Europe's leadership position in autonomous vehicle technology through harmonized approaches to safety assurance
• Foster cross-sector collaboration between automotive, technology, and research stakeholders to address complex interdisciplinary challenges
• Support the development of updated regulations and standards that reflect the unique characteristics of automated driving systems
• Create new business opportunities in the testing, validation, and certification of CCAM technologies

Societal Benefits

Beyond technological advancement, CERTAIN addresses critical societal challenges:

• Improved Road Safety: Developing validation methodologies that help identify and mitigate potential safety risks before deployment
• Enhanced Mobility: Ensuring automated systems are accessible and beneficial to diverse user groups, including elderly and disabled individuals
• Environmental Sustainability: Supporting the optimization of automated driving functions for improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions
• Economic Growth: Creating new opportunities for European leadership in the emerging automated mobility sector through innovation and standardization

By combining cutting-edge technological innovation with deep human factors expertise, CERTAIN represents Applus+ IDIADA's commitment to shaping the future of safe, trusted, and user-centered mobility solutions. Through this landmark project, we continue to drive forward the boundaries of what's possible in automated vehicle validation, ultimately contributing to a safer, more efficient, and more accessible transportation ecosystem for all.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.