Shift from simulation to reality: Test carrier architecture for seamless embedding of highly automated driving functions

Recent advances in autonomous technology have led to the steady introduction of vehicles equipped with autonomous driving functions in the transportation sector. To promote wide use of autonomous vehicles social acceptance is vital. However, to prove such cyber physical systems are safer than human drivers with statistical significance is still a challenge. Currently different phases of the testing process are carried out in different environments. Testing at early stages of development is usually carried out simulation environments, while the final acceptance tests are generally carried out in a real-world environment. This indicates the need for sustainable test environments capable of leveraging the advantages of both virtual and real-world testing. In this paper we present a domain agnostic and sustainable architecture of a test carrier in a verification and validation (V&V) environment that facilitates a seamless transition from virtual testing to real world testing. The proposed architecture is adapted to the maritime domain are evaluated with a highly automated maritime assistance system as a use case