The automotive sector is evolving rapidly, driven by developments in autonomous vehicles, connectivity, electrification and artificial intelligence. As systems become more complex, the importance of safety, cybersecurity and compliance continues to increase.


On this page, you will find a structured and as up-to-date as possible overview of the most important international automotive standards and frameworks. These include functional safety, cybersecurity, AI, automated driving systems (ADS), test methodologies and software lifecycle management.


This overview helps engineers, project managers and decision-makers to quickly gain insight into relevant standards and their status (published, in development or withdrawn). We aim to continuously update this page based on the latest developments from organisations such as ISO, SAE and UL. Due to the speed at which new standards and updates are published, it is possible that the most recent changes may not yet be fully reflected.

This page gives you an overview of:

This overview helps you quickly identify the relevant standards for your development or project.

Core Framework (Safety & Security) Standards

These standards form the foundation for automotive safety and cybersecurity. They define the key lifecycle processes and risk management approaches for electrical, electronic and software-driven vehicle systems.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO 26262:2018Road Vehicles – Functional SafetyDefines lifecycle processes to manage risks from E/E system failures.Published
ISO 21448:2022Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF)Addresses hazards from functional insufficiencies such as perception limits.Published
ISO/SAE 21434:2021Road Vehicles – Cybersecurity EngineeringSpecifies lifecycle processes for automotive cybersecurity risk management.Published

Assessment Frameworks

These frameworks support organizations in assessing, auditing and evaluating safety and cybersecurity implementations. They are commonly used alongside the core standards.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO/PAS 5112:2022Road vehicles — Guidelines for auditing cybersecurity engineeringSpecifies guidelines on auditing road vehicle cybersecurity developments based on the 21434 framework.Published
ISO/AWI TS 25536Road vehicles — Retrospective safety performance assessment for Automated Driving SystemsDefines safety and performance requirements for automated driving systems in specific operational domains.Under Development
UL4600Standard for Safety for the Evaluation of Autonomous ProductsDefines a framework to build and evaluate a safety case for fully autonomous systems.Published

AI-related Standards

These standards address the use of artificial intelligence in safety-critical systems. They focus on AI-specific risks, functional safety and risk management approaches in automotive applications.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO/PAS 8800:2024Safety and Artificial IntelligenceProvides framework for safety of AI-based automotive systems.Published
ISO/IEC TR 5469:2024AI functional safetyAddresses AI-specific risks in safety-related systems.Published
ISO/IEC 23894:2023AI Risk ManagementProvides generic AI risk management framework.Published

Autonomous Driving Systems (ADS) Frameworks

These frameworks define terminology, classification and safety principles for automated driving systems. They provide a common foundation for development, validation and communication across the industry.

StandardNameScopeStatus
SAE J3016:2021Taxonomy for Driving AutomationDefines Levels 0–5 and allocation of driving tasks.Published
ISO/SAE PAS 22736:2021Taxonomy and definitions for driving automation systemsHarmonised definitions and terminology for ADS.Published
ISO/TS 5083:2025Safety for Automated Driving SystemsDefines requirements for ADS safety engineering and validation.Published
ISO/TR 4804:2020Safety & Cybersecurity for ADSProvides guidance for ADS safety principles, design and validation.Withdrawn

Specific ADS / ADAS Application Standards

These standards focus on specific automated driving and driver assistance applications. They define functionality, performance requirements and testing methods for individual use cases.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO 22737:2021Low-Speed Automated Driving (LSAD) SystemsSpecifies ODD, system requirements, and test procedures for predefined route AVs.Published
ISO 23374-1:2023Automated valet parking systems (AVPS)Defines requirements, communication interface and operation.Under development
ISO 23792:2026Motorway chauffeur systems (MCS)Defines requirements for highway automated driving.Published
ISO 23793-1:2024Minimal risk manoeuvre (MRM)Defines safe fallback strategies.Published
ISO/AWI 23793-2Extended MRMExtends fallback strategies and testing methods.Under Development
ISO 21717:2018Partially Automated In-Lane Driving SystemsDefines functionality and safety behaviour.Published
ISO 4272:2022Truck platooning systemsDefines operational and communication requirements.Published
ISO 21202:2020Lane change systemsSpecifies requirements for lane changes.Published
ISO 22078:2020Bicyclist detection & collision mitigationDefines detection and braking for vulnerable road users.Published
ISO 11270:2014Lane keeping assistance systemsDefines performance and validation methods.Published
ISO 22839:2013Collision mitigation systemsDefines system validation requirements.Published
ISO AWI 23375Collision evasive systemsLateral control for collision avoidance.Under development
IEEE P7009Fail-safe design for autonomous systemsDefines fail-safe methodologies.Under development
ISO/TR 21959-1/2Human performance in ADSDefines driver behaviour and transitions.Published
ISO/PAS 23735External vehicle communicationDefines communication with road users.Under development
ISO 3691 SeriesIndustrial trucks safetyDefines safety requirements for industrial vehicles.Published

ADS Testing

These standards define how automated driving systems should be tested and validated, often using structured and scenario-based approaches.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO 34503:2024Test scenarios for ADSDefines scenario-based testing and validation.Published
ISO 19206 SeriesTest devices for target vehiclesDefines testing methods for safety systems.Published

Electric Vehicle Safety

These standards focus on the safety of electric vehicles, including battery systems, electrical safety and protection measures during operation and after incidents.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO 6469 SeriesElectrically propelled road vehiclesDefines safety requirements for battery systems and electrical protection.Published

Software Updates & Data Management

These standards focus on secure and reliable software updates in vehicles, including over-the-air updates and lifecycle management of software systems.

StandardNameScopeStatus
ISO 24089:2023Software update engineeringDefines requirements for safe and secure software updates in vehicles.Published

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Would you like to be sure you are working with the most up-to-date standards, or do you have questions about their applicability within your organisation or project? Feel free to get in touch.


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